I'm not sure, but I think Philadelphia, in addition to being the home of self-loathing sports fans, is also the home of America's most self-loathing dialect speakers.
just hearing the long gravelly ignorant snore that passes for speech among
our native (mostly Northeast and DelCo) population is enough to make steam
come
out of your ears, grab the speaker by the collar, and shoutspit into
their
faces, “DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW FUCKING STUPID YOU SOUND?”
WTF has Labov been doing here for the last 50 years?!? You'd think a town that is home to the most important socio-linguist in the world would have a little more pride in it's dialect. And what about Language Log who's plaza is nestled along the banks of the Schuykill? Oh they'rr too busy moderating comments and reposting Zippy the Pinhead cartoons. (I think they've lost their way.)
At least Monica Weymouth at the City Paper comes to the defense of her fellow Philadelphians.
Since when did tense vowels have anything to do with intelligence? And to be honest Philebrity, you bore me. But I do happen to know Sweeney is from Fishtown, so I can't quite figure out how you get off acting like you're any better than the Northeast — or the Applebee's waitress, or Marnie Hall.Well, mybe a little short on the phonetic facts, but her heart is in the right place.
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