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From: deb5@ellis.uchicago.edu (Daniel von Brighoff)
Subject: Re: Scots and English (was: Re: Flemish and Dutch)
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References: <3nqtn1$b7v@bertha.gssec.bt.co.uk> <11MAY199514133135@cc.weber.edu> <D8H0wB.6nz@rci.ripco.com> <17MAY199508184980@cc.weber.edu>
Date: Thu, 18 May 1995 06:24:34 GMT
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In article <17MAY199508184980@cc.weber.edu>,  <helliott@cc.weber.edu> wrote:
[some deleted]
>Sometimes there is a slight difference in intonation
>from standard forms of American English and frequently a slight
>hardening of the th to a soft d (as in "dem, dese, dose" for them,
>these, those).  Outside of the New York area these pronunciations
>are (rightly or wrongly) often interpreted as as New Yorkisms.  This
>is particularly true the farther away form New York & New Jersey 
>you get.

Ah, I was wondering where Chicago South-Siders got this particular
feature from, and I know I can chalk it up to insidious Dutch influ-
ence.

The /D/ -> /d/ and /T/ -> /t/ phenomenon is so common and widespread in
English that ascribing it to a Dutch substratum is unnecessary.  And as
for intonation, did Dutch sound radically different at some point in
its history?  I've never heard any points of resemblance between any
of New York City/Northern New Jersey accents and any form of spoken Dutch.

People in the States are most likely to mistake a Dutch accent for a
Southern English one.
-- 
	 Daniel "Da" von Brighoff    /\          Dilettanten
	(deb5@midway.uchicago.edu)  /__\         erhebt Euch
				   /____\      gegen die Kunst!
