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'''Baltimorese''' (sometimes pseudophonetically written '''Bawlmerese''' or '''Ballimerese''') is a [[dialect]] of [[American English]] in the [[Mid-Atlantic States|Mid-Atlantic United States]] that originated among the [[White (people)|white]] [[blue-collar]] residents of South and Southeast [[Baltimore, Maryland|Baltimore]]. Today, it is heard much less, as many people from other parts of the country have settled in the city. The films of [[John Waters (filmmaker)|John Waters]], many of which have been filmed in and around Baltimore, often attempt to portray this Baltimore accent, particularly the early films.

The Baltimore dialect is spoken throughout eastern [[Baltimore County]], particularly in [[Essex, Maryland|Essex]], [[Middle River, Maryland|Middle River]], and [[Dundalk, Maryland|Dundalk]].    

==Pronunciation==
Baltimorese closely resembles blue-collar [[Philadelphia accent|Philadelphia-area English]] pronunciation in many ways. These two cities are the only major ports on the [[Eastern Seaboard]] to have never developed [[rhotic and non-rhotic accents|nonrhotic]] speech among white speakers; they were greatly influenced in their early development by [[Hiberno-English]], [[Scottish English]], and [[West Country dialects|West Country English]]. <ref>http://www.ling.upenn.edu/phono_atlas/home.html</ref>Vowels in Baltimorese are flattened and shifted, however, which is more characteristic of [[Southern American English]].{{Fact|date=August 2007}} Some vowels, as well as certain vernaculars can be traced to [[Appalachia]]n influences. Also, the "l" sound is "dark", indistinctive or vocalized. 

*{{IPA|[f]}} is often substituted for {{IPA|[θ]}}
*{{IPA|[eɪ]}} becomes {{IPA|[i]}}; ''bared'' can rhyme with ''leered''
*{{IPA|[aɪ]}} as well as the [[diphthong]]s {{IPA|[ɔɪ]}} and {{IPA|[aʊ]}} become {{IPA|[ɔ]}}; ''choir'' and ''hire'' rhyme with ''war'', ''aisle'' and ''boil'' with ''ball''
*{{IPA|[aɪ]}} becomes {{IPA|[a]}} before {{IPA|[ɹ]}}; ''fire'' is pronounced as ''far''
*t's become d's, disappear entirely, or blend with other sounds in a word; 'hunter' becomes 'hunner', 'Baltimore' becomes 'Baldimore' or 'Ballimer'.
*{{IPA|[oʊ]}} shifts to {{IPA|[eʊ]}}; one cheers for the ''Eh-ew's'' (O's, for the [[Baltimore Orioles]]).
*The {{IPA|[ɪŋ]}}(-ing) ending of participle forms is pronounced as {{IPA|[in]}} as in "They're go-een to the store."
*[[epenthesis|epenthetic]] {{IPA|[ɹ]}}
*[[elision]] is common

==Notable speakers==
*[[Nancy Pelosi]]--[[Speaker of the United States House of Representatives]]; grew up in Baltimore
*[[Barbara Mikulski]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
* "[http://www.evolpub.com/Americandialects/MidAtldialects.html  The Mid-Atlantic Dialects]", Evolution Publishing

==External links==
*[http://www.baltimorehon.com/ Lexicon of Bawlamarese]

{{English dialects}}

[[Category:Baltimore culture]]
[[Category:American English]]
{{Wiki}}