The birth of a dialect
The science of the sound
Cultural impact and recognition
What linguistic term describes a phrase translated word-for-word from another language, like 'get down from the car'?
What happens to the gliding vowel sounds of standard English in the Miami accent?
diegoplays Decode local speech patterns to discover the science behind Miami's real and unique dialect.
diegoplays Miamians often use calques, which are direct, word-for-word translations of Spanish idioms into English.
If a Miamian says they need to 'make a line,' what standard English phrase are they translating?
How do the vowel sounds in the Miami accent differ from standard American English?
diegoplays Miami English
Get down from the car, make a line in the street, Our Miami dialect has its own science-proven beat.
diegoplays The Miami accent features a dark L that is pronounced further back in the mouth than in standard English.
Which consonant sound is famously pronounced darker or heavier in the Miami accent?
Which university has conducted extensive linguistic studies on the Miami accent?
Literal translations: Saying 'get down from the car' instead of 'get out of the car' is a classic Miami linguistic feature called a calque.
Who is the prominent linguist at Florida International University known for studying the Miami accent?
A longitudinal wave of pressure that is transmitted through a medium and can be heard. In 2013, Phillip Carter's team analyzed these vocal vibrations to map tongue movements of Miami speakers.