It's Curious City, where we take your questions about Chicago and the region.

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From WB.E.Z.

What's up, Chicago? I'm Erin Allen.

This week's story is about a Chicago accent.

One that Curiousity contributor, Ariane Nettettles is very familiar with.

She grew up on the south side of Chicago, and her accent is pretty obvious when you listen to her on the radio or a podcast.

Like when she's answering a curiosity question, she might say X instead of ask.

I'll let Ariane take it from here.

That's something linguists call metathesis.

Sounds in a word swap places,

and it's something that's common in southern speech.

But like I said, I'm from Chicago.

I'm two generations removed from the South,

and yet when I fully relax into how I naturally speak, I can sound pretty Southern.

A lot of people talk just like I do, and that led a curious city listener to write in and ask,

why have Black Chicagoans kept so many features of Southern dialect?

First, what is a black Chicago accent?

Well, have you ever seen the show South Side?

I was born on the South Saps.

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