h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'm doing a uni project about the accents and dialects of the United States. A30551672
I did an entry about the dialects of Philly and Pittsburgh - A30501721. I think I remember that you lived somewhere around the Pittsburgh area? (correct me if I'm wrong) Anyways, I couldn't very well write an entry about Pennsylvania without paying my respects to our resident PA expert. Please, if you get the chance, I'd love any criticism or corrections. Most of my information is based on reading the dry works of sociolinguists and people who claim to be cultural experts about their regions, and I don't really know how close they come to the mark or if they miss some obvious points.

That's looking really good. I always spelled Pittsburgh with an 'x' to show the dialect, but 'icks' works just as well...

You might want to add that the areas around these cities tend to follow the dialect of those cities.

A good rule of thumb is the soda rule (which could probably be a whole entry based on regional language differences in the USA).
Folks around the Burgh say 'pop' while people in the east say 'soda'.


Living as I do near the state capital, we get a little bit of both dialects but tend to lean more toward Philly (soda vs pop). But the whole 'Yo!' phenomenon has mercifully not spread this far yet.

Of course, in the middle of the state you also find the Pennsylvania Dutch influence (A730847).

At least here in the south-central part of the state you often find the bizarre syntax and odd 'Dutchie' words bandied about pretty frequently. Don't know if you want to include that or not...

"A good rule of thumb is the soda rule (which could probably be a whole entry based on regional language differences in the USA).
Folks around the Burgh say 'pop' while people in the east say 'soda'. "

Funny you should say that. I came close to writing a whole entry on soda/pop/coke/tonic/whatever. The intro to the entries A30481706 has a prominent section on the great carbonated beverage debate.

So you live near Harrisburg then? Sorry I thought you lived nearer to Pittsburgh. Just as well, of course. If you did live near Pitt, I would be compelled to mention that my University of Dayton Flyers beat the Pittsburgh Panthers a week or two ago.

"You might want to add that the areas around these cities tend to follow the dialect of those cities."

I agree. That's a general rule for most cities... since the Penn entry is in the context of several more entries, I believe I cover that fact in another entry (the series intro I hope?).

I would like to include that information on the Penn "Dutch". I'll have to talk to Skankyrich about it, because he's already grabbed the editing rights as subeditor for the project. I'll knock again if I need more information on that, I'm sure.

In your blurb about the shore...

"The Jersey Shore and Ocean City..."

There are two beach destinations for Pennsylvanians called "Ocean City" There's the one in Jersey that you mention in your article and also one in Maryland. For clarity, you might want to call it Ocean City, NJ or something.

For me, Ocean City is always the Maryland one and I say Ocean City, New Jersey when I refer to the other.

And speaking of the Jersey Shore, no love for Lucy the Elephant(A472745)?

Fair enough - I've been to the Ocean City in MD, but not NJ, so that's one that probably shouldn't have slipped my mind. I'll ask Rich to add an NJ there.

This is quite a project! Great work!!