Placing Sarah Palin's accent

Slate ^ | 10/1/08 | Jesse Sheidlower

[T-Bird45]

Since Sarah Palin was selected as the Republican candidate for vice president, many people have made comments about her unusual speech, comparing it to accents heard in the movie Fargo, in the states of Wisconsin and Idaho, and in Canada. Some have even attributed her manner of speaking to her supposed stupidity. But Palin actually has an Alaskan accent, one from the Matnuska and Susitna Valley region, where Palin's hometown, Wasilla, is located.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

My Grandfather’s people were from Northern Ireland, County Armagh, I think.

[GOP_Proud]

I’m born and raised in WV and I’ll never say I don’t have an accent. Heck, around here we can even tell what county strangers are from.

[Madame Dufarge]

My family was always vague on the subject of the exact origins, which leads me to believe that “warrants for arrest” were lurking in the background.

[Brucifer]

WOW! Very kewel post.

[wideminded]

So, you've lived in Minnesooota, then, eh ?

While Palin's accent does have a Minnesota sound overall, I have noticed that she does not have the characteristic long o's.

[Madame Dufarge]

I’ve always thought that the New York accent had its origins in the Dutch language, but I could be wrong.

[Lucius Cornelius Sulla]

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The Northeast   Judging by how you talk you are probably from north Jersey, New York City, Connecticut or Rhode Island. Chances are, if you are from New York City (and not those other places) people would probably be able to tell if they actually heard you speak.
Philadelphia
The Inland North
The Midland
The South
Boston
The West
North Central
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

[Clemenza]

So, like my cousins, you have a “werter” ice after your “hoagie.”

[unspun]

As for a “true” New Yauk accent though, I was kind of astounded but found it very comprehensible to hear a Dutch immigrant speaking very similarly.

[Uncle Miltie]

"So, you've lived in Minnesooota, then, eh?"

OOoohhhh NooOOOOoo!!! I lived in Norrth Dahkoahta, dotcha knooww. Faargoh is across the Red River.

Soh thair yoou goh thair then noww eh?

[stayathomemom]

It's kind of Yooper on steroids.

[Clemenza]

Many inhabitants of Manhattan (and certain yuppie nabes in Brooklyn) are transplants from McSuburbia, so go out of their way to shed whatever accent they have. Nevertheless, a certain Texan friend of mine who has lived in Manhattan for a decade occasionally has her drawl betray her (and there is nothing wrong with that).

[wideminded]

But Palin actually has an Alaskan accent, one from the Matnuska and Susitna Valley region

That's "Matanuska".

[Harley]

Outstanding. My fantasy is complete. Make her say, “He’s fleeing the debate, he’s fleeing the debate.” BANG, BANG, BANG “Stop or I’ll shoot doncha no?”

[TankerKC]

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The West   Your accent is the lowest common denominator of American speech. Unless you're a SoCal surfer, no one thinks you have an accent. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta.
The Midland
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The South
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

True. I talk like the folks on TV. Born in CA and raised in CO and CA. I've lived in the south quite a bit and been told that I have an accent. Don't these folks watch TV?

[angcat]

New York City (5)
Unlike Boston and other urban dialects, New York City stands by itself and bears little resemblence to the other dialects in this region. It is also the most disliked and parodied of any American dialect (even among New Yorkers), possibly because many Americans tend dislike large cities. When an R comes after a vowel, it is often dropped. IR becomes OI, but OI becomes IR, and TH becomes D as in “Dey sell tirlets on doity-doid street” and fugedaboudit (forget about it).

LOL

fork - fawk
sandwich - sangwich
toilet - terlit
onions - ongions
pudding - puddin

[Brucifer]

All I’m certain of is that I come from the NY border of Ontario and Quebec, just over the mountains from Vermont.

I have lived in Texas for many years and I’m never leaving. But remarkably, of all the folks I know around here, I’m the only one without an accent.

[pburgh01]

Well here in Western Pa, we have our own distinct dialect. We call house a haus or ruf for roof. So strange when you go other parts of the country people can't place it.

[unspun]

I'd say Barack Obama's accent is called Trytosoundlikeanafricanamerican.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

The family was late getting over here, dirt poor and uneducated. They worked as share croppers/hired farmhands, then moved to mid-Illinois where they mined coal and were able to put a little money aside. This allowed the acquisition of a small farm and some livestock in Iowa. I guess they would qualify as ‘shanty’...