Author Topic: What American accent do you have? (Read 9159 times)

jepinto · « **Reply #15 on:** June 16, 2007, 06:47:20 AM »

It depends. Some days my Mom's accent comes out, particularly on the telephone. Mom's from a small town in downstate NY. Some days it is South Georgia, and other days, there are those that swear I'm talking Greek.

I'm 30 years in the South, but the test says Mid Atlantic, which is possible as I spent my early years in the region. But I question how one hears herself. And then translates into what she reads. If I'm pronouncing a word, written, out loud, I'm more likely to pronounce it correctly, then I do just talkin'

QUOTE

I can usually spot a Canadian accent when it turns up in a TV programme. Hard to explain in writing, but often the vowels seem to be shorter - eg, 'house' is halfway to being the Scots 'hoose'.

And to me, a person from Virgina sounds more Scot than a Canadian.

kps · « **Reply #16 on:** June 16, 2007, 10:20:05 AM »

QUOTE(Paddy @ Jun 15 2007, 07:50 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I guess we Torontonians sound most like Midlanders...which isn't surprising, considering that it's the most "neutral" American accent. At least that's where I was pegged - and that's after spending the last 16 years in Oregon and MA. At least I didn't end up sounding like I was from South Boston! We'll need KPS to confirm the Toronto results on this.

Wonder where someone from Newfoundland would end up??? Now there's an accent you can cut with a knife!

Pegged me with a "northern" accent, but criss-crossing the US for nearly 16 years, I probably corrupted my Toronto accent. I can sound like a mish-mash of everything at times and people have a hard time figuring out where I'm from. Y'all have a nice day, now....

I remember being in New Jersey and I asked for a 'copy' of some customs documents and the guy thought I asked for a coffee. So when in NY or NJ I always say "cuuuooofy" for coffee and "caaapy" if I want a photo copy...

kbeartx · « **Reply #17 on:** June 16, 2007, 04:38:48 PM »

Northeastern here.

Born and razed in Noo Yawk, followed by eighteen yeahs in Bahstahn and vicinity.

I kin also talk Texan, y'all, having been here for 23 years.

DaveF · « **Reply #18 on:** June 16, 2007, 05:26:18 PM »

Northeastern. I was born and raised in south central PA, but I lived in eight different states (RI three times, VA three times plus six other states) and three foreign countries after twenty-two years of age. I'm surprised with Northeastern and especially with the site's comment "Best Version Yet", since I don't know what that was intended to indicate.

Dave

krissel · « **Reply #19 on:** June 17, 2007, 01:36:31 AM »

Born and lived all my life in Central NJ (except for 4 years upstate NY at Syracuse).

OK, OK, so I can hear all the Joisey City and New Yaawk jokes now...

But I registered as Northern. So there.

Highmac · « **Reply #20 on:** June 17, 2007, 04:43:34 AM »

It's Sunday morning and, having nothing better to do, thought I'd try that quiz and see how my accent, which is mostly southern English with the occasional trace of Scottish, registered as "American". My result:

Intriguing - didn't really expect any result as nobody I know would say my accent was the least bit American

Interesting exercise though

gunug · « **Reply #21 on:** June 17, 2007, 09:05:59 AM »

There is an island (Tangier Island I think) that lies in the middle of the Chesapeake Bay and for several centuries it was very isolated and the people on it continued to speak something approximating the version of language that came over with them well before the American Revolution. I wonder how one of them would come up on this test. The test itself is for fun and needs to be expanded to take into account English speakers who are other than American.

Paddy · « **Reply #22 on:** June 18, 2007, 07:59:28 AM »

Well, I guess my Canadian accent may have gotten corrupted after all! Of course, even after all those years, apparently "about" gave me away to my MA friends. When I used to visit Ontario during the summers, I found that I sounded American to myself - though nobody else ever commented on it. And I definitely notice some differences with some people in Toronto though - particularly with some who tend to raise their voices at the end of a sentence (making it sound more like a question), but this isn't universal.

Zee, not "zed" got thoroughly drummed into me in the last 16 years - I may have trouble losing that! At least I can go on calling those things along the edge of the roof that collect water "eavestroughs" without getting funny looks. I never did get used to calling them "gutters"!!

Interesting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadian_English
http://www.antimoon.com/forum/2002/252.htm

sandbox · « **Reply #23 on:** June 20, 2007, 12:54:09 AM »

"eavestroughs"
awright!

Gregg · « **Reply #24 on:** June 20, 2007, 07:37:24 AM »

Around here, the odd name for a common fixture that gets attention elsewhere: "bubbler".

I grew up 60 miles from the Wisconsin border, moved to Colorado, then Milwaukee. I never heard that term once until moving here. So, I happily got a drink from a "drinking fountain" until 1987 when I learned this new name for it.

Frances144 · « **Reply #25 on:** June 23, 2007, 06:06:04 AM »

None.

I am very posh from the Royal County of Berkshire, England. Depending on who I am talking to, I can sound like the Queen if necessary (you seriously can never out posh me!).

At home, I do use some Shetland dialect because I like it and their words are very good for describing things!

Gregg · « **Reply #26 on:** June 23, 2007, 04:16:19 PM »

QUOTE(Frances144 @ Jun 23 2007, 06:06 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

None.

Was that a "result" from taking the "test", or did you just reach your own conclusion??

QUOTE

At home, I do use some Shetland dialect because I like it and their words are very good for describing things!

Some of the words I've seen you use must be those. They are good for describing things as long as the person receiving the message knows how to interpret it!

Frances144 · « **Reply #27 on:** June 24, 2007, 04:01:33 AM »

Sorry, I wouldna want to vex you wi' ma peerie tak. I canna mind if you ken wa I'm pleepsing aboot anywa! At least I dunna greet!

Translation: Sorry, I wouldn't want to upset you with my little talk. I don't know if you understand what I am moaning about anway. At least I don't cry!

TBH, I think the words you have trouble with, that I use, are just basic english slang and gubbish that it used oot and aboot! (out and about!)

Highmac · « **Reply #28 on:** June 24, 2007, 06:28:34 AM »

We've been following a BBC series called Trawlermen, about fishing crews out of Peterhead and Fraserburgh (coast of north-east Scotland). Their dialects certainly haven't been watered down by TV and radio influences. Masters of understatement: Describing the seas whipped up by a 50-60 knot wind from the North Atlantic as "a wee bit choppy oot there". The clock behind him was swinging through about 90 degrees in relation to the wall as he spoke.

Frances144 · « **Reply #29 on:** June 24, 2007, 06:55:09 AM »

I know just what you mean - I love the calm dour Scostman - the master of understatement.

Shetlanders just nod wisely and say "boy, boy" slowly for just about everything! and "I hear de lass" when you are ranting. The best phrase of all is if someone says "he spoke the very aeshins". Aeshins = the point at which wall and roof meet on the sides of a buildin. And he means the aeshins of shite, ie "full of shit". You only mucked out your byre when the cowshit reaches that point up the wall!!!

Describes lots of things brilliantly.

News:

Author Topic: What American accent do you have? (Read 9159 times)