Slang Culture of Baltimore

baltimoreans have distinct way of pronouncing words in english language. typically, many syllables dropped (e.g., annapolis becomes napliss). accent varies; accent not noticeable when spoken north & west baltimoreans @ heaviest when spoken east & south baltimoreans.

hon

although nowadays city extremely culturally diverse, lasting image of baltimoreans seems hon culture exemplified markedly longer established families , residents of highlandtown, irvington, canton, locust point, hampden , pigtown neighborhoods. between 1950s , 1970s, common see working class local women dressing in bright, printed dresses out-dated glasses , beehive hairdos. men dressed casually, general factory or dock worker look, many in town did indeed have such jobs.

the name of culture comes parodied baltimore accent , slang. hon (/ˈhʌn/, abbreviation of honey ) common informal name else. used @ end of sentence, e.g., how bout dem o s, hon? * baltimore s accent exemplifies dialectal continuum between tidewater american english, southern american dialect, , delaware valley american english, common coastal dialect, loosely possessing vowel shifts of former , general pronunciation of latter. instance, baltimore pronounced baldamore or balmer , , maryland becomes murland , murlan , or merlin. other common pronunciations include ool , amblance , wooder , warsh , sharr or shaow , far , cowny , tew , , zinc (oil, ambulance, water, wash, shower, fire, county, two, , sink respectively). there popular summertime phrase, goin downy ayshin (going down ocean, referring ocean city, maryland) popular phrases such as, (appliance) went (meaning died, shortened went heaven ) , dem o s (i.e. them o s , referring city s major league baseball team, baltimore orioles).

baltimore native , filmmaker john waters has parodied hon culture, baltimore itself, extensively in movies. accurate representation of baltimorese, 1 can waters narration in 1972 movie pink flamingos. waters himself used local commercial mr ray s hair weaves main inspiration. commercial famous around town mr. ray s thick east baltimore accent: cawl todaey, free hayome showink... ( call today, free home showing ) memorable line commercial.

the term has been established in culture has been used naming businesses including cafe hon, , annual honfest.

hon trademark

in november 2010, term hon trademarked in baltimore local businesswoman denise whiting, use on napkins, buttons, hats , other promotional material restaurant, cafe hon. trademark, stated whiting, doesn t prevent saying hon , or using in general conversation.

on november 7, 2011, whiting held press conference featured chef gordon ramsay announcing relinquishing hon trademark; ramsay stated cafe hon, there level of hatred untouchable. ve never known restaurant have such huge issue. restaurant, , press conference part of ramsay s visit, featured on february 24, 2012, episode of ramsay s series, kitchen nightmares.

whiting stated controversy on trademarking word hon had huge toll on business , own health, estimated since first revealed in december 2010 hon trademarked her, estimated 20 25 percent drop off in sales , needed sell iras meet payroll.