Which American Accent Do You Have?

[Cobra9777]

Neutral. I grew up in the New Orleans area. But my parents moved there from Missouri when I was 2. So there was no southern accent around the house, and evidently I never picked it up from friends, teachers, etc.

I've lived in Texas since I was 18. I've also never picked up any form of Texas accent. But I moved here to go to college and then went to work at a multinational Megacorp with people from all over the country and world. It might have been different had I opened a Feed & Seed store on the outskirts of town.

 

[street]

All I know is most of you talk funny. Lol

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

They nailed it for me. I grew up in Philly, but have lived all over the country, and the last 25 in the Midwest. Accordingly, the obvious Phillyisms have softened. But the which vowels sound like others remain.

 

[finnski1]

I get Western but have only lived in Massachusetts and now southern NH?

 

[harllee]

It correctly identified me as Southern, bless it's little pea picking heart. I like that it said about Southern accents "It use to be that no one wanted a Southern accent but now everyone wants one."

 

[Dtail]

Hmmm.

It said I was from western Mongolia.

I guess better than eastern Mongolia.

 

[athena53]

Northern- spot on. I was raised in Ohio and moved to NJ from ages 25-50 although someone there once told me I didn't have an Ohio accent. Whatever that is. Moved back to the Midwest at age 50.

 

[6miths]

You'd be surprised. Rural and Northern Ontario residents have a distinct accent (think of the show "Letterkenny") My wife has it.

On the rare occasion that I go back to the little farming town that I grew up in and hoist a few jars with the boys, it even comes out in me (I was raised in a British household. My mother has always told me to speak "properly" and not like a "Canadian" ).

Overall, as a function of population, I would say that Canada has fewer distinct accents than the US but the accents that we do have can be pretty wild (Are ye from away, Yes B'Y)

Even leaving out of course the Quebecois and their general and internal accents.

I wouldn't be that surprised. Having spent 5 years in Grade school in the town on which Letterkenny is based and my family living for a few years in Sudbury, Ontario which is southern Northern Ontario.

Yes Canada definitely has some distinctive regional accents. Especially as one moves eastward!

 

[braumeister]

Yes Canada definitely has some distinctive regional accents. Especially as one moves eastward!

Isn't that the truth? I've been in parts of Nova Scotia where I could hardly understand some people. About as bad as parts of Yorkshire in England.

 

[Jerry1]

Northern. Accurate. Lived in S.E. Michigan my entire life.

 

[Gumby]

Isn't that the truth? I've been in parts of Nova Scotia where I could hardly understand some people. About as bad as parts of Yorkshire in England.

Britain has a surprising number of strong regional dialects/accents within a relatively small geographical area. My mother and I are Cockneys from London. When we immigrated to the US, I was a young boy and quickly learned to speak like an American, particularly after I started school here. My mother, however, had a more difficult time. She could understand Americans, having watched American films, but they could not understand her at all. For years I had to translate when people asked "what did she say?".

 

[Time2]

Northern. Accurate. Lived in S.E. Michigan my entire life.

I was raised in Kalamazoo, had relatives in Dowagiac and Otsego.
Any of those sound familiar?

 

[MichaelB]

When I first began working in Venezuela coworkers would hear my accent and laugh. I learned idioms, accent and vocabulary from DW, who was brought up in a different part of the country and had a strong regional accent. The difference is significant, like NYC to Texas. Coworkers thought is was the funniest thing.

 

[timo2]

Neutral for me. My family is primarily from the IN-KY-IL-MO area. for generations.

 

[Amethyst]

The Baltimore dialect has always struck me as being very akin to Cockney.

Britain has a surprising number of strong regional dialects/accents within a relatively small geographical area. My mother and I are Cockneys from London. When we immigrated to the US, I was a young boy and quickly learned to speak like an American, particularly after I started school here. My mother, however, had a more difficult time. She could understand Americans, having watched American films, but they could not understand her at all. For years I had to translate when people asked "what did she say?".

 

[Silver]

Northern for me, which is true. Born in Buffalo, lived in Detroit and mostly grew up in Chicago. I have been told before I have a distinct accent because of how I clip my words.

Interesting stuff....

 

[CardsFan]

So, a related side note that I might have shared before.

I grew up near Boston. First job out of college I moved to STL, and one early business trip was to the Carolina's (forget which one). From my hotel, I dialed the operator to get the phone number for the power plant I was visiting. After being asked twice to repeat myself, the operator said "You know, you'all talk funny".

I get to the power plant, get to the control room and ask for the plant manager. At this point I have not said ten words, the manager walks up from behind and says to all "Looks like got ourselves a GD Yankee here". Everyone had a good laugh, and they were all very nice, but my heart skipped a few beats when he said it.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

I'm from Minnesota and I think Iowans have an accent.


Ask them what they call a BBQ sandwich. Then ask someone from South Dakota and they'll tell you something else. (they're both wrong).

 

[EastWest Gal]

Neutral. Born in raised in the SF Bay Area. Much of urban/suburban California is noted for having “no accent”. I don’t here much accented American English here in the mid-Atlantic these days either.

 

[RobbieB]

Got me right. I'm from Detroit.

 

[old medic]

Well it says correctly from were I grew up, but everyone there says I have a southern accent, Grandparent were from NC originally, and we've been in NC since 85.

 

[ncbill]

mine says neutral but I would have expected southern since I say COLLAR and CALLER pretty much the same.

 

[CindyBlue]

Mine was completely wrong...I'm on the west coast and have always lived here, and it said I was from North New England!

 

[Midpack]

That was fun. Mine was neutral/American. Since I’ve always moved and lived in WA, OH, NJ, IN, IL, NC, TX, FL, Japan and Germany I don’t think I have an accent...

 

[Venturer]

Quite a few years ago I drove trucks. On one of my trips While I was being unloaded I walked across the road to a little diner and ordered a burger and fries & tea. The waitress was a cute little thing and after she brought my food she came back over with one of the other girls and ask me what the black stuff that people put in a car engine was. I said you mean oil? They both started giggling and then she ask me if I was from Ga. I said yes. We talked a little bit and I found out she had been on vacation with her family and stopped in Ga. for gas. She said the station attendant came up and ask "y'all wont me to check theol far ya"? Well I guess I sorta sounde like that. I know that some of y'all say O-II-L but then you also think unsweetened tea is acceptable! What in tarnation is that all about? LOL