Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Downtown
I suppose you could make the case that "Devon" is pronounced strangely in Chicago, since the name (like Berwyn, Bryn Mawr, and Ardmore) comes from the Main Line suburbs outside Philadelphia. I guess I'm of the school that charming regional variations are to be celebrated rather than erased. Next you'll want to pronounce the H in Throop.
|
I mostly agree with you about regional variations -- and yet I arrive at a different conclusion. That's because, LOL, we have a different sense of what's "charming." If the blue collar-y Chicawgo accent is understood to be relegated to certain neighborhoods, groups, classes, or situations, then I consider it charming -- but if we concede that the typical dialect of the whole metro area is the distinct Chicawgo-speak, then it's no longer charming to me and is kind of cockney embarassing. So if over by dere down in Bridgeport, like say Turty-Fift Street, dey don't want nobody nobody sent, dat's fine. But if conventioneers are told to walk down Bowl Mish and root for Da Bears near Da Bean, I'd rather we be a little more vigilant about our collective diction. (I wonder if there is a pronounciation guide used by the 6+ local TV news channels and the various local radio stations?)
As for Devon, that one's not a huge deal to me either way, but it's funny that the Pakistanis and Indians who now give life to a dominant stretch of the street are probably more inclined by default to use the English, and East Coast, pronounciation, bringing things full circle.
Anyhow I appreciate the improvements in subway noise, but for whatever reason I think we're still decidedly worse off compared to other systems.