How many of you guys say "Washington" with an R?

[Chickenman Testa]

My mom and I have always pronounced it "Warshington", but no one else in our large family says it. Someone at work goofed on me about it (down in Texas), so I looked up the history of the pronounciation. It says it's a "Midlands" accent stretching to the west in a narrow band encompassing parts of De, Md, Southern Pa and so forth extending into the Midwest.

 

[royboy]

I've heard that pronunciation in Western PA.

 

[fairgambit]

I've heard that pronunciation in Western PA.

But not from me. I use the King's English. Wash-ing-ton.
I also pronounce Roosevelt as Rows-a-velt, not Rues-a-velt.
Don't even get me started on Carnegie.

 

[artsandletters]

But not from me. I use the King's English. Wash-ing-ton.
I also pronounce Roosevelt as Rows-a-velt, not Rues-a-velt.
Don't even get me started on Carnegie.

How do you pronounce WATER?

 

[fairgambit]

How do you pronounce WATER?

Wah-ter.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I'm currently watching Manhunt: Unabomber and one of the key points is what they call forensic linguistics. This all came about when an FBI agent from Philly is mocked for saying "wudder" instead of water. They end up using this to analyze the manifesto to develop a meaningful profile of the unibomber.

One of me idioms that I am guilty of is ending sentances with "all" like "the ice cream is all", meaning that the ice cream is all gone.

I also find it interesting that certain parts of the country call carbonated soft drinks soda, some call it pop, and some call it "coke" even if it's another brand and no cola flavored.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

I've never been able to NOT pronounce it WaRshington.

I got called out on it by my students when I was doing my student teaching way back in the fall of 1971.

Last got called out on it about ten days ago.

 

[wbcincy]

My mom and I have always pronounced it "Warshington", but no one else in our large family says it. Someone at work goofed on me about it (down in Texas), so I looked up the history of the pronounciation. It says it's a "Midlands" accent stretching to the west in a narrow band encompassing parts of De, Md, Southern Pa and so forth extending into the Midwest.

I assume you warsh clothes as well? Perhaps eat at a restrunt?

 

[artsandletters]

Wah-ter.

Wrong!

Waw-ter

I was staying in a Marriott in Wichita. I went to the bar for lunch. The bartender asked me if he could get me something to drink. I told him just a tall water, please. He responded with, what part of Philly are you from.

He was raised in Philly so he understood waw-ter (the correct pronunciation). Made me laugh.

 

[dwiz]

Only Lee Corso and hicks say "worshington". It's like people saying "I seen it" or "I left the dog out." Just shows a lack of intellect.

 

[fairgambit]

Wrong!

Waw-ter

I was staying in a Marriott in Wichita. I went to the bar for lunch. The bartender asked me if he could get me something to drink. I told him just a tall water, please. He responded with, what part of Philly are you from.

He was raised in Philly so he understood waw-ter (the correct pronunciation). Made me laugh.

I believe my wah is pronounced the same as your waw. My wah would rhyme with paw.
Which reminds me of the 1884 Presidential election and "Ma! Ma! Where's my pa? Gone to the White House, Ha! Ha! Ha!"

 

[paradox1984]

Only Lee Corso and hicks say "worshington". It's like people saying "I seen it" or "I left the dog out." Just shows a lack of intellect.

It drives me crazy when people say "I seen it". I don't understand why some people think it is acceptable.

 

[Chickenman Testa]

I assume you warsh clothes as well? Perhaps eat at a restrunt?

I do warsh clothes. Never say the latter.

I used to say Wudder for water, but lost that soon after leaving Philly

 

[artsandletters]

I believe my wah is pronounced the same as your waw. My wah would rhyme with paw.

ah and aw are different.

aw as in awe

ah as in mool-ah

 

[artsandletters]

I do warsh clothes. Never say the latter.

I used to say Wudder for water, but lost that soon after leaving Philly

Do you warsh or worsh?

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Do you warsh or worsh?

Warsh - never Worsh! I'm not some uneducated hick you know

 

[artsandletters]

I'm currently watching Manhunt: Unabomber and one of the key points is what they call forensic linguistics. This all came about when an FBI agent from Philly is mocked for saying "wudder" instead of water. They end up using this to analyze the manifesto to develop a meaningful profile of the unibomber.

One of me idioms that I am guilty of is ending sentances with "all" like "the ice cream is all", meaning that the ice cream is all gone.

I also find it interesting that certain parts of the country call carbonated soft drinks soda, some call it pop, and some call it "coke" even if it's another brand and no cola flavored.

How about "Are you all set?" I first heard that from a Bostonian bartender.

or

"Are you going then?" No, I'm going now, dummy.

 

[artsandletters]

Warsh - never Worsh! I'm not some uneducated hick you know

Don't Pittsers say worsh?

 

[artsandletters]

Warsh - never Worsh! I'm not some uneducated hick you know

Phil Testa would have called a sandwich a sandgwich.

 

[fairgambit]

Don't Pittsers say worsh?

Most Pittsburgh people I know seldom use the term. They say "dry clean".

 

[artsandletters]

Most Pittsburgh people I know seldom use the term. They say "dry clean".

I guess you have your silk britches and sheets dry cleaned.

Pittsburgh high society is oneuh dem oxycleans. (I don't know what that emoji means but Step uses it and it makes me chuckle)

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

I do warsh clothes. Never say the latter.

I used to say Wudder for water, but lost that soon after leaving Philly

Have your clothes ever "need warshed"?

 

[Chickenman Testa]

Have your clothes ever "need warshed"?

I've never dropped the "to be", but I saw that given as an example of the Midlands accent I referenced before.

 

[Peetz Pool Boy]

I've never dropped the "to be", but I saw that given as an example of the Midlands accent I referenced before.

The dropping of the "to be" is a Pennsylvania thing. I don't know the geographic/regional bounds of this particular vernacular, but it drives me nuts. Call it a "pet peeve"

 

[wbcincy]

Only Lee Corso and hicks say "worshington". It's like people saying "I seen it" or "I left the dog out." Just shows a lack of intellect.

People speak the way they're exposed to while developing their language skills, no matter how intelligent. Sure, you can make a concerted effort not to once you become aware of the proper rules of the language, but most folks, irrespective of their IQ, will defer to the way they learned to speak as children. Saying it shows a lack of intelligence is rather ignorant itself.

 

[fairgambit]

The dropping of the "to be" is a Pennsylvania thing. I don't know the geographic/regional bounds of this particular vernacular, but it drives me nuts. Call it a "pet peeve"

I have friends that drop the "to be", but over time I came to realize they don't need criticized. They just need educated.

 

[LafayetteBear]

My neighbor went to Notre Dame and spent additional time living in Indiana. She always pronounces Washington with an "R" in it.

 

[phillybillyreprise]

Lancaster County waitresses ask you if you want "Koffe awhile?" "Awhile" you wait to order.

 

[psuro]

But not from me. I use the King's English. Wash-ing-ton.
I also pronounce Roosevelt as Rows-a-velt, not Rues-a-velt.
Don't even get me started on Carnegie.

I used the King's English once and boy was he mad.

 

[CF LION]

As a teenager, I was told many times to "red up" my room. Thankfully my kids have never heard that from me.

 

[BobPSU92]

Only Lee Corso and hicks say "worshington". It's like people saying "I seen it" or "I left the dog out." Just shows a lack of intellect.

 

[Woodpecker]

How about "go with"? As in "X is going to the mall; do you want to go with"?

 

[Fox Chapel Lion II]

I'm currently watching Manhunt: Unabomber and one of the key points is what they call forensic linguistics. This all came about when an FBI agent from Philly is mocked for saying "wudder" instead of water. They end up using this to analyze the manifesto to develop a meaningful profile of the unibomber.

One of me idioms that I am guilty of is ending sentances with "all" like "the ice cream is all", meaning that the ice cream is all gone.

I also find it interesting that certain parts of the country call carbonated soft drinks soda, some call it pop, and some call it "coke" even if it's another brand and no cola flavored.

The milk is all is a Pennsylvania Dutch idiom.

 

[lionNYC]

Brooklynites use r in many of their words

 

[psuro]

Brooklynites use r in many of their words

Like

"You have to give Iowar credit. They played tough today, but we were just a little bit better than them."
"Saccar, you will go down in history as the worst quarterback in Penn State history"

 

[hagberg]

I live in MD, so I hear "wursh" all the "tahm." They also get their wadduh from the zinc, go aht drinking at night, and for the longest time i thought everyone here vacationed with the same two people, Donny Ayshun and Donna Shore.

There are many others, but my ears are starting to hurt just thinking about them. That's what happens to those of us who grew up in the one place in America with no accents or colloquialisms: Warren, PA!

 

[Obliviax]

I've got a Boston friend that does that. Drives me nuts when she calls Delta airlines 'delter'

 

[Woodpecker]

Do you burry the dead or berry them?

 

[Metal Mike]

Proud to be Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) born and raised. I've never been able to NOT pronounce it WaRshington. I spent 22 years in the Army stationed all over the world so I dropped POP for SODA. I also lost some other Western PA sayings. Growing up the city south of Pittsburgh was always "Little WaRshington". I think I was in High School before I knew Little was not part of the name.

 

[AvgUser]

Is Warshington by the nuc-yee-lar plant?