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When Did Americans Lose Their English Accents?
- Thread starter Huntn
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What region? I have never heard “grinder” referring to a sub sandwich, although I‘ve head hoogie. In fact I got into an argument with my wife once, explaining to her that they (sub, hoogie) were the same.
Submarine sandwich - Wikipedia
A common term in New England is grinder, but its origin has several possibilities.[20] One theory has the name coming from Italian-American slang for a dock worker, among whom the sandwich was popular.[5] Others say that it was called a grinder because it took a lot of chewing to eat the hard crust of the bread used.[21]
In Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, and parts of New England, the term grinder usually refers to a hot submarine sandwich (meatball, sausage, etc.), whereas a cold sandwich (e.g., cold cuts) is usually called a "sub".[8] In the Philadelphia area, the term grinder is also applied to any hoagie that is toasted in the oven after assembly, whether or not it is made with traditionally hot ingredients.
Interesting! I would guess the first one. That reminds me of the discussion I had with my wife, although as I recall the hoogie place made cold sandwiches too.Submarine sandwich - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
A common term in New England is grinder, but its origin has several possibilities.[20] One theory has the name coming from Italian-American slang for a dock worker, among whom the sandwich was popular.[5] Others say that it was called a grinder because it took a lot of chewing to eat the hard crust of the bread used.[21]
In Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, and parts of New England, the term grinder usually refers to a hot submarine sandwich (meatball, sausage, etc.), whereas a cold sandwich (e.g., cold cuts) is usually called a "sub".[8] In the Philadelphia area, the term grinder is also applied to any hoagie that is toasted in the oven after assembly, whether or not it is made with traditionally hot ingredients.
Hoogie is a Philly invention.Interesting! I would guess the first one. That reminds me of the discussion I had with my wife, although as I recall the hoogie place made cold sandwiches too.
For those interested in the history and development of the English language, I highly recommend The Story of English, a nine-part television series that was hosted by Robert MacNeil in the 1980s. I haven't been able to find the DVD, but the individual episodes are viewable on YouTube. The accompanying book remains available.
Melvyn Bragg has written a (very engaging and exceptionally readable) book on this subject (designed to tie in with a TV series) entitled "The Adventure of English".
A friend immigrated to the U.S. from China in his early twenties. He has his doctorate in speech pathology (and another in mathematics). I never understood how/why he chose speech pathology being he’s ESL and speaks like he has a mouthful of marbles. My curiosity must have been well founded because he’s now an actuarial.
Ok, this was random and off-topic. That’s how my brain works. ☹️
[automerge]1581194505[/automerge]
When I drink my super secret Kung Fu skills come out. Plus I become very handsome. 💪
Ok, this was random and off-topic. That’s how my brain works. ☹️
[automerge]1581194505[/automerge]
When I drink my super secret Kung Fu skills come out. Plus I become very handsome. 💪
You're kidding. 😳 I’m lucky if I can hear them at all.
You’d love HBO’s Avenue 5. Every time something goes wrong and makes him apoplectic, Hugh Laurie’s American accent vanishes and this high-pitched British freakout accent appears. 😄
That's funny!
You may or may not recall that there was a reboot of the Bionic Woman in 2007. Michelle Ryan was the star of that. By season 2 apparently she was showing serious strain in trying to maintain the American accent. She was allowed to drop that and speak with her regular accent and no in-show explanation for it was given. Shortly after the the program was cancelled.
Never saw the show, but that's amusing.
In Laurie's case, that's how the character is written. He's pretending to be American spaceship captain, but like a number of other people on board, he's a fake. Much like Oliver Wendell Douglas on Green Acres, they seem to throw stressful situations at him just so you can watch him flip out. 😆
Years ago (in the early 80s I think) there was a program on PBS about American accents. It was very interesting. If I recall correctly, they mentioned a small area around Boston that still spoke with a British accent until the early/mid 20th century. I remember a few very elderly people being interviewed and having a British accent. They were the the last ones that had that accent.
Having been born and raised until age 12 in Connecticut in late 50s/mid 60s, the accent or rather twang of Vermonters is indelibly etched in my mind. Ayeyah, frum heah to the genrul stoah. Never heard anything like since. Haven't been back since '71.
Wonder if an influx of people to the region has diluted it.
Perhaps, however; after my father passed away I spoke to a cousin still living in the Chelsea area, his twang was as strong as when we were kids. So I suppose the old folks still livin' up thah still have it.
Wonder if an influx of people to the region has diluted it.
Perhaps, however; after my father passed away I spoke to a cousin still living in the Chelsea area, his twang was as strong as when we were kids. So I suppose the old folks still livin' up thah still have it.
There are hundreds of accents in Wales too and these change by the town, region or valley. I dread to think how many different accents exist across the UK? I’ve got a Midlands accent but I’m often told I sound posh. My wife has a strong welsh accent and do fo my children.
Not sure where the accents came from across the United States? Just a mix of accents coming together and forming unique twangs.
My wife spent a few years in London and then in Vancouver for college. She will sometimes say "Zed" instead of "Z" and pronounce "About" like "Aboot". There are other things she switches around too. The thing is, she doesn't do it often. It just randomly pops out.
