The "Today Show" visited Boston on Friday, and as part of the show they included a segment on the accent of the city, so immediately recognizable and so often imitated (but rarely well!). And who did they turn to for background on how the accent came to be? Our very own Ben Zimmer.
Here's the segment, with Matt Lauer reporting on the distinctive Boston accent, followed by the anchors trying to master it:
If you're interested in learning more about the roots of the Boston accent, check out Ben Zimmer's Boston Globe column, "A Pahticulah Way of Talking."
