WBEZ's Curious City program, in a new undertaking, tries to nail down the stereotypical Chicago accent and chart whatever evolution is occurring. Annie Minof consults SNL's Superfans for its far-reaching influence. She then enlists linguist Corrine McCarthy, who deems the famous parody's accents pretty accurate. It gets more complicated when you consider Chicago has two or three major dialects living side-by-side: "Chicago" English, African American English, and an emerging Latino dialect. And just as segregation explains so much about our city, it also ensures the longevity of these dialects. Turning back to the stereotypical accent: think you've been a Chicagoan long enough to have been infected? Submit your own voice sample for comparison. [WBEZ]
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