Archive for August 1st, 2007

Accentuate the Positive

Wednesday, August 1st, 2007

Global Traveler Publisher Fran Gallagher is fascinated by regional accents. Anytime he’s in

Boston, he can’t help but ask for “chowdah” at lunch or inquire as to where I “pahked my cah.” It’s no secret ― I tell him regularly — that he does a terrible Boston accent.

 

Recently, the Global Traveler staff ― including sales rep Regina Kelton, who hails from Atlanta — gathered in Boston to attend the National Business Travel Association’s annual convention. Orders for “chowdah” were flying fast and furiously. I began to think about the origins of regional accents.

 

Somewhere buried in my brain I can almost access the gist of an article I once read on this very subject. If I recall correctly, modern American accents are a direct descendant of our forebears’ regional dialects. Translation: If the bulk of the colonists who settled in the Boston area hailed from a particular region in England, today’s Boston accent developed from that regional British accent. The same relationship holds true for mid-Atlantic and southern accents. Heading west, it’s clear the dialects or accents prevalent today in Minnesota and that part of the country were influenced by the speaking patterns of Scandinavian settlers. And the list goes on.

 

While researching this subject, I found an interesting Web site.  It features lots of information about language and dialects all presented in an informative and entertaining style. There’s even a map that allows you to chart your preferred U.S. accents. Check it out.

 

- Lisa Matte, Editor-in-chief

 

 

Posted in Opinion, Lisa's Blog | 1 Comment »