Accent of Detroit, both white and black

[dtowncitylover]

Revived Thread Discussion Feb. 2015 - Jump to latest posts >>
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Having lived in Chicago for the first part of this summer and having a brother-in-law from there too, it has really taught me on how drastically different us Detroiters can sound from other residents of cities close to us. Detroit, among the white residents [[I'll get to black speakers in a moment), speak what is called "Inland North" American English, spaning from Chicago to Buffalo, including Milwaukee, Detroit, South Bend/Ft. Wayne, and Cleveland. This accent is undergoing a vowel shift, called "North Cities vowel shift", covering exactly the same area. [[Interestingly enough, Erie, Penn. is not being affected and staying with an accent closer to Pittsburgh. But living and working in Chicago, among so-called speakers of my accent, it has proved that I speak differently then them. Nothing too major, but just the slightest that they knew I was not from around there.

I went to school with a sizeable African-American population too, and became accustomed to the way they talked, which truthfully is very different, again nothing too drastic, but it is true the black speak their way and whites speak their way, nothing wrong just the way language happens. And what was even more interesting is that the blacks in Chicago spoke differently than the way I had become familiar. So differently, in fact, that I was a bit annoyed that they didn't speak like the African-Americans in Detroit. But I have often heard that even African-Americans will admit that blacks in LA, down South, or from NYC, all have their own accents among that population. Certainly, there is an accent difference among the Latino population of native Spanish speakers and English native speakers who grew up in a Hispanic enviroment.

I have also noted, upon one of my friends saying, that I speak differently than my friends here. Most, if not all, born and bred here with deep Detroit roots or at the least Northern roots. I do have Detroit roots, both grandparents on my father side grew up in the region [[one in Highland Park, the other in "rural" Warren). And while my mom's mom is from Canada, remember that your language is impacted by your classmates, not your mom or dad, as you are exposed to your classmates longer than you are to your parents. My mom also grew up in the area, and her step-father also had Detroit roots. So a question I have, are there [[or has anyone noticed) different accents or ways of speaking among Detroiters? I certainly don't know. I am from the northern suburbs, all of my friends are. I know no one from the GPs or Downriver.

Phew!