I've been in Boston too long.
The catalysis for this conclusion comes from some conversations I've had around town, the first when I went to a Walgreen's that was all decked out in Red Sox championship gear.
JML:'Cuse me, mam. Ya know when they gonna get any Celtics geah in heah?
Excuse me, madam. Do you know when there will be any Celtics gear in this here establishment?
Store Clerk: No, but you'd think it would be soon.
JML: Yeaah, I juhst thot it would be heah now, with Sahx season ovah.
Yes, I just thought it would be here now with Sox season over.
JML's brain: Ok, who just spoke?
I've been noticing that lately I can relatively imitate the Boston accent with ease - replacing R's with Ah's, making D's sound like T's, elongating I's to sound like EE's, sounding like Ted Kennedy. At first I did this to get around Boston easier and secretly taunt Bostonians with their loss of the letter R as every New Yorker and Jon Stewart does.
Me at Dunkin Donuts:
One Year Ago -
JML: Could I get medium coffee, with cream and sugar?
Dunkin Donuts Person: Wat?
Now -
JML: Can I get a regulaah coffee, lahge?
Can I get a coffee with cream and two sugars, large?
Dunkin Donuts Person: Suah thing, suh.
Sure thing, sir.
Now, I don't now if I'm talking like this to local Bostonians just to communicate better with them or out of habit, which is the worse case scenario.
JML: (Getting into a taxi) Thanks, suh. Can I get ta da cohnah of Union Pahk and Tremont?
Can I get to the corner of Union Park and Tremont?
Taxi Driver: Vehy good, suh. Not that fah.
JML: Yeah, I coulda walked, but it's wicked cald.
Yes, I could have walked, but it's wicked cold.
JML's brain: Why the hell are you speaking like Elmer Fudd?
I've noticed I don't talk like this among people outside of Boston, so I think if I extricate myself from the New England area, my ability to speak will return to normal. Hopefully. But if you here me say the word "idear," kick me.
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2 comments:
Wow, that was fast. It took me five years to start having a Chicago accent that sounded foreign to me.
This is hilarious. I have so much family from Boston that I love the accent. It sure beats the southern drawl...
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