New-York tribune., 1873-09-15
ORIGIN OF THE YANKEE NASAL TwANG.

OtltFlN OF THE 1ANhEE NASAL IN AMI
To the EdttOr OF The Tribune.
SIR: / believe satisfactory reason why the
Inhabitants Of the New England States have the nasal
twang has been given, and has puzzled the most
learned people, Some very absurd reasons have been
assigned Tor It, such, for instance as climate Puritan
pecularites &c, and yet the has been perfectly
simple. and as suppose II is subject OF considerable
interest to many people, with leave will explain
it, and give my for arriving at conclusion
which feel certain correct one.
/ am an Enghshman from one OF the northern coun-
ties Living for months in the County OF Suffolk,
was struck with the nasal twang that all the people
had and also was surprised find that the very poor
est and uneducated people would correct me when
msused the letter in my pronunciation, the correct
use that letter being TO them quite natural, they
began 10 learn it soon as they could speak. The
nasal twang Suffolk is known in the other parts OF
England as Suffolk singing" Miss Kate Field says
that the nasal twang Is very strongly marked in some
Of the English counties She must refer the eastern
countes-NOrfolk, suffolk, Essex, and Cambridge.
On coming to this country l found twang among
some OF the people. and particularly Of the New.En
ganders very similar that of Suffolk ana the Of
the letter was repeated here and passing through
New-Eugand could not fail to notice what a very large
proporton Of the had been named after those of
the eastern counties OF England which appeared TO
that the greater portion or the original settlers
came from part OF the old country. Here then the
ine cynI1nution of the twDng which is peculiar to
chief part from Suffolk and neighboring counties and
stamped the impress OF their accentuatlOn and tone OF
voice on the language OF the state and other immi-
grants never afterwaTd arrived in sufficient numbers To
swamp original settlers, the children or the later
corners caught the accent which prevailed most IN the
colony II will be needless for point out how the
New-Engander in a considerable degree stamped the
whole country with their character ana language Tor II
is a thing well known 10 all Americans
To verify this theory OF mine referred tho other
night to Palrey's History Of New-England, ana
found it there stated that the original settlers
named the towns after those from which
they bad come, and also that as tho greater
part of the cOonts from the east OF England they
named the counties into which Massachusetts was
AT first divided, Suffolk, Norfolk, Essex and Middlesex.
This cOrroboration Of precOnceyed idea OF the part
OF whence the cOlOniss first came, has assured
me that | am right In my opinion OF the origin OF
what is called the nasal twang OF the Yankee, and
also why American shOeblack Will be more correct
u the use OF his his than educated gentlemen from any
part Of England excepting the eastern counties and
therefore, as even Parey cOnesses he can assign no
reason for the difference IN accent or Americans ana
Engshmen perhaps will not be considered presump-
tIon i'm me for putting forward conclusions for the
Consideration OF people better qualified to give iudg
meut CHARLES BUslBY.
Netc- York. Sept. Q, 1873.