Why is the Chicago "Blaccent" More Southern than Boston/NYC/Philly's? (Fulton: buyers, moving)

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

I don't think of whites in Philadelphia or the rest of the Northeast as "talking proper." It's not so much the diction and grammar as it is the pronunciation of certain words and the overall accent. You can speak technically perfect English while sounding like Fran Drescher.

Perhaps, but the accent of whites in Chicago is nothing like that of whites on the east coast. Whites (or blacks for that matter) in Chicago don't have that heavy accent like Bostonians or how Jews (ala Fran Drescher) speak in the Northeast. I'd venture to say whites in Chicago "talk proper" more so than whites in the Northeast.

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

Perhaps, but the accent of whites in Chicago is nothing like that of whites on the east coast. Whites (or blacks for that matter) in Chicago don't have that heavy accent like Bostonians or how Jews (ala Fran Drescher) speak in the Northeast. I'd venture to say whites in Chicago "talk proper" more so than whites in the Northeast.

Chicago has a large Polish population. Is there an ethnolect specific to that particular community?

Maybe the Northeast in general is more Italian/Irish/Jewish heavy and that impacts the dialect? Metro Boston, for example, is about half the size of Greater Chicago, but yet it has about the same number of Italian-Americans.

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

Chicago has a large Polish population. Is there an ethnolect specific to that particular community?

I've only ever come up in contact with Polish-Americans (born there) who had no specific or distinct accent that I can recall.

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

I've only ever come up in contact with Polish-Americans (born there) who had no specific or distinct accent that I can recall.

What about the African American relationship with the Hispanic community? Has that had any impact on black speech?

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

What about the African American relationship with the Hispanic community? Has that had any impact on black speech?

I'd say not at all. The are some parts of the city where there's a bit of a mix, but still it's not to a point where black speech or culture is influenced by it. Blacks in Chicago have their own distinct sub-culture, and even that varies by class.

[mjtinmemphis]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

Blacks in Chicago have their own distinct sub-culture, and even that varies by class.

You are so right!!!

Not to change the subject but when I go to other cities and meet people who say they grew up on the west side or south side of Chicago, I understand that there is a culture they are speaking of that is unique to that area. Good and bad. Unless you live here you will not understand.

I can't relate to many natives blacks here because of that. But I understand the difference and many times they understand as well. I'm just the brotha from another place. Lol.

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

I can't relate to many natives blacks here because of that. But I understand the difference and many times they understand as well. I'm just the brotha from another place. Lol.

Do you feel like you are treated as an outsider?

As a native I never really knew anyone from the west side. I just knew that was a part of town you stayed away from. Here in Atlanta I worked very briefly with a girl from the west side of Chicago. She was very mean, hostile and had a very bad attitude--which was way our time working together was brief. She got fired for her mean and combative attitude. She was rough around the edges to say the least. She also spoke differently than me (ghetto speech).

Though we were both black and from the same city, I couldn't relate to her at all.

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

I'd say not at all. The are some parts of the city where there's a bit of a mix, but still it's not to a point where black speech or culture is influenced by it. Blacks in Chicago have their own distinct sub-culture, and even that varies by class.

So is it more like Atlanta in that when you go to a "black" club you don't see many Hispanics there?

[Atlanta_BD]

Originally Posted by BajanYankee

So is it more like Atlanta in that when you go to a "black" club you don't see many Hispanics there?

I wouldn't say that. In Chicago House music is the thing, and while House music originated in Chicago in the black community, and it's mostly blacks at House clubs/parties, you will see whites, Asians and Latinos there too.

At least this is true for the House scene. When I lived in Chicago and when I go visit, I only went/go to House clubs.

Atlanta's Hispanic community is predominantly Mexican and you aren't going to see blacks in Mexican clubs here either. A lot of black people aren't into Banda or Tejano lol. Clubs here that play Salsa are more mixed. Everybody loves Salsa.

White people go to blues clubs in Chicago.

[BajanYankee]

Originally Posted by Atlanta_BD

I wouldn't say that. In Chicago House music is the thing, and while House music originated in Chicago in the black community, and it's mostly blacks at House clubs/parties, you will see whites, Asians and Latinos there too.

At least this is true for the House scene. When I lived in Chicago and when I go visit, I only went/go to House clubs.

Atlanta's Hispanic community is predominantly Mexican and you aren't going to see blacks in Mexican clubs here either. A lot of black people aren't into Banda or Tejano lol. Clubs here that play Salsa are more mixed. Everybody loves Salsa.

White people go to blues clubs in Chicago.

I'm wondering whether the type of Hispanics in a city makes a difference or not. The thing about Puerto Ricans and Dominicans is that they tend to have African heritage. There seems to be more common ground between those groups and Blacks than, say, Guatemalans and Blacks. Consequently, you see a closer relationship between AAs and PRs and DRs than other groups.

And maybe that relationship alters the character of black speech in cities with large PR/DR populations?