Visit this historic and charming island of Tangier aboard the Steven Thomas-- a 90 foot boat licensed for 300 passengers.
02/18/2025
Tangier Island, VA: Odd Dialect
If you've never been to Tangier Island, you may have little knowledge of the unusually odd accent of its inhabitants.
The dialect is thought to have originated with the island's first settlers, who were likely lower-class British men from Cornwall in the 17th and 18th centuries. The island's isolation has allowed the dialect to evolve independently and retain many of its original characteristics.
The dialect is a distinctive variety of Southern American English. It's known for its deep vowels, rising consonants, and words like "ort" ("ought"), "yorn" ("yours"), "sot" ("sat"), and "iggy" ("going to").
To hear the watermen of Tangier Island speak, click on this video from nearly 16 years ago.
Is this the strangest accent in the USA? Watch more at http://bit.ly/amtonguesWatch instantly or buy the DVD at http://shop.cnam.comThe isolated island of Ta...
