Posted on 11/25/2011 4:19:03 PM PST by blam
What Kind of American Accent Do You Have?
November 24, 2011
Xavier Kun
To most Americans, an accent is something that only other people have, those other people usually being in New York, Boston, and the South. And of those other people, half of the ones you meet will swear they "don't have an accent."
Well, strictly speaking, the only way to not have an accent is to not speak. If you're from anywhere in the USA you have an accent (which may or may not be the accent of the place you're from). Go through this short quiz and you'll find out just which accent that is.
1. What is your age? Under 18 Years Old 18 to 24 Years Old 25 to 30 Years Old 31 to 40 Years Old 41 to 50 Years Old 51 to 60 Years Old Over 60 Years Old 2. What is your gender? Male Female
3. We're going to start with two ordinary words, "cot" and "caught." Do you think those words sound the same or different? Same Different Same, no wait I mean different, well, I don't know...
4. What about "don" and "dawn"? Same Different Same...ish. Maybe a little different.
5. OK, what about "stock" and "stalk"? Same Different Almost, but not quite, the same
6. Now then how do "collar" and "caller" sound? Same Different Almost, but not quite, the same
7. Do you think the word "on" rhymes with "dawn" or with "don"? dawn don Well, I don't think don and dawn sound any different in the first place so on would obviously rhyme with both
8. Moving on, what do you think about "Mary," "merry," and "marry"? All 3 sound different Mary and merry sound the same but marry is different from them All 3 sound the same
9. Our next word is "horrible." How does that first vowel sound? It's just like in the word "whore." It's the same "o" sound as in "hot." Neither one
10. Now for "pen" and "pin." Don't worry about what others say is correct, just tell us how they come out in an ordinary conversation. Same Different Close. Pen sounds almost, but not quite, like pin.
11. What about "feel" and "fill"? Same Different Well, I think they're different even though they sound very, very similar almost to the point of being the same
12. When you say "about," does the "ou" sound like the "ou" in "loud"? No Yes
13. Last question. When you say "bag" does it rhyme with "vague"? Yes No
The West. Says something about having an accent with the lowest common denominator.
Your Result: Boston
You definitely have a Boston accent, even if you think you don't. Of course, that doesn't mean you are from the Boston area, you may also be from New Hampshire or Maine. Result Breakdown:
88% Boston
73% North Central
69% The West
55% The Midland 33% The Northeast
27% Philadelphia
15% The Inland North
12% The South
The quiz tells me I have Northeastern accent, and I am, in fact, from the Northeast.
However, it also says that if I am from NYC (I am), everybody would be able to tell from my accent. This is hilarious, because just about everyone I know in NYC says, “Where are you from?”
Now...while I can DO a true-blue NYC accent (as well as a Lawg Island accent), my normal speaking voice is far, FAR from sounding like that. In other words, I don’t tawk like a New Yawkuh at awl.
When I speak to people from outside the NYC/Metro area, they ask the same question the NYC people ask: “Where are you from?” They know I don’t sound like them, but they don’t think I sound like Archie Bunker or one of the Sweathogs, either.
Regards,
Mine said West. I guess living in San Diego for 12 years trumps my last 16 years in the midwest. lol Good to know most folks won’t think I have an accent.
“How do you say ruined? Is it one, or two, syllables?”
Two. Not “Runned”
I think it just traces my ISP, but it was correct. I’m from the Midwest. Didn’t think I HAD an accent.
Yep, pronouncing “Philly” like “fooey” and Eagles as “Iggles” is pure, unaccented American English, that’s what I always say.
Cheez Whiz and Steakum is good eatin’ too.
I only have an “African-American” accent when I want one.
Ummm...repeat after me, “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.”
_____________________
ooohhh, Professor ‘iggens!
I grew up hearing it as "rurnt." So, one syllable. I do enunciate it with two syllables for the unlearned from elsewhere.
NEW YAWWWWWWkkkkkkkkkkkkk
I got Philly...and If I don’t have a TX accent there ain’t no such thang.
Ooops, but I grew up in the Northeast. Mmmm Fine with me, though. I do believe I have a midwest accent now.
What...no Pittsburghese n’at, hon? Yinz oughta be ashamed of dissing the Steel Buckle of the Rust Belt.
You’re like a splash of cold wooder in the face.
Yooz guys don’t know nothin’.
It drives my CA babe wife nutz when I call Coke “pop.”
No. Actually I was born and raised in California.
I don’t have no accent. I am from Aest Taxis.
I noticed the quiz had everything west of the Mississippi “West.” What the heck is that?
And don't get me started on the foreigners...they've got a different word for everything!
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