Philadelphia English

By the twentieth century, the Philadelphia and New York accents shared features not found elsewhere, including: a high {{IPA|{{nobreak|/ɔ/}}}} vowel, which helps to maintain a contrast between words like cot and caught; and a phonemic split of the short a vowel, {{IPA|{{nobreak|/æ/}}}}, causing gas and gap to have different vowels sounds.{{sfn| Labov | Rosenfelder | Fruehwald | 2013 | p= 173 |loc = In NYC and the Mid-Atlantic region, short-a is split into a tense and lax class. There is reason to believe that the tense class /æh/ descends from the British /ah/ or 'broad-a' class.}} Philadelphia's short a split appears to be a simplified variant of New York City's split.{{cite journal | last = Ash | first = Sharon | date = 2002 | url = http://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1741&context=pwpl | title = The Distribution of a Phonemic Split in the Mid-Atlantic Region: Yet More on Short a | journal = Working Papers in Linguistics | publisher = University of Pennsylvania | page = 1}}

Unlike New York City English, most speakers of Philadelphia English have always used a rhotic accent, meaning that the r sound is never "dropped".

Philadelphia accents from the late nineteenth century to the 1950s shared certain features of the regional accents of the American South and Midland: for example, in fronting {{IPA|/oʊ/}}, raising {{IPA|/aʊ/}}, and sometimes weakening {{IPA|/aɪ/}}.{{cite journal | last1 = Labov | first1 = William | last2 = Rosenfelder | first2 = Ingrid | last3 = Fruehwald | first3 = Josef | year = 2013 | title = One Hundred Years of Sound Change in Philadelphia: Linear Incrementation, Reversal, and Reanalysis | journal = Language | volume = 89 | issue = 1 | pages = 31, 49| doi = 10.1353/lan.2013.0015 | s2cid = 56451894 | url = https://www.pure.ed.ac.uk/ws/files/13269097/One_Hundred_Years_of_Sound_Change_in_Philadelphia.pdf | hdl = 20.500.11820/6aaeba15-89f6-4419-a930-7694d9463d43 | hdl-access = free }} Philadelphians began developing their own entirely unique phonological features, remaining similar-sounding to New York City's English.{{sfn|Labov|Rosenfelder|Fruehwald|2013|p=61}} Some higher-educated Philadelphians born since the last quarter of the twentieth century have been showing dialect levelling and more use of unmarked Northern American English (General American English) features. This demographic regularly replaces the traditional Philadelphia {{IPA|/æ/}} split with the more General American tensing of {{IPA|/æ/}} only before nasal consonants; this probably began when its members attended college.{{sfn|Labov|Rosenfelder|Fruehwald|2013|p=55}}

As of today, "the most strongly supported generalization is that Philadelphia has moved away from its Southern heritage in favor of a Northern system, avoiding those forms that are most saliently associated with local phonology."{{sfn| Labov | Rosenfelder | Fruehwald | 2013 | p= 61}} In the city of Philadelphia proper, the dialect has evolved further, especially among younger residents,{{sfn| Labov | Rosenfelder | Fruehwald | 2013 | p= 30–65}} and the "White Philadelphian dialect" is now spoken by a numerical minority of all Philadelphians within the city of Philadelphia itself, though it remains strong throughout the Philadelphia metropolitan region.{{cite thesis| last = Fruehwald | first = Josef | year = 2013 | url = https://repository.upenn.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2020&context=edissertations | title = The Phonological Influence on Phonetic Change | type = Dissertation | publisher = University of Pennsylvania | page = 48 | quote = ...the White Philadelphian dialect is spoken now by a numerical minority of all Philadelphians...}}

The vowels in Philadelphia speech have shown volatility across the last century, as Labov's research has identified changes affecting over half of the vowel phonemes.

• {{sc2|THOUGHT}} vowel: A feature unique to Middle Atlantic speakers (including Philadelphians and New Yorkers) and southern New Englanders is the raising and diphthongization of {{IPA|/ɔ/}}, as in {{sc2|THOUGHT}}, to {{IPA|[oə]}} or even higher {{IPA|[ʊə]}}. The raised variants often appear as diphthongs with a centering glide. As a result, Philadelphia is resistant to the cot–caught merger. Labov's research suggests that this pattern of raising is essentially complete in Philadelphia and seems no longer to be an active change.
• Lot-cloth split: Similarly, the single word "on" has the vowel of "dawn" and not the same vowel as "don." Labov et al. regard this phenomenon as occurring not only in the Mid-Atlantic region but also in all regions south of a geographic boundary that they identify as the "ON line," which is significant because it distinguishes most varieties of Northern American English (in which on and Don are rhymes) from most varieties of Midland and Southern American English (in which on and dawn are rhymes).{{Harvp|Labov|Ash|Boberg|2006|p=189}}
• Southeastern vowel fronting: One of the features that Philadelphia shares with dialects of the whole Southeastern United States (but absent from most New York accents) is the fronting of a variety of vowels. This includes {{IPA|/oʊ/}} and {{IPA|/u/}}; the resulting allophones are around {{IPA|[əʊ]}} and {{IPA|[ʉu]}}, respectively.{{Harvp|Labov|Ash|Boberg|2006|p=237}} Generally, greater degrees of fronting are heard when the vowels appear in "free" positions (i.e., without a following consonant) than in "checked" positions (i.e., with a following consonant). Fronting does not occur in the context of following liquids leading to a significant difference between, e.g., goat and goal. The fronting of {{IPA|/oʊ/}} and {{IPA|/u/}} is well established in Philadelphia, though cross-generational data show that it remains an active change. Fronted nuclei in {{IPA|/aʊ/}} are well established in Philadelphia speech as in New York. More recent research has noted a tendency among the middle-aged and younger generation of Philadelphians to raise the vowel, resulting in {{IPA|[ɛɔ]}}. {{IPA|/ʊ/}}, the vowel in foot, is sometimes fronted though not to the degree seen with {{IPA|/oʊ/}} and {{IPA|/u/}}.
• Short-a split: As in New York and Baltimore accents, historical "short a" has split into two phonemes: lax {{IPA|/æ/}} (as in bat) and tense {{IPA|/eə/}} (as in bath). Their distribution in Philadelphia along with Baltimore, however, is different from that of New York City. Generally, in the Philadelphia–Baltimore system, the vowel {{IPAc-en|æ}} is tensed (towards {{IPA|[eə]}}) before the consonants {{IPA|/m/}}, {{IPA|/n/}}, {{IPA|/f/}}, {{IPA|/s/}}, and {{IPA|/θ/}} in a closed syllable (so, for example, bats and baths do not have the same vowel sound, being pronounced {{IPA|[bæts]}} and {{IPA|[beəθs]}}, respectively), and in any words directly inflectionally derived from root words with this split. Therefore, pass and passing use the tense {{IPA|[eə]}}, but passage and passive use the lax {{IPA|[æ]}}.{{Harvp|Labov|Ash|Boberg|2006|p=173}} The lax and the tense reflexes of {{IPA|/æ/}} are separate phonemes in these dialects, though largely predictable using the aforementioned rules. There are exceptions, however; the three words bad, mad, and glad become tense, and irregular verbs ending in "-an" or "-am" remain lax.{{Harvp|Labov|Ash|Boberg|2006|loc=chpt. 17}} [æ] can also be found in closed syllables in words where a vowel was recently elided closing the syllable such as camera, family, and catholic. The words mad (tense) and sad (lax) do not rhyme in Philadelphia or Baltimore, but do for New York City and all other English dialects. (In the Trenton area, an intermediate system is used, falling between the typical Mid-Atlantic and the New York City system.){{Harvp|Labov|Ash|Boberg|2006|p=239}} Not all Philadelphians today have this feature and some are beginning to favor the more General American tensing of short a only before nasals (especially under the influence of youth trends and higher education); in fact, as a general rule, native Philadelphians consistently have that split system only if their own parents are native Philadelphians.{{cite journal |last1=Henderson |first1=Anita |title=The Short 'a' Pattern of Philadelphia among African-American Speakers |journal=University of Pennsylvania Working Papers in Linguistics |date=1 January 1996 |volume=3 |issue=1 |url=https://repository.upenn.edu/pwpl/vol3/iss1/10/ }}

{{/æ/ raising in North American English}}

• Mary–marry–merry three-way distinction: As in New York accents and most native English accents outside North America, there is a three-way distinction between English-language vowel changes before historic /r/#Mary–marry–merry_merger. However, in Philadelphia some older speakers have a merger (or close approximation) of {{IPA|/ɛ/}} and {{IPA|/ʌ/}} before {{IPA|/r/}} (the furry–ferry merger), so that merry is merged instead with Murray (with both pronounced something like {{IPA|[ˈmʌɹi]}}). Labov, Ash, and Boberg (2006: 54) report that about one third of Philadelphia speakers have this merger, one third have a near-merger, and one third keep the two distinct. Relatedly, as in New York, many words like orange, Florida, and horrible have {{IPA|/ɑ/}} before {{IPA|/r/}} rather than the {{IPA|/ɔr/}} used in many other American dialects {{xref|(see Historic "short o" before intervocalic r)}}.{{cite book|title=A Handbook of Varieties of English Volume 1: Phonology|editor=Bernd Kortmann and Edgar W. Schneider |author=Matthew J. Gordon |publisher=De Gruyter|year=2004|page=291}}

{{English -or- table}}

• Canadian raising occurs for {{IPA|/aɪ/}} (as in price) but not for {{IPA|/aʊ/}} (as in mouth).{{Harvp|Labov|Ash|Boberg|2006|p=114–15, 237–38}} Consequently, the diphthong in like may begin with a nucleus of mid or even higher position {{IPA|[ɫʌik]}}, which distinguishes it from the diphthong in line {{IPA|[ɫaɪn]}}. Canadian raising in Philadelphia occurs before voiceless consonants, and it is extended to occur before some voiced consonants as well, including intervocalic voiced stops as in tiger and spider. Fruehwald argues{{cite journal |last1=Fruehwald |first1=Josef |title=The Spread of Raising: Opacity, lexicalization, and diffusion |journal=CUREJ |date=11 November 2007 |issue=73 |url=https://repository.upenn.edu/curej/73/ }} that {{IPA|/aɪ/}} has actually undergone a phonemic split in Philadelphia as a result of Canadian raising. The raising of {{IPA|/aɪ/}} is unusual as the innovators of this change are primarily male speakers while the other changes in progress are led primarily by females. The sociolinguistic evidence suggests this raising is a fairly recent addition to Philadelphia speech.
• {{Sc2|FLEECE}}, {{sc2|FACE}}, and {{sc2|DRESS}} vowels: Traditional Philadelphia speech shows lowered and/or laxed variants of {{IPA|/i/}} were common: {{IPA|[ɪi]}}. The recent{{when?|date=March 2024}} sociolinguistic evidence indicates a reversal of this trend such that the vowel is now commonly raised and fronted. This raising is heard primarily before consonants (e.g., eat).{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}} The Linguistic Atlas researchers recorded lax variants of {{IPA|/eɪ/}} near {{IPA|[ɛɪ]}}. As with {{IPA|/i/}}, recent research suggests this trend is being reversed by raising and fronting of the vowel often to a position well beyond {{IPA|[e]}}. This raising occurs before consonants (e.g., paid); in word-final position (pay), {{IPA|/eɪ/}} remains lowered and lax. Both of these can lead to nonstandard phonemic incidence (see "Phonemic incidence" section).
• Labov's research has indicated a tendency toward lowering of the lax vowels {{IPA|/ɪ/}} and {{IPA|/ɛ/}}. This pattern is not yet well established and is labeled by Labov as an "incipient" change.
• Many Philadelphians use a rather high, back, and perhaps even rounded vowel for {{IPA|/ɑr/}} as in {{sc2|START}}; something near {{IPA|[ɔ]}}. The so-called horse–hoarse merger takes place, and the merged vowel is typically mid to high back; it can be as high as {{IPA|[ʊɚ]}}. As noted in New York, these tendencies toward backing and raising of {{IPA|/ɑr/}} and {{IPA|/ɔr/}} may constitute a chain shift. The evidence suggests the movement of {{IPA|/ɑr/}} began this shift, and this vowel is relatively stable today, while generational differences are heard in the shifting of {{IPA|/ɔr/}}.
• {{IPA|/ɔɪ/}}, as in {{Sc2|CHOICE}} may be more raised than in other dialects; sometimes it is as high as {{IPA|[ʊɪ]}}.{{cite book | last = Gordon | first = Matthew | year = 2004 | chapter = New York, Philadelphia and other Northern Cities | editor = Edgar Werner Schneider | editor2 = Bernd Kortmann | title = A Handbook of Varieties of English: Morphology and Syntax | volume =1 | publisher = Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Company KG | isbn = 3-11-017532-0 | page = 290}}
• {{IPA|/ʌ/}}, as in {{sc2|STRUT}}, may show raised and back variants. In some cases, the vowel is in the high, back corner of the vowel space near {{IPA|/u/}}. This is reportedly a recent{{when?|date=March 2024}} development and is one more common among male speakers.{{Citation needed|date=August 2018}}

• Philadelphia forms the core of the one fully rhotic major region of the traditional American East Coast.{{cite news|last=Quinn|first=Jim|title=Phillyspeak|url=http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/081497/article008.shtml|newspaper=Philadelphia City Paper|access-date=January 16, 2012|year=1997|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120101044045/http://archives.citypaper.net/articles/081497/article008.shtml |archive-date= 2012-01-01|df=mdy-all}} This area runs from Pennsylvania and southern New Jersey down to Delaware and northern Maryland, and remains fully r-pronouncing today.
• Non-rhoticity (R-dropping) can be found in some areas of Philadelphia, however (presumably as a recent innovation after the nineteenth century) such as among working-class male speakers specifically from South Philadelphia, especially those born in the first half of the twentieth century and of Italian, Jewish, or Irish Catholic descent.{{cite book |last1=Meyerhoff |first1=Miriam |last2=Nagy |first2=Naomi |title=Social Lives in Language Sociolinguistics and multilingual speech communities: Celebrating the work of Gillian Sankoff |date=2008 |publisher=John Benjamins Publishing |isbn=978-90-272-9075-5 |page=320 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iZg5AAAAQBAJ&pg=PA320 }}{{cite book | last = Verma | first = Mahendra K. | year = 1998 | title = Sociolinguistics, Language and Society | page = 94 | location = New Delhi}} On the other side of the socioeconomic spectrum, non-rhoticity in speakers from the Philadelphia Main Line may be a result of wealthy families sending their children to expensive boarding schools in the United Kingdom up until the 1960s and thus acquiring a "Transatlantic accent."{{cite web | last = Dal Vera | first = Rocco | year = 1998 | url = http://benatlas.com/2010/07/rocco-dal-vera-on-rhotic-and-non-rhotic-english-dialects | title = Rhotic and Non-Rhotic English Accents}} Non-rhoticity is most prevalent among black Philadelphians, who largely do not demonstrate the regional speech features of Philadelphia English; instead, many black Philadelphians speak African-American Vernacular English.
• Consonant changes, especially reductions and lenitions, are very common in informal conversational speech, so that:
• The sibilant {{IPA|/s/}} is palatalized to {{IPA|[ʃ]}} (as in she) before {{IPA|/tr/}}. Thus, the word streets might be pronounced "shtreets" {{IPA|[ʃtɹits]}}.{{sfn| Labov |2001|p=123}}
• L-vocalization is quite pervasive in Philadelphia speech. Phonetically it may be realized as something like {{IPA|[o]}} or a velar or labio-velar glide, {{IPA|[ɰ]}} or {{IPA|[w]}}, or the consonant may be deleted altogether. Among Philadelphians, as in other dialects, vocalization occurs quite frequently in word-final and pre-consonantal contexts (e.g., mill, milk). In a more unusual development, vocalization may also occur inter-vocalically in Philadelphia. This tendency is more common when {{IPA|/l/}} appears following low vowels bearing primary word stress (e.g., hollow). This variable also shows some lexical conditioning, appearing, for example, with exceptionally high frequency in the pronunciation of the name of the city (Ash 1997). This, in part, leads to the stereotype of Philadelphia being pronounced as "Fluffya" or "Filelfia."{{cite news|last1=Nester|first1=Daniel|date=1 March 2014|title=The Sound of Philadelphia Fades Out|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/02/opinion/sunday/the-sound-of-philadelphia-fades-out.html}}
• As in other areas, the interdental fricatives {{IPA|/θ/}} and {{IPA|/ð/}} are often realized as stops, {{IPA|[t]}} and {{IPA|[d]}} or affricates {{IPA|[tθ]}} and {{IPA|[dð]}} in Philadelphia speech. This variation appears to be a stable class-stratified feature with the non-fricative forms appearing more commonly in working-class speech.
• The yew–hew merger can be found, as in New York City, in which words like human and huge, which begin with an {{IPA|/hj/}} cluster, the {{IPA|/h/}} is commonly deleted giving {{IPA|/ˈjumən/}} and {{IPA|/judʒ/}}.
• Consonant cluster reductions, such as removing the "t" sound from consonant clusters, so that "mustard" sounds more like "mussard," or "soft" like "sawff."

• On is traditionally pronounced {{IPA|/ɔn/}}, phonemically matching the South and Midland varieties of American English (and unlike most New York accents), thus rhyming with dawn rather than don. However, the Northern {{IPA|/ɑn/}} has also been reported.{{sfn|Kurath|McDavid|1961}}
• The word water is commonly pronounced {{IPA|/ˈwʊtər/}} (with the first syllable rhyming with the word put, so that it sounds like "wooter" or "wooder"), rather than the more standard English {{IPA|/ˈwɔtər/}}. This is considered by many to be a shibboleth of the Philadelphia dialect, even among young Philadelphians,{{cite journal|journal=Language Variation and Change|title=Real-time evidence for age grad(ing) in late adolescence|last=Evans Wagner|first=Suzanne|date=2012|volume=24|issue=2 |pages=179–202|doi=10.1017/S0954394512000099}}{{cite conference|title="Philadelphians say 'Wooder', and that's that."?|last=Fruehwald|first=Josef|conference=American Dialect Society annual meeting|date=2023|url=https://jofrhwld.github.io/blog/posts/2022/12/2022-12-31_wooder1/assets/ADS2023-wooder.png}} though Labov has argued that it is an exaggerated stereotype and the more common pronunciation uses a raised {{IPA|/ɔ/}} rather than {{IPA|/ʊ/}}.{{cite journal|journal=Language|title=The Regularity of Regular Sound Change|date=2020|last=Labov|first=William|volume=96|issue=1|pages=42–59|doi=10.1353/lan.2020.0001}}
• Both long-e and long-a sounds may be shortened before {{IPA|/ɡ/}}. Eagle rhymes with giggle {{IPA|/ˈɪɡəl/}} (as in "the Iggles"); league {{IPA|/lɪɡ/}} rhymes with big; vague and plague rhyme with peg (pronounced {{IPA|/vɛɡ/}} and {{IPA|/plɛɡ/}}, respectively).{{sfn| Wolfram | Ward |2006 |p=90}} For some Philadelphians, colleague and fatigue also have {{IPA|/ɪ/}} (pronounced {{IPA|/ˈkɑlɪɡ/}} and {{IPA|/fəˈtɪɡ/}}, respectively). However, these are words learned later, so many speakers use the more standard American {{IPA|/ˈkɑliɡ/}} and {{IPA|/fəˈtiɡ/}}.
• In words like gratitude, beautiful, attitude, Baltimore, and prostitute, the i may be pronounced with the ee sound {{IPA|/i/}}, as in bee.

"Be done + noun phrase": The grammatical construction "be done something" means roughly "have/has finished something." For example, "I am done my homework" and "The dog is done dinner" are genuine sentences in this dialect and mean respectively "I have finished my homework" and "The dog has finished dinner." Another example, "Let's start after you're done all the coffee," means "Let's start after you've finished all the coffee." This is not exactly the same as the standard construction "to be done with something" since "She is done the computer" can mean "She is done with the computer" only in one sense: "She has finished (building) the computer.""[https://ygdp.yale.edu/phenomena/done-my-homework Done My Homework]." Yale Grammatical Diversity Project English in North America. Yale University. 2017.{{cite journal |last1=Fruehwald |first1=Josef |last2=Myler |first2=Neil |title=I'm done my homework—Case assignment in a stative passive |journal=Linguistic Variation |date=31 December 2015 |volume=15 |issue=2 |pages=141–168 |doi=10.1075/LV.15.2.01FRU |hdl=20.500.11820/71d562f0-fbb4-4e7f-9fa9-6cf585900e57 |s2cid=59887277 |url=https://www.research.ed.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/im-done-my-homework--case-assignment-in-a-stative-passive(71d562f0-fbb4-4e7f-9fa9-6cf585900e57).html |hdl-access=free }}

The interjection yo originated in the Philadelphia dialect among Italian-American and African-American youths. The word is commonly used as a greeting or a way to get someone's attention.{{cite news | url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE2D91239F93AA2575BC0A965958260 | work= The New York Times | title=Sorry, New York, 'Yo' Was Born in Philadelphia | date= 1993-08-19 | access-date= 2010-05-22}}{{cite web|url=http://www.elliottsamazing.com/phltalk.html|title=How they Talk in Philadelphia|first=Elliott|last=Hirsh|website=Elliott's Amazing|access-date= 2017-02-14}}{{dead link|date=May 2025}}{{cite book | last=Dalzell | first=Tom | title= Flappers 2 Rappers: American Youth Slang | year=1996 | publisher=Merriam Webster | location=Springfield, Massachusetts | isbn=0-87779-612-2 | url-access=registration | url=https://archive.org/details/flappers2rappers00dalz }}

Many Philadelphians are known to use the expression "youse" both as second person plural and (rarely) second person singular pronoun, much like the mostly Southern / Western expression "y'all" or the Pittsburgh term "yinz." "Youse" or "youse guys" is common in many working-class Northeastern U.S. areas though it is often associated especially with Philadelphia. However, unlike in other Northeastern U.S. areas, the Philadelphian pronunciation of "youse" more often than not reflects vowel reduction and frequently yields {{IPA|/jəz/}} and {{IPA|/jɪz/}} ("yiz"), rather than the stereotypical {{IPA|/juz/}} ("youse"). (ex: "Yiz want anything at the store?" "Yiz guys alright over there?").{{Cite web|url=http://www.philly.com/inquirer/currents/15153756.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080422175131/http://www.philly.com/inquirer/currents/15153756.html |url-status=dead |title= My sweet | work = The Philadelphia Inquirer | date= 2008-02-03 | archive-date= 2008-04-22}}{{cite web|url=http://www.jaha.org/edu/discovery_center/community/peopling_pa02-2.html|title=Push and Pull of Immigration: Letters from Home - Johnstown Heritage Discovery Center|access-date=February 14, 2017}}{{Cite web |url= http://phillytalk.com/funny-stuff/philly/philly-slang_3.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080323161534/http://phillytalk.com/funny-stuff/philly/philly-slang_3.html |url-status=dead |title=PhillyTalk.com – Philly Slang |archive-date=March 23, 2008}}{{cite journal|last=Paumgarten|first=Nick|url=http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2005/04/11/tony-lukes|title=Tony Luke's|journal=New Yorker|access-date=February 14, 2017|date=April 4, 2005}} Second person singular forms commonly are heard as {{IPA|/jə/}} and {{IPA|/jɪ/}}.

Anymore is used as a positive polarity item, e.g. "Joey's hoagies taste different anymore."{{sfn| Labov | Ash | Boberg | 2006 | p= 293}} This sense of anymore is not specific to the region but is well represented there.

A sandwich consisting of a long bread filled with lunch meat, cheese, and lettuce, onion and tomato, variously called a "sub" or "submarine sandwich" in other parts of the United States, is called a hoagie. Olive oil, rather than mayonnaise, is used as a topping, and "hot" or "sweet" peppers are used for spice. The term 'hoagie' originated in Philadelphia.{{Cite book | editor = Kenneth Finkel | title = Philadelphia Almanac and Citizen's Manual | location = Philadelphia | publisher = The Library Company of Philadelphia | year = 1995 | page = 86}}{{Cite magazine | title = Philly Via Italy | magazine = 34th street magazine | date = April 17, 2007 | page = 9}}

A similar sandwich toasted in an oven or broiler is called a grinder.{{Cite journal | title = The Submarine Sandwich: Lexical Variations in a Cultural Context | editor = Edwin Eames | editor2 = Howard Robboy | journal = American Speech | volume = 42 | number = 4 | date = December 1967 | pages = 279–288 | jstor = 452990 | last1 = Eames | first1 = Edwin | last2 = Robboy | first2 = Howard | doi = 10.2307/452990 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.verbatimmag.com/28_3.pdf|title=A Hoagie By Any Other Name|access-date=18 December 2012}}

Small chocolate or multi-colored confections sprinkled on ice cream and cake icing, elsewhere called sprinkles, are known as jimmies in the Philadelphia area, as well as in the Boston and Pittsburgh areas. (For Bostonians some older Philadelphians, only chocolate sprinkles are called jimmies.)

Another distinctively Philadelphian word is jawn. According to Dan Nosowitz, jawn "is an all-purpose noun, a stand-in for inanimate objects, abstract concepts, events, places, individual people, and groups of people."{{Cite web|url=http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-enduring-mystery-of-jawn-philadelphias-allpurpose-noun|title=The Enduring Mystery of 'Jawn,' Philadelphia's All-Purpose Noun|first=Dan|last=Nosowitz |date= 2016-03-24 | website=Atlas Obscura}}

The following well-known Philadelphians represent a sampling of those who have exhibited a Philadelphia accent:

• Bill Adolph – "whose Philly accent was sharp enough to cut glass"{{cite news|last=Micek|first=John L.|date=March 17, 2017|title='Why should I give you more money?' The Pa. House's new budget boss makes his mark: Analysis|url=https://www.pennlive.com/opinion/2017/03/why_should_i_give_you_more_mon.html|work=The Patriot-News|publisher=Advance Local|access-date=April 23, 2025}}
• Eddie Alvarez – "His accent is about as Philly as it gets."{{cite news|last=Mullin|first=Matt|date=January 18, 2016|title=Philly moves one step closer to hosting a major UFC event in 2016|url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/philly-moved-one-step-closer-hosting-ufc-event-sunday-night/|work=PhillyVoice|publisher=WWB Holdings|access-date=March 24, 2025}}{{cite news|author=|date=January 25, 2021|title=Joel Kinnaman On New Philadelphia Drama 'Brothers By Blood': 'I Listened To A Lot Of UFC Fighter Eddie Alvarez For My Philly Accent'|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/philadelphia/news/joel-kinnaman-brothers-by-blood-interview/|work=CBS News|location=Philadelphia|access-date=March 24, 2025}}
• Chuck Barris – "Barris' Philly accent"{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-dec-30-et-smith30-story.html|title=He's got game|date=December 30, 2002 | last=Smith |first=Lynn|work=Los Angeles Times}}
• Joe Bonsall – "The fast-talking Philly native who never lost his accent"{{cite news|author=|date=January 2, 2025|title=In Memoriam 2024: Music|url=https://www.nashvillescene.com/news/coverstory/nashville-music-in-memoriam-2024/article_22bc22a6-c399-11ef-baf6-2b126e84b829.html|work=Nashville Scene|access-date=March 17, 2025}}
• Bob Brady – "a thick Philly accent."{{cite web|url=http://www.phillymag.com/tag/bob-brady/|title=Bob Brady Archives - Philadelphia Magazine|access-date=February 14, 2017}}
• Sean Brady – "Northeast Philly guy. Great accent."{{cite web|last=Kinkead|first=Kevin|date=September 8, 2024|title=Philly's Sean Brady Wins Again, Adding Himself to the Title Mix in the UFC's Most Intriguing Division|url=https://www.crossingbroad.com/2024/09/phillys-sean-brady-wins-again-putting-himself-into-the-title-mix-in-the-ufcs-most-intriguing-division.html|website=Crossing Broad|publisher=Sportradar Solutions|access-date=March 24, 2025}}
• Kellyanne Conway – of whom it was once observed that "she's such a hoagiemouth that it's impossible to even say her name without sounding like you, too, speak hoagiemouth"{{cite web|title=On Kellyanne Conway: Or, Hoagiemouth As Lifestyle Choice|url=https://www.philebrity.com/blog/2017/1/25/on-kellyanne-conway-or-hoagiemouth-as-a-lifestyle-choice|access-date=5 September 2019}}
• Jim Cramer – "his pronounced Philly accent"{{cite web|url=http://www.metromba.com/2013/04/mad-money-host-jim-cramer-will-film-show-with-villanova-business-students|title="Mad Money" Host Jim Cramer Will Film Show With Villanova Business Students|date=Apr 29, 2013|work=MetroMBA}}
• The Dead Milkmen – "meandering punk rock, and heavy Philly accents"{{cite web|last1=Vadala|first1=Nick|title=Q&A: The Dead Milkmen's Dean Clean talks new material for Philadelphia's favorite punk rockers|url=http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/entertainment/music_nightlife/QA-The-Dead-Milkmens-Dean-Sabatino-clean-talks-new-material-Philadelphias-favorite-punk-rockers.html|website=Philly.com|date=May 6, 2024 }}{{cite web|last1=Polanco|first1=Luis|title=The Dead Milkmen Swear 'Ronald Reagan Killed The Black Dahlia' in New Video|url=http://www.spin.com/2014/11/dead-milkmen-ronald-reagan-killed-the-black-dahlia-video/|website=SPIN magazine|date=November 7, 2014}}{{cite web|title=The Dead Milkmen - Pretty Music for Pretty People|url=https://www.punknews.org/review/12919/the-dead-milkmen-pretty-music-for-pretty-people|last=Little|website=Punknews.org|date=October 7, 2014|access-date=30 April 2017}}
• Tim Donaghy – "whose Philly accent remains ... thick"{{cite news|url= https://www.inquirer.com/philly/sports/20091210_Little_left_in_life_of_Tim_Donaghy.html |title=Little left in life of Tim Donaghy | newspaper= The Philadelphia Inquirer | access-date=2019-11-23 | date=2009-12-10 | first = Frank | last = Fitzpatrick | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230406013313/https://www.inquirer.com/philly/sports/20091210_Little_left_in_life_of_Tim_Donaghy.html | archive-date=April 6, 2023 | url-status=live }}
• Johnny Dougherty – "thick Philadelphia accent"{{cite web|url=http://www.politico.com/news/stories/1108/15176.html|title=Labor Confronts Race Issue|publisher=Capitol News Company LLC|year=2008|last=Smith|first=Ben|work=Politico}}
• Joe Flacco – "where his thick Philly/South Jersey accent won't stick out like a sore thumb"{{cite web|last=Zangaro|first=Dave|date=March 25, 2021|title=Joe Flacco makes it clear he's joining Eagles to compete|url=https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/nfl/philadelphia-eagles/not-just-some-old-guy-joe-flacco-joining-eagles-to-compete/180080/|website=NBC Sports Philadelphia|access-date=March 21, 2025}}
• Tom Gola – "he did it all in Philadelphia, a hometown his nasal accent betrayed"{{cite news|last=Fitzpatrick|first=Frank|date=February 2, 2014|title=Gola's legacy: He did it all in Philly|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/sports/colleges/la_salle/20140202_Gola_s_legacy__He_did_it_all_in_Philly.html|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|access-date=April 16, 2025}}
• Big Daddy Graham – "Nasal, raspy, with an accent somewhere out of Southwest Philly."{{cite magazine|last=Macnow|first=Glen|author-link=Glen Macnow|date=October 2021|title=A Big Loss|url=https://www.southjerseymagazine.com/article/2929/A-Big-Loss|magazine=South Jersey Magazine|volume=18|issue=7|publisher=Del Val Media|access-date=April 16, 2025}}
• Theresa Grentz – "Talking with an accent thicker than the cheese on a Philly steak"{{cite web|last=Garber|first=Greg|date=March 19, 2008|title=Where did it all begin? Just ask Immaculata's Mighty Macs|url=https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&id=3302119|website=ESPN|location=Immaculata, Pa.|publisher=ESPN Internet Ventures|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241207231650/https://www.espn.com/womens-college-basketball/columns/story?columnist=garber_greg&id=3302119|archive-date=December 7, 2024|access-date=May 1, 2025}}
• Joan Jett – "her distinct Philadelphia accent & swagger"{{cite web|url=http://worldofwonder.net/bornthisday-joan-jett/|title=#BornThisDay: Musician, Joan Jett|publisher=World of Wonder Productions, LLC|date=September 22, 2015|last=Rutledge|first=Stephen|work=The Wow Report}}
• Joe Kerrigan – "with his curt Philadelphia accent"{{cite book |last1=Martinez |first1=Pedro |last2=Silverman |first2=Michael |date=2015 |title=Pedro |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iFhCCQAAQBAJ&q=Joe+Kerrigan+philadelphia+accent&pg=PA154 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Harcourt |page=154 |access-date=July 18, 2015 |isbn=9780544279339 }}
• Jim Lynam – "speaks in a fast, choppy tone with a distinct Philadelphia accent."{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1985-01-13-sp-8865-story.html|title=CLIPPERS' JIM LYNAM : The Pressure Is Always On : This Coach Has Johnson, Nixon, Walton and a Team Under .500|first=S. A. M.|last=McMANIS|date=January 13, 1985|access-date=February 14, 2017|via=LA Times}}
• Herb Magee – "Philadelphia University coach, whose accent, Irish mug, and hoops pedigree epitomize the hometown he's never left"{{cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/2011-08-12/sports/29880807_1_herb-magee-head-coach-high-school-coach|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110215711/http://articles.philly.com/2011-08-12/sports/29880807_1_herb-magee-head-coach-high-school-coach|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 10, 2011|title=Archives - Philly.com|access-date=February 14, 2017}}
• Bam Margera – "Not sure if you've heard the Philly patois? ... star Bam Margera, who is from nearby West Chester, has it."
• Chris Matthews – "I don't think I ever realized I had a Philadelphia accent"{{cite web|url=http://www.phillymag.com/articles/features-how-to-speak-philadelphian-accent-on-chris-matthews/|title=Features: How to Speak Philadelphian: Accent on Chris Matthews - Philadelphia Magazine|date=April 22, 2008|access-date=February 14, 2017}}
• Mike Mayock – "With his thick Philly accent"{{cite web |url=http://www.waitingfornextyear.com/2015/01/mike-mayock-talks-cardale-jones-nfl-draft-stock// |title=Mike Mayock talks about Cardale Jones' NFL draft stock|work=waitingfornextyear.com |author=Craig Lyndall|date=January 14, 2015|access-date=March 5, 2015}}{{dead link|date=March 2025}}
• Katie McGinty – "McGinty intones in a Philadelphia accent."{{cite web | url = http://mediatrackers.org/pennsylvania/2014/02/13/pennsylvania-gubernatorial-candidate-mcginty-muddles-minimum-wage-facts | title = Pennsylvania Gubernatorial Candidate McGinty Muddles Minimum Wage Facts | work = Media Trackers | date = February 13, 2014 | access-date = March 10, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150524115030/http://mediatrackers.org/pennsylvania/2014/02/13/pennsylvania-gubernatorial-candidate-mcginty-muddles-minimum-wage-facts | archive-date = May 24, 2015 | url-status = dead }}
• Patrick Joseph Murphy – "Murphy hasn't lost his thick Philly accent"{{cite web|url=http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/22/pennsylvania-grudge-match-iraq-vet-patrick-murphy-battles-old-g/|title=Pennsylvania Grudge Match: Iraq Vet Patrick Murphy Battles Old GOP Foe|year=2010|last=Stone|first=Andrea|work=The Huffington Post (Politics Daily)|publisher=AOL, Inc|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924095817/http://www.politicsdaily.com/2010/10/22/pennsylvania-grudge-match-iraq-vet-patrick-murphy-battles-old-g/|archive-date=September 24, 2015}}
• Josh Ostrander – "speaks with a Philly accent"{{cite magazine|last=Teo-Blockey|first=Celine|date=April 18, 2017|title=The fall and rise of hardworking rock star Mondo Cozmo {{pipe}} Interview|url=https://riffmagazine.com/features/the-rise-of-mondo-cozmo/|location=Los Angeles|magazine=RIFF|access-date=May 21, 2025}}
• Jimmy Pop of Bloodhound Gang – noted for singing in a "Philly accent."{{cite web|title=Bloodhound Gang - Biography|url=https://www.last.fm/music/Bloodhound+Gang/+wiki|website=last.fm|access-date=30 April 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Kennedy|first1=Kae Lani|date=2014|title=12 things you didn't know about Philadelphia|url=https://matadornetwork.com/life/12-things-didnt-know-philadelphia/|website=Matador Network|access-date=30 April 2017}}
• Stephen Sweeney – "an accent that screams South Jersey"{{cite news|last=Katz|first=Matt|author-link=Matt Katz|date=September 29, 2013|title=A fighter for people, or power?|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/news/politics/20130929_A_fighter_for_people__or_power_.html|url-access=subscription|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|access-date=April 23, 2025}}
• Kurt Vile – "an angelic and –at this point infamous– DelCo accent"{{cite web|last=Kirkpatrick|first=Will|date=June 17, 2022|title=Kurt Vile delivers a wonderful Free At Noon performance|url=https://xpn.org/2022/06/17/kurt-vile-wxpn-free-at-noon/|website=WXPN|access-date=March 24, 2025}}

These speakers, primarily of Irish, Italian, or Jewish ethnicity, show the non-rhotic version of the Philadelphia accent local to South Philadelphia:

• Joey Bishop – "an accent as thick as a porterhouse steak"{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1989/07/23/books/his-wives-and-other-strangers.html|title=HIS WIVES AND OTHER STRANGERS|date=July 23, 1989|last=Buckley|first=Tom|work=The New York Times}}
• David Brenner – "I have a mixture of the South and West Philly [accents], so people think I'm from New York."{{cite news |title=Features: How to Speak Philadelphian: Accent on David Brenner |url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2008/04/22/features-how-to-speak-philadelphian-accent-on-david-brenner/ |publisher=Philadelphia Magazine |date=April 22, 2008}}{{cite web|url=http://articles.philly.com/2014-03-18/news/48301351_1_david-letterman-west-philly-comedy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140707035638/http://articles.philly.com/2014-03-18/news/48301351_1_david-letterman-west-philly-comedy|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 7, 2014|title=Comedian David Brenner, 78, was a uniquely Philly guy|publisher=Interstate General Media, LLC|year=2014|last=Morrison|first=John|work=Philly.com}}
• Larry Fine – "mimic Fine's Philadelphia accent"{{cite web|url=http://www.pressreader.com/israel/jerusalem-post/20120419/282136403402927|title=From boxing to eye-poking for Larry Fine|publisher=Press Reader|date=April 13, 2012|last=Thompson|first=Gary|work=Jerusalem Post}}
• William Guarnere and Edward "Babe" Heffron – "the old South Philly accent"{{cite web|url=http://www.phillymag.com/articles/veterans-day-guarnere-heffron-band-of-brothers/|title=Band of Brothers: William "Wild Bill" Guarnere and Edward "Babe" Heffron|date=June 1, 2001|access-date=February 14, 2017|archive-date=April 27, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140427125228/http://www.phillymag.com/articles/veterans-day-guarnere-heffron-band-of-brothers/|url-status=dead}}
• Dom Irrera – "Irrera's voice, a blue-collar, South Philly, old-neighborhood kind of yak"{{cite web|url=https://lamag.com/comedy/backstage-with-comics-comic-dom-irrera|title=Backstage With "Comic's Comic" Dom Irrera|year=2005|last=Katz|first=Jesse|work=Los Angeles Magazine|publisher=Engine Vision Media}}{{cite web|url=http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/04/10/1049567785464.html|title=The Godfather of Stand-Up|year=2003|last=Johnson|first=Michelle|work=The Age|publisher=Fairfax Media Limited}}{{cite web |last1=Amorosi |first1=A.D. |title=Comic legend Dom Irrera talks Philly, Hollywood and tiny grandmothers |url=https://www.phillyvoice.com/comic-legend-dom-irrera-talks-philly-hollywood-and-tiny-grandmothers/ |website=Philly Voice |date=November 22, 2017 |access-date=23 February 2023}}
• Tony Luke Jr. – "a rasping South Philly accent that played well on television"{{cite magazine|last=Teague|first=Matthew|date=June 25, 2017|title=The Trials of Tony Luke|url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2017/06/25/tony-luke-son-lawsuit/|magazine=Philadelphia|publisher=Metro Corp.|access-date=May 21, 2025}}{{cite magazine|last=Cirilli|first=Kevin|date=February 7, 2012|title=How to Lose 100 Pounds Eating Cheesesteaks|url=https://www.menshealth.com/health/a19529782/how-to-lose-100-pounds-eating-cheesesteaks/|url-access=limited|magazine=Men's Health|publisher=Hearst Magazines|access-date=May 21, 2025}}
• Joey Merlino – "his Philadelphia accent unmistakable"{{cite news|last=Brown|first=Julie K.|author-link=Julie K. Brown|date=September 8, 2014|orig-date=Originally published September 29, 2012|title=Joseph Merlino: The mobster next door|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/latest-news/article1943159.html|work=Miami Herald|access-date=March 17, 2025}}{{cite news|last=Musgrave|first=Jane|date=August 12, 2016|title=Reputed mob boss 'Skinny Joey' Merlino to be released on $5 million bond|url=https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/crime/2016/08/12/reputed-mob-boss-skinny-joey/7211186007/|work=The Palm Beach Post|access-date=March 17, 2025}}
• Joey Vento – "his charming South Philly accent"{{cite news|last=Flowers|first=Christine|date=August 25, 2011|title=Joey Vento, a very decent man|url=https://www.inquirer.com/philly/blogs/flowersshow/128401229.html|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|access-date=March 17, 2025}}
• Tony Verna – "his South Philadelphia accent"{{cite magazine|last=Clark|first=Anna|date=December 12, 2013|title=The Human Element|url=https://psmag.com/social-justice/the-human-element-instant-replay-tony-verna-71408/|magazine=Pacific Standard|access-date=March 17, 2025}}

These speakers retain slight traces or elements of a rhotic Philadelphia accent:

• Gloria Allred – "slightly nasal, Philadelphia-accented voice that can drip with sarcasm"{{cite web|url=http://www.vcstar.com/news/gloria-allred-the-attorney-people-love-to-hate-ep-367117041-347024732.html?d=mobile|title=Gloria Allred: The attorney people love to hate|publisher=Journal Media Group|date=October 25, 2010|last=Rogers|first=John|work=Ventura County Star}}
• Kevin Bacon and Bruce Willis – "two native [Philadelphia] sons, Bruce Willis (Salem County, N.J.) and Kevin Bacon (Center City Philadelphia), who, at least in interviews early in their career, before accent reduction training kicked in, let their diphthong freak flags fly."

• Jill Biden – "She exaggerates her Philadelphia suburbs accent, which is already pretty strong."{{cite news | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/22/AR2008102203657.html | newspaper = The Washington Post | title = Campaign Curriculum | author = Libby Copeland | date = October 23, 2008}}
• Gia Carangi – "professional voice instructors ... [were] trying to neutralize her unsophisticated Philadelphia accent so she might get into acting"{{cite book|last=Fried|first=Stephen Marc|author-link=Stephen Fried|date=2011|orig-date=1st pub. 1993|title=Thing of Beauty: The Tragedy of Supermodel Gia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E55UYXoilEYC&pg=PT11|location=United Kingdom|publisher=Pocket Books|page=4|isbn=9781451676402|access-date=March 17, 2025}}
• Noam Chomsky – "I speak with the accent from a certain area in northeastern Philadelphia where I grew up."{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nTMEirKUw-QC&q=noam+chomsky+philadelphia+accent&pg=PA143|title=Propaganda and the Public Mind: Conversations with Noam Chomsky|first1=David|last1=Barsamian|first2=Noam|last2=Chomsky|date=January 1, 2001|publisher=Pluto Press|access-date=February 14, 2017|via=Google Books|isbn=9780745317885}}
• Garrett "G. Love" Dutton – "a watered-down Philadelphian accent"{{cite web|url=https://asuwebdevilarchive.asu.edu/issues/2004/04/30/webextra/673117|title=Concert review: G-Love stirs the special sauce|publisher=ASU Web Devil|year=2004|last=Kark|first=Chris}}
• Tina Fey – "Pennsylvania-native Tina Fey showcased the accent"{{cite news|url=https://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/12/watch_tina_fey_say_things_in_philly_in_snl_skit.html|title=Watch Tina Fey 'say things in Philly' in 'SNL' skit|year=2015|last=O'Neill|first=Erin|work=NJ.com}}
• Carli Lloyd – "And listen closely when she says 'pass' or 'me' — the South Jersey accent is charmingly unmistakable."{{cite magazine|last=Rys|first=Richard|date=August 6, 2016|title=Carli Lloyd's Rise to Rio|url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2016/08/06/carli-lloyds-rise-to-rio/|magazine=Philadelphia|publisher=Metro Corp.|access-date=May 21, 2025}}
• Rob McElhenney – "I ... worked my way out of the accent for acting. ... My brother and sister have much stronger accents ... I still have a little bit of the accent"{{cite news|author=|date=March 24, 2009|title='Sunny' star still a Philly guy at heart|url=https://temple-news.com/sunny-star-still-a-philly-guy-at-heart/|work=The Temple News|access-date=March 24, 2025}}{{cite magazine|last=Rys|first=Richard|date=June 26, 2007|title=Exit Interview: Rob McElhenney|url=https://www.phillymag.com/news/2007/06/26/exit-interview-rob-mcelhenney/|magazine=Philadelphia|access-date=March 24, 2025}}
• Benjamin Netanyahu – "his Philly-flecked American English a vestige of his childhood years in suburban Cheltenham."{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/philadelphians-have-a-unique-accent-with-pronunciation-evolving-over-the-decades/2013/04/29/fcfe7b18-ae74-11e2-98ef-d1072ed3cc27_story.html|title=Philadelphians have a unique accent, with pronunciation evolving over the decades|date=April 29, 2013|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=February 14, 2017}}

• Bo Ryan – "still had a hint of a Philly accent ... even after years in [the] Midwest."{{cite news|author=|date=December 16, 2015|title=Bo Ryan abruptly retires as coach of Wisconsin|url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/dec/16/bo-ryan-abruptly-retires-as-coach-of-wisconsin|newspaper=The Guardian|publisher=Guardian News & Media|access-date=April 30, 2025}}{{cite web|last=Armas|first=Genaro C.|date=April 2, 2014|title=Ryan's hometown roots influence his life at Wisconsin|url=https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2014-04-02/bo-ryans-hometown-pennsylvania-roots-influence-him-wisconsin|website=NCAA.com|location=Milwaukee|access-date=May 1, 2025}}
• Patti Smith – "still harbors a slight (and endearing) South Jersey accent"{{cite magazine|last=Uitti|first=Jacob|date=October 2, 2020|title=Patti Smith Is Always Going to Be a Worker|url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/music/patti-smith-is-always-going-to-be-a-worker|magazine=Interview|access-date=April 23, 2025}}{{cite web|last=Ingram|first=Bob|date=January 2, 2010|title=Patti Smith's punk purity|url=https://www.broadstreetreview.com/essays/patti-smiths-punk-purity|website=Broad Street Review|access-date=April 23, 2025}}
• Peter Vermes – "has deep roots in South Jersey, even if his many years in the [M]idwest have turned his accent into a lilt."{{cite news|last=Tannenwald|first=Jonathan|date=March 31, 2023|title=The Union-Kansas City game matches MLS's longest-tenured managers, Jim Curtin and Peter Vermes|url=https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/jim-curtin-philadelphia-union-vs-sporting-kansas-city-peter-vermes-20230331.html|url-access=subscription|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|access-date=May 1, 2025}}{{cite news|last=Tannenwald|first=Jonathan|date=February 6, 2023|title=Super Bowl 2023: Kansas City's Peter Vermes, Chris Long are Philadelphia Eagles fans in Chiefs Kingdom from MLS, NWSL|url=https://www.inquirer.com/soccer/peter-vermes-chris-long-mls-nwsl-eagles-chiefs-super-bowl-2023-20230206.html|url-access=subscription|newspaper=The Philadelphia Inquirer|access-date=May 1, 2025}}

Philadelphia English spoken by native speakers is seldom heard in films and fictional television shows. Films and television shows set in the Philadelphia region generally make the mistake of giving the characters a working-class New York City dialect (specifically heard in Philadelphia-set films such as the Rocky series, Invincible, and A History of Violence). Contrary examples exist, such as the character Lynn Sear (played by Toni Collette) in The Sixth Sense, who speaks with an accurate Philadelphia dialect. In Sleepers, the character Sean Nokes (played by Philadelphia native Kevin Bacon) speaks in an exaggerated Philadelphia accent. The use of geographically inaccurate dialects is also true in films and television programs set in Atlantic City or any other region of South Jersey; the characters often use a supposed "Joisey" dialect, when in reality that New York-influenced dialect for New Jersey natives is almost always exclusive to the northern region of the state nearest to New York City, while most South Jersey residents actually speak with a Philadelphia accent.

The Philadelphia dialect is prominently featured in the 2021 television miniseries Mare of Easttown, set in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, adjacent to Philadelphia to the west and south.{{Cite web|last=Marin|title=All the ways 'Mare of Easttown' turned the Philly region into a national obsession|url=https://billypenn.com/2021/06/02/mare-of-easttown-philadelphia-delco-accent-winslet-wawa-obsession-season-2/|access-date=2021-06-03|website=Billy Penn|date=June 2, 2021 |language=en-US}} Reviews of the portrayal of the dialect by British lead actress Kate Winslet and others have been mostly positive.{{Cite web|last=Adair|first=Jim|title=In defense of the Delco accent, on 'Mare of Easttown' and IRL {{!}} Opinion|url=https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/commentary/delco-accent-mare-of-easttown-hoagiemouth-20210531.html|access-date=2021-06-03|website=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=May 30, 2021 |language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Adams|first=Sam|date=2021-04-16|title=The One Accent Most Actors Won't Even Attempt|url=https://slate.com/culture/2021/04/mare-of-easttown-kate-winslet-philadelphia-accent.html|access-date=2021-06-03|website=Slate Magazine|language=en}}

Philadelphia natives who work in media and entertainment often assimilate to the General American broadcast standard. Speakers with a noticeable local accent include Jim Cramer, the host of CNBC's Mad Money,{{cite news |agency=Associated Press |title=Researchers track evolution of Philadelphians' odd accent |url=https://archive.triblive.com/news/researchers-track-evolution-of-philadelphians-odd-accent/|newspaper=Trib Live |date=April 26, 2013 }} singer Joe Bonsall, political commentator Chris Matthews,{{cite web|last=Trawick-Smith|first=Ben|title=The Overlooked Philadelphia Accent|url=http://dialectblog.com/2011/07/15/philadelphia-accent/|work=15 July 2011|date=July 15, 2011|access-date=25 June 2013}} Bam Margera, and several others in the MTV Jackass crew.{{cn|date=February 2025}} Venezuelan-American actress Sonya Smith, who was born in Philadelphia, speaks with a Philadelphia accent in both English and Venezuelan Spanish.{{cn|date=November 2024}} Local television, political, and sports personalities in South Jersey and part of Central Jersey tend to be much more culturally associated with Philadelphia than New York City.

{{Portal|Philadelphia}}

• List of Philadelphia placename etymologies
• Western Pennsylvania English
• Pennsylvania Dutch English
• Midland American English
• American English regional vocabulary
• Jawn

{{refbegin|30em}}

• {{cite book

|last1=Baker

|first1=Adam

|last2=Mielke

|first2=Jeff

|last3=Archangeli

|first3=Diana

|year=2008

|chapter=More velar than /g/: Consonant Coarticulation as a Cause of Diphthongization

|editor1-last=Chang

|editor1-first=Charles B.

|editor2-last=Haynie

|editor2-first=Hannah J.

|title=Proceedings of the 26th West Coast Conference on Formal Linguistics

|pages=60–68

|location=Somerville, Massachusetts

|publisher=Cascadilla Proceedings Project

|isbn=978-1-57473-423-2

|chapter-url=http://www.lingref.com/cpp/wccfl/26/paper1656.pdf

}}

• {{cite journal

|last=Boberg

|first=Charles

|year=2008

|title=Regional phonetic differentiation in Standard Canadian English

|journal=Journal of English Linguistics

|volume=36

|issue=2

|pages=129–154

|doi=10.1177/0075424208316648

|s2cid=146478485

}}

• {{cite journal |last1=Duncan |first1=Daniel |title='Tense' /æ/ is still lax: A phonotactics study |journal=Proceedings of the Annual Meetings on Phonology |date=21 June 2016 |volume=3 |doi=10.3765/amp.v3i0.3653 |doi-access=free }}
• {{cite book| last1 = Kurath | first1 = Hans| last2 = McDavid | first2 = Raven I. Jr. | year = 1961 | title = The pronunciation of English in the Atlantic states | url = https://archive.org/details/pronunciationofe0000hans | url-access = registration | location = Ann Arbor | publisher = University of Michigan Press| isbn = 9780817301293}}
• {{cite journal| last = Labov | first = William |author-link = William Labov | year = 2001 | title = Principles of linguistic change: Social factors | volume = 2 | journal = Language in Society | number = 29 | location = Oxford | publisher = Blackwell}}
• {{cite journal

|last=Labov

|first=William

|year=2007

|title=Transmission and Diffusion

|journal=Language

|volume=83

|issue=2

|pages=344–387

|doi=10.1353/lan.2007.0082

|jstor=40070845

|s2cid=6255506

|url=https://www.ling.upenn.edu/~wlabov/Papers/TD.pdf

}}

• {{cite book

|last1=Labov

|first1=William

|last2=Ash

|first2=Sharon

|last3=Boberg

|first3=Charles

|year=2006

|title=The Atlas of North American English

|location=Berlin

|publisher=Mouton de Gruyter

|isbn=978-3-11-016746-7

}} cf. [http://www.ling.upenn.edu/phono_atlas/Atlas_chapters/Ch17_2nd.rev.pdf Chapter 17].

{{refend}}

• {{cite thesis | last = Hindle | first = Donald | year = 1980 | title = The social and structural conditioning of phonetic variation | type = Doctoral dissertation | publisher = University of Pennsylvania | location = Philadelphia}}
• {{cite book| last = Kroch | first = Anthony | year = 1996 | chapter = Dialect and style in the speech of upper class Philadelphia | editor = G. R. Guy | editor2 = C. Feagin | editor3 = D. Schiffrin | editor4 = J. Baugh | title = Towards a social science of language: Papers in honor of William Labov | pages = 23–45 | series = Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science | number = 4 | location = Amsterdam | publisher = John Benjamins}}
• {{cite book| last = Labov | first = William |author-link = William Labov | year = 1980 | chapter = The social origins of sound change | title = Locating language in time and space | pages = 251–266 | series = Qualitative analyses of linguistic structure | number = 1 | location = New York | publisher = Academic}}
• {{cite book| last = Labov | first = William |author-link = William Labov | year = 1989 | chapter = Exact description of the speech community: Short a in Philadelphia | editor = R. W. Fasold | editor2 =D. Schiffrin | title = Language change and variation | pages =1–57 | series = Amsterdam studies in the theory and history of linguistic science, Current issues in linguistic theory | number = 4 | volume = 52 | location = Amsterdam | publisher = John Bengamins}}
• {{cite book| last = Labov | first = William |author-link = William Labov | year = 1994 | title = Principles of linguistic change: Internal factors | volume = 1 | series = Language in society | number = 20 | location = Oxford | publisher = Blackwell}}
• {{cite journal | last1 = Labov | first1 = William |author-link = William Labov| last2 = Karen | first2 = Mark| last3 = Miller | first3 = Corey | year = 1991 | title = Near-mergers and the suspension of phonemic contrast | journal = Language Variation and Change | volume = 3 | pages = 33–74 |doi=10.1017/S0954394500000442 }}
• {{cite book| last1 = Labov | first1 = William |author-link = William Labov | last2 = Ash | first2 = Sharon | year = 1997 | chapter = Understanding Birmingham | editor = C. Bernstein | editor2 = T. Nunnally | editor3 = R. Sabino | title = Language variety in the South revisited | pages = 508–573 | location = Tuscaloosa | publisher = University of Alabama Press}}
• {{cite book| last = Payne | first = Arvilla | year = 1980 | chapter = Factors controlling the acquisition of the Philadelphia dialect by out-of-state children | editor = W. Labov | title = Locating language in time and space | pages = 143–178 | location = Orlando | publisher = Academic}}
• {{cite journal | last = Roberts | first = Julie | year = 1997 | title = Hitting a moving target: Acquisition of sound change in progress by Philadelphia children | journal = Language Variation and Change | volume = 9 | issue = 2 | pages = 249–266 |doi=10.1017/S0954394500001897 }}
• {{cite book| last = Thomas | first = Erik R. | year = 2001 | title = An acoustic analysis of vowel variation in New World English | series = Publication of the American Dialect Society | volume = 85 | publisher = Duke University Press | isbn = 978-0-8223-6494-8 |url=https://archive.org/details/acousticanalysis0000thom }}
• {{cite journal | last = Tucker | first = Whitney R. | year = 1944 | title = Notes on the Philadelphia dialect | journal = American Speech | volume = 19 | issue = 1 | pages = 39–42 | doi = 10.2307/486530 |jstor=486530 }}
• {{cite book| editor-last = Wolfram | editor-first = Walt| editor-first2 = Ben | editor-last2 = Ward | year = 2006 | title = American Voices: How Dialects Differ from Coast to Coast | location = Malden, MA | publisher = Blackwell Publishing}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Languages of Pennsylvania}}

{{Languages of the United States}}

{{English dialects by continent}}

{{Philadelphia}}

Category:American English

Category:Culture of Philadelphia

Category:Languages of Pennsylvania

Category:Languages of New Jersey

Category:Delaware culture

Category:American slang

Category:City colloquials

Category:Delaware Valley

Category:Working-class culture in Pennsylvania