Bostonian accent. i speak and it annoys people.. does it annoy you?

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LeAnne

I'm from Maine. I feel your pain.

Shunkahato

I'm not annoyed by anyone's accents. As long as you say the words to where I can understand you without difficulty, I don't care. Personally, your accent not only makes you unique, it also identifies you with a particular group--whether or not you like the connotations you give when you speak is up to you. However, if your accent bothers you, try listening to people without the accents, and try to form the words the way they do. If not, get new friends---real friends aren't biased towards you simply because of the way you sound.

two45trioxin

The New York accent is the annoying one! Then again...I grew up in Boston. :-)

Southern Drawl is annoying also...I just want to yell out "Say it! Say it!!!"

I lived in Boston for 19 years then moved to Kansas for college at KU, I was only there one year, but it totally wiped out my accent! lol. Now I have neither, although when I visit up North...It comes back three fold.

I miss saying "wicked & pissa" those were great. I need to try and incorporate those more in my daily life, hehe.

Terri D

It's not annoying at all. Be yourself and let people like you for the person you are. One of my dearest friends has the accent, and I love it.

David T

well ugh Pak the Cah in da Havad yad and go the da bah

Atleast we don't say eh at the end of every sentence. (just kidding my Canadian relatives)

If it wasn't for us we would still be a British colony, they don't like it too bad

someone

i don't really care the accent people have when they speak....is the way they were taught how to speak so there is nothing wrong with that, some people don't like my british accent and some people do, you just handle those people......but no, it dosen't annoy me

lowlander

I think that your accent makes you a unique person and I enjoy diversity. Keep your accent if you like it.

spinningtrax

It is very reassuring to see that the majority of responses to this question are favorable. As a native Bostonian myself, I find it difficult to read criticisms from someone from a state like Oklahoma, home of the Cowboy Museum, criticize the way that we speak English in Boston.

First, there is a reason that Boston is the center of the region named "New England." We were originally settled by the English and much of our cultural landscape comes from olde England.

Those who believe that everyone who is a native of this city walks around speaking with accents like Ted Kennedy is delusional. I've only heard the Kennedy clan speak like that, not other "regular" Bostonians. In fact, did anyone recall John Kerry speaking with an accent like Ted Kennedy?

The assertion that people who speak with a Boston accent sound unintelligent or negatively provincial should really consider some of these facts about the people who collectively make up the population of this city:
--------------------------------------...
We Are the #1 Knowledge Worker Metro Area in the US.
In an age of global competition and â€œoff-shoring,â€ Americaâ€™s competitive advantage in the economy of the 21st Century will be in the knowledge-based sector. If it requires brains, weâ€™ll do it (at least initially). If it requires brawn, itâ€™s moving overseas.
-Expansion Management Magazine

#1 State with a Percent of People 25 Years and Over Who Have Completed a Bachelor's Degree.
-US Census

#1 State with a Percent of People 25 Years and Over Who Have Completed an Advanced Degree:
-US Census

#1 State with a Percent of People 16 Years and Over in Professional and Related Occupations
-US Census

Number 2 Biotechnology center in the US
-Beyond Borders: Global Biotechnology Report 2006

Two of the top 4 Business Schools in the US. (Harvard #1 and M.I.T. #4)
-US News and World Report

The Boston Area is the #2 market in the world for development of the neurotechnology industry
-The Neurotech Nexus Report

#2 State for venture capital funding
#6 State with the most high tech workers.
-Site Selection magazine, July 2005

Small Times Magazine ranks every state in the union annually to determine which are emerging as leaders in micro and nanotechnology. This year's top 2 states are California and Massachusetts.

Top States for Biomed/Pharmaceutical Startups: California and Massachusetts.
-Business Expansion Journal
--------------------------------------...
So before making a critical judgement of our intellegence based on any localized accent of the English language, it is good to keep these facts in mind. Also, our regional accent is closest to the English spoken in, well, England. Also known as the country for inventing the language.

stvrob_63

Unfortunately, you are going to have to lose the Boston accent if you expect to get ahead in this world. Perhaps the blame for the negative stereotype is Ted Kennedy's fault. Whatever the reason, its true, people will look down on you, so you might as well take positive steps to get rid of the accent.

tragedy16

i love the accent....

birdie

I'm rather new to the area & I'd have to say I'm only annoyed when people get annoyed at me for not understanding them. For instance when I misinterpret Mr. Hartford & call him Mr. Hotfud unintentionally.

MentalCaseMaggot

Haha, no that doesn't annoy me one bit!! I have the accent too. When I moved to Cali after living in Boston for 21 years, people were so shocked! They absolutly loved my accent!! Hehehe.

okayokayokay

well its not Boston accents its Boston accents and its regional as well, sometimes i will speak to someone and there accent is so thick its annoying

Pobept

YES it does, wish you would learn to speak English!

Mickey Mouse

no it doesnt annoy me i think it is kind of cool

I've lived in Florida for 20 years. I was born in Boston Mass. and have had the Boston Accent all my life. I love it. It lets people know where I'm from, most don't even ask they say hey aren't you from Boston. Even though I Live in Florida, I still love where I am from. I'm proud to still have my accent. Some have a lot worse accents than Bostonians. Southerners Blend all there words together. Like: Do you want to
They would say: Doyawantto
I had a boss down here that was so bad I had to keep asking him what he said. Be proud of were you are from, You can Practice saying words better, like actors do but you will never totally loose it. Remember there are lots worse accents you could have. Like New York/New Jersey.

Pask

Someone sent me this a while ago, and I thought it was "wicked funny" - pace yourself, this takes a minute

Enjoy

Welcome to Bawston.

For those of you who have never been to "Bawstin", this is a good guideline. I hope you will consider coming to "Beantown" in the near future. For those who call New England home, this is just plain great!

Information on Boston and the surrounding area:

There's no school on School Street, no court on Court Street,
no dock on Dock Square, no water on Water Street.

Back Bay streets are in alphabetical "oddah":
Arlington, Berkeley, Clarendon, Dartmouth, etc.

So are South Boston streets: A, B, C, D, etc.

If the streets are named after trees (e.g. Walnut, Chestnut, Cedar),
you're on Beacon Hill.

If they're named after poets, you're in Wellesley.

Massachusetts Ave is Mass Ave; Commonwealth Ave is Comm Ave;
South Boston is Southie. The South End is the South End.
East Boston is Eastie. The North End is east of the former West End.
The West End and Scollay Square are no more; a guy named Rappaport got rid of
them one night.
Roxbury is The Burry, Jamaica Plain is J.P.

Definitions:
Frappes have ice cream, milkshakes don't.
If it is fizzy and flavored, it's tonic.
Soda is CLUB SODA.
"Pop" is Dad.
When we want Tonic WATER, we will ask for Tonic WATER.

The smallest beer is a pint.

Scrod is whatever they tell you it is, usually fish.
If you paid more than $6/pound, you got scrod.

It's not a water fountain; it's a bubblah.

It's not a trashcan; it's a barrel.

It's not a spucky it's a sub.

It's not a shopping cart; it's a carriage.
It's not a purse; it's a pockabook.

They're not franks; they're haht dahgs. Franks are money in France.

Police don't drive patrol units or black and whites they drive a "crooza".
If you take the bus, your on the "looza crooza".

It's not a rubber band, it's an elastic.

It's not a traffic circle, it's a rotary.

"Going to the islands" means Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket.
If something's good, it's "pissa". If something's really good, it's "wicked pissa".

The Pat's = The Patriots
The Sox = The Red Sox
The C's = The Celtics
The B's = The Bruins

Things not to do:
Don't pahk your cah in Hahvid Yahd ... they'll tow it
to Meffa (Medford) or Slumaville (Somerville).

Don't sleep in the Common. (Boston Common)

Don't wear Orange in Southie on St. Patrick's Day.

Things you should know:
There are two State Houses, two City Halls, two
courthouses, two Hancock buildings (one old, one new for each).

The colored lights on top the old Hancock tell the weatha':
"Solid blue, clear view...."
"Flashing blue, clouds due...."
"Solid red, rain ahead...."
"Flashing red, snow instead....."
(except in summer; flashing red means the Red Sox game was rained out)

Route 128 is also I-95 south. It's also I-93 north.

The underground train is not a subway. It's the "T",
and it doesn't run all night (fah chrysakes, this ain't Noo Yawk).

Order the "cold tea" in China Town after 2:00 am you'll get a kettle full of beer.

Bostonians... think that it's their God-given right to cut off someone in traffic.

Bostonians...think that there are only 25 letters in the alphabet (no R's).

Bostonians...think that three straight days of 90+ temperatures is a heat wave.

Bostonians...refer to six inches of snow as a "dusting."

Bostonians...always "bang a left" as soon as the light turns green, and oncoming traffic always expects it.

Bostonians...say everything in town is "a five-minute walk." (pronounced "wok")

Bostonians...believe that using your turn signal is a sign of weakness.

Bostonians...think that 63-degree ocean water is warm.

Send this one to your friends who don't live in Boston!!

Bostonians...think Rhode Island accents are annoying.

How to say these Massachusetts city names correctly:
Worcester: Wuhsta (or Wistah)
Gloucester : Glawsta
Leicester: Lesta
Woburn: Wooban
Dedham : Dedim (like denim)
Revere: Re-vee-ah
Quincy: Quinzee
Peabody: Peabuddy
Waltham : Walth-ham
Chatham: Chattum

quikboy

i usually think its kind of cute

hotmomma

Although I don't like the Red Sox I love the Boston accent - lol.

It's so unique. Me and my husband have thick NY accents - I'm from Brooklyn and he's from the Bronx. During our honeymoon many years ago we met a couple from Boston and the whole trip we hung around together. We would make each say words like - coffee, talk, car, etc... It was fun.

Who cares if it annoys people - screw them!! The more it annoys them - the more you should tawk.

Winter135

No I think a boston accent is sooooooooo cute

Hibiscus.Beauty

nope doesnt bother me at all...i live in ny but one of my college professor's is from boston.

Lemme_show_ya

What counts is not how you say it but what you say and do.

I'm from R.I....my dad's from Taunton. At first people might not think you're too bright, but then once they hear what you have to say and see what you do, they get past the accent. If not, too bad for them.

That being said, if you plan on a career where first impressions are important, then take an accent elimination class.

http://www.nyspeech.com/

hollywood71@verizon.net

no.

sara blue

I really like Massassuchets accents.

Tessa â™¥

I am from Western Mass, and yes, I find an Eastern Mass accent the hardest to understand, and I've spoken with customers from all over the country! I don't see what's so hard about pronouncing Rs? Like, drawer, how do you get "drah" out of that? It's not that hard to learn to speak right. Instead of thinking you're annoying people, you need to consider it a matter of education. You need to educate yourself to speak properly. I have family with weird accents, they say, "Perculiar" "Fermiliar" "Melk" "Aurnt" etc. But, when I was old enough to understand that these pronounciations were wrong, I changed it.
I speak 5 languages, and I make sure that if I think I am pronouncing something incorrectly, I ask, and I make sure I work on it. Don't think that it's a matter of annoying people or not annoying people, it's a matter of ignorance. It's not your fault you learned your English from Bostonians. Just think about things while you're saying them, and pretty soon you will be speaking English just like people on TV!

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