So, What Is The Cleveland Accent? | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Politics and Activism

So, What Is The Cleveland Accent?

Accent, what ackcent?

6709
So, What Is The Cleveland Accent?
cleveland.pl

The subject is still brought up in conversations. I’ll be having a lovely chat with someone when suddenly, “Oh, I forget you’re from Cleveland!” Then I realize, I said ‘dahd’ instead of dad or ‘cahllege’ instead of college.

Ohio is the home of a number of different dialects and accents. You can drive an hour and somebody will say a word you’ve never heard in your life. What’s a devil strip? It’s called a tree lawn! (If you don’t know what these terms mean, allow me to direct you).

However, it isn't just what words we use in conversation but how we say them. It’s certainly not as obvious as a Southern twang or Jersey accent, but it must be distinguishable enough to point it out in conversation. Cleveland isn’t the only city with this sort of accent. Many large midwestern and east coast cities such as Chicago, Illinois, Detroit, Michigan, and Buffalo New York, possess a dialect where vowel pronunciation shifts with sharper sounds, sometimes changing how the vowel sounds as a whole. For example, the word ‘not’ will most likely be pronounced by a person with a Cleveland accent as ‘naht.’ Our mouths make less of an ‘o' shape when we say words with the short ‘o’ sound.

So, why do we say them the way we do? The weird shift in vowel sounds in major northern cities was first noticed in the 1960s, and it wasn't until 1972 that linguists called this the Northern Cities Vowel Shift . Vowels, especially A's, started to sound more nasal. They began to take the place of other vowels in words. The word 'caught' might sound more similar to the word 'cat' then in 'cot.' Linguist William Labov says that the construction of the Erie Canal, which was built and completed from the late 1810s to mid-1820s, may have been the cause for such vocal shifts, as workers from many east coast states constructed the canal and communicated with midwestern workers. One thing must have lead to another, and accents were spread to places such as Cleveland, Ohio.

You may be thinking, oh my gosh, (or oh my gahsh), what a great accent. How do I speak in it? What can I do to master such a beautiful and definitely not nasally accent? Here are some tips and tricks from yours truly.

Every word with the short 'o' sound now sounds like how you would say 'cat.' If you're feeling up to the challenge, you can replace the 'o' with the 'aw' sound. Instead of 'dog', try 'dawwg.' What's up, dawg? (Sorry).

End every question with a preposition. Where are you guys at? When writing papers I often have to remember you shouldn't end sentences with prepositions. Don't blame me; blame Cleveland! They did this to me!

It's pop, not soda. Or, if you really want to master the Cleveland sound, 'pahp.'

Sure, the Cleveland accent isn't as attractive or admired as other tones and dialects, but for me, it emphasizes a large part of my identity: that I am Cleveland-bred. I still hope for successful sports seasons. I play cornhole like a boss, and I pronounce odyssey like "aahdyssey."

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
an image of taylor swift standing center stage surrounded by her backup dancers in elegant peacock esque outfits with a backdrop of clouds and a box rising above the stage the image captures the vibrant aesthetics and energy of her performance during the lover era of her eras tour
StableDiffusion

A three-and-a-half-hour runtime. Nine Eras. Eleven outfit changes. Three surprise songs. Zero breaks. One unforgettable evening. In the past century, no other performer has put on an electric performance quite like Taylor Swift, surpassing her fans ‘wildest dreams’. It is the reason supporters keep coming back to her shows each year. Days later, I’m still in awe of the spectacle ‘Miss Americana’ puts on every few days in a new city. And, like one of Taylor’s exes, has me smiling as I reminisce about the memories of the night we spent together.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

These powerful lyrics remind us how much good is inside each of us and that sometimes we are too blinded by our imperfections to see the other side of the coin, to see all of that good.

80494
Every Girl Needs To Listen To 'She Used To Be Mine' By Sara Bareilles

The song was sent to me late in the middle of the night. I was still awake enough to plug in my headphones and listen to it immediately. I always did this when my best friend sent me songs, never wasting a moment. She had sent a message with this one too, telling me it reminded her so much of both of us and what we have each been through in the past couple of months.

Keep Reading...Show less
Zodiac wheel with signs and symbols surrounding a central sun against a starry sky.

What's your sign? It's one of the first questions some of us are asked when approached by someone in a bar, at a party or even when having lunch with some of our friends. Astrology, for centuries, has been one of the largest phenomenons out there. There's a reason why many magazines and newspapers have a horoscope page, and there's also a reason why almost every bookstore or library has a section dedicated completely to astrology. Many of us could just be curious about why some of us act differently than others and whom we will get along with best, and others may just want to see if their sign does, in fact, match their personality.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

20 Song Lyrics To Put A Spring Into Your Instagram Captions

"On an island in the sun, We'll be playing and having fun"

8639
Person in front of neon musical instruments; glowing red and white lights.
Photo by Spencer Imbrock on Unsplash

Whenever I post a picture to Instagram, it takes me so long to come up with a caption. I want to be funny, clever, cute and direct all at the same time. It can be frustrating! So I just look for some online. I really like to find a song lyric that goes with my picture, I just feel like it gives the picture a certain vibe.

Here's a list of song lyrics that can go with any picture you want to post!

Keep Reading...Show less
Chalk drawing of scales weighing "good" and "bad" on a blackboard.
WP content

Being a good person does not depend on your religion or status in life, your race or skin color, political views or culture. It depends on how good you treat others.

We are all born to do something great. Whether that be to grow up and become a doctor and save the lives of thousands of people, run a marathon, win the Noble Peace Prize, or be the greatest mother or father for your own future children one day. Regardless, we are all born with a purpose. But in between birth and death lies a path that life paves for us; a path that we must fill with something that gives our lives meaning.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments