From: etherman23
Message: 63711
Date: 2009-03-31
>The Kennedy's have their own bizarre accent that I haven't heard from anyone else in New England (and I've traveled all over the place). And before you ask, yes I do paak my caa in Haavaad yaad.
> I can't say for sure, but as a Californian, to my ears, the dropping of 'i' from 'ai' is southern/Appalachian but not New England. Just listening to Kennedy in youtube's 'Inaugural Speech' ('my fellow americans' + 'kennedy') gives you clear pronunciation of 'ai' as in 'my' 'right' and 'within aw-a lifetime'.
> Certainly, most prominently in New England speech is the dropping of terminal -r. as in 'more', 'failure' (failya)
> 'course' etc