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I came up as The West, it fits. I was born in CO and have lived about 70% of my time here. About 12% in AZ and 13% in CA. I'm one of the people who thinks I have no accent and everyone else does.
So I have to ask, does anyone here from PA say "beautiful" like beauty-full? I have a friend from eastern PA and the first time I heard her say that I thought she was joking, I'd never heard it pronounced that way. To me it's butte-ih-full (butte as in mesa, not your backside :D ).
We have them here in Virginia, too. My favorite is the town of Buena Vista - (Beeyouna Vista)...and then way down in Southwest VA there is Dante (Dain't)....and Fries (Freeze)....and locally an intersection where there once was the community of Zeus (Zayus)....Quote:
Originally Posted by DebW
Hmm. I tried modifying my answers (sometimes two different answers both seemed to fit). I still came up as Inland North. Not. And my pronunciations never struck me as different from the other kids at school back in the day. So now I'm wondering ... When they ask whether you yourself hear your pronunciation as same or different for, say, cot and caught ... well maybe I hear my pronunciation as different, but that difference is not one recognized by linguists so the test is based on somebody else's "hearing"? Maybe? Or are they basing the California dialect on SoCal, which I vaguely recall as different from NoCal? Anyway ... can somebody from NoCal who got a result Western or California or the like say what answers they gave? I'm just curious.
Haudlady, another MA town that causes those kind of jokes is Ayer. Pronounced "air," for all you non-New Englanders. When I first moved back here, I was driving around some of the surrounding towns to just sort of figure out how all the local roads were connected. When I crossed the town line, into Ayer, I said out loud, "Oh, we're in Ayer." My kids, who were about 6 and 9 said something like "Gee Mom, what do you mean? Of course we're in air. It's everywhere." This of course, from the child (Scott) who called Scottsdale My-dale for the first five years of his life and Miami, Your-ami. ..
Anika, I've said that before, but it tends to be more of an expression instead of the normal way to say it. Most say it the way you do, but once in a while if I'm feeling over the top or I'm expressing appreciation for something I'll say it that way.
Hmm that doesn't really explain in which situations I would say that word, I don't know if I can describe when I say it that way... I just know that once in awhile it does slip out that way!
:D
Mine was tied: "no-accent" and "west". Grew up in the west just south of the Canadian border, but lived in Scotland for awhile.
Never thought a Canadian or Scottish accent made me sound midwestern!
Fredwina: You grew up in Southern Indiana, didn't you?Quote:
Originally Posted by Fredwina
Mine said no accent or "You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
Born and raised in Vermont. BUT - I am a speaker by trade and I consciously worked to get rid of any hillbilly sound to my voice. My family all speak with a thick accent.
"You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.
I was born in the North Shore area of Massachusetts. Moved to Wyoming at 25, now I'm in western Colorado. Never have more than passed through the Midland.
I do add an "r" occasionally on to the end of a word that doesn't need one.
Few people would guess that I'm from New England, but I can sure spot a NE accent when they show up around here.
I went ot high school in "Hayvrill." My mom grew up in "Glosstah." I've never been to "Wistah."Quote:
Originally Posted by Robyn Maislin
As a native New Englander (Ipswich, MA), I got the same result.Quote:
Originally Posted by Haudlady
"I come from a state that raises corn and cotton and cockle burs and Democrats, and frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me!"Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr. Silver
Getting that out of the way,
I'm from the City of Jackson, Mo(not to be confused with Jackson County,MO) population when I Graduated High school : 7827. It's about 120 miles south of Saint Louis and is next door to Cape Girardeau(Cape Ge-RAH-do, or just Cape:) ) Some towns did manage to avoid the mangled french pronunciation. OF course , you should hear my try and pronounce Rancho Cucamonga (she's still at Cocomungo :rolleyes: )
If they are, it's not the SoCal I grew up in. My answers made me "Midland", but I'm a born and bred Valley Girl, from long before Moon Unit came up with the song!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Duck on Wheels
OTOH, I took their Los Angeles quiz (under their State quizzes), and on that quiz I came up as "100% Angeleno and proud of it". Go figure.
And, yes, SoCal is different from NoCal.
Surly Pacer,
Apparently only people who live in or next to Worcester say "Wister." I worked in Shrewsbury (Shoosbry to some) and that was the first time I heard that pronounciation. I spent some time in Worcester as a kid, my mom's family was from there, and none of them said that! Yes, my dad worked in Hayvril when I was a kid... I used to make fun of my husband when we first moved back here. He would pronounce everything like an outsider "Haver-hill."
When I had been here a week, I called a bakery in Lowell for directions to get there from Rt. 3 (I was living on the NH border at the time). First, all I heard was a muffled "blah, blah, blah." Then when I asked for the nearest cross street, the woman said "What's that?" I hung up in frustration. Here I was, a native New Englander, and I could not understand her. I was not used to giving directions by land marks. In AZ, especially in the east valley, people give directions by, well, direction; like I live one block south of Elliiot Rd., between Rural and McClintock. Well, now after 17 years, I am used to it! But, I have to say, around where I live, very few people have the Boston accent anymore.
When I first moved here from Canada, the biggest challenge I had was passing road signs telling me No. Reading. I couldn't figure out why they didn't want me to read there... From there, I passed another sign saying Reading - so now it was ok? Totally flabbergasting until I figured out that it was North Reading (pronounced Red-ing)...Quote:
Originally Posted by Robyn Maislin
SheFly
I finally did this test. I got "Inland North" and never set foot in Chicago (well, I've sat in their airports a time or two waiting for connections, but that's it) or come remotely close to Wisconsin. I was born and raised in New England (Connecticut - although I did live for a time in Ipswich, MA - and Gloucester!). When I first moved to Gloucester from CT, folks asked me if I was from New York, as I have - to their ears - more of a New York accent. Maybe it was just my attitude as I think the comment usually came after I yelled at the Gloucester drivers! :oQuote:
Originally Posted by surlypacer
Old timers in Gloucester MA give directions by where things USED to be. Like "Oh, it's down by where the Finast was. Right next to the old Radio Shack." Well, uh....there hasn't been a Finast in town for 20 years, nor is there a Radio Shack nearby!!!Quote:
Originally Posted by Robyn Maislin
Quote:
Originally Posted by KnottedYet
I'm Scottish, grew up near Edinburgh but now live in England. I have visited Boston once! I can perceive differences between American and Canadian accents but I think they are pretty subtle in comparison to British accents.
Robyn, re: the directions thing
I think us east-coasters, especially those of us from near the old cities, give directions by landmarks because, well, with all those twisty turn city streets you can never be sure if you're going north, south, east or west!
My bf is from Indiana. He's used to going 'ok so I need to end up North of here. So I'll take this road North and it'll take me there'. Whereas, around here a N-S road may at any point in time turn into a W-E road, take you an infinitely long time to get you anywhere (but sure does look pretty doing so), or turn into another road completely! There's a few roads near where my parents live that have at least 3 names. When he first came here, it sure got him confused trying to get somewhere!
K.
I got placed in Wisconsin....not too out of place I suppose. Spent 4 years in Madison and almost 5 years in Illinois. Although my accent is getting more confused now. I'm picking up more and more English pronounciations, even Northern English (which always makes BF very happy as he is from the Wirrall near Liverpool). Our plan is to hopefully move to Wales next year. could give me a very strange accent....
Born in Swinton, Lancashire. Dragged to the United States at a young age (10 months!). Started off in Norwalk, California. Up to San Jose, California by age 11. Shook the adobe off my heels around age 20 for the slightly greener hills of Santa Rosa, California.
After the week when the temperature NEVER got below 100 degrees Fahrenheit, I decided it was time to move on. Have lived in Puget Sound since 1980.
Quiz told me I was from the Northeast.
Could it be the British parents, who influenced my speech patterns until I started attending school?
East Hill
Well, about the giving directions according to be what USED to be there. I had not run into that before, and I grew up in Newton and I lived in Tyngsborough and Boxborough before moving to Concord last year. I discovered that in my neighborhood, your house is referred to by the name of the original owner! So, according to them, I live in the "Jone's" house. Now this neighborhood is not a bunch of old Victorians from the 1700s. They are all contemporary houses built in the 70s. I got really mad at a woman at a neighborhood meeting when she asked which house I lived in. When she said "Oh the Jone's house," I replied, no I live in MY house.
The quiz told me I have an "Inland North" accent, but anyone who knows me can peg that I'm from Long Island (and no, I don't pronounce that as Lawn Gyland) even though I swear I don't have a Long Island accent.:rolleyes:
wow. it pegged me. I've lived in California for 20 years, but it knew I am originally from Boston :-)
It got me all wrong - born and raised in California, but it says I'm a midland. For those who are interested in American dialects, visit:
http://cfprod01.imt.uwm.edu/Dept/FLL...stics/dialect/
This was an advanced dialect survey conducted over the internet with many, many more detailed questions (I think it took me almost an hour to complete it). The survey is now closed but the results can be fun to explore. Maybe I'm nerdy this way, but I think it's fascinating.
Another dialect mutt here. I was raised in SoCal until the age of 16, then lived in Spain and Canada for a year each, then have lived in Portland for the last 11 years. Anyway, this quiz thinks I'm Inland North, runnerup being the Midland. A few years ago I took another similar quiz that pegged me as having a southern twang. I think I know what the problem is... it's my friends and coworkers!
When I used to work with this woman from Georgia, I got the "are you southern?" question all the time. Last year I had a coworker from Minneesohda and even though she's been gone for 9 months now I'm still working on recovering from that one. Just last week at the doctor's office the receptionist said "Oh your accent is so cute where are you from?" and I just said "huh??" She couldn't quite place it, though. She just knew I wasn't from 'round here.
The other thing that happens - I tend to intentionally pronounce words somewhat literally. So when my mind knows that "collar" and "caller" are written differently, I consciously pronounce them in a way that makes sense to me. I don't like ambiguous homonyms! :rolleyes:
If I've got this midland thing going on as stated then why do people always ask if I'm from Canada, Michigan or the Northeast? :confused:
(From Maine, living in the midwest)
So I've lived here 4 years... after living in Phoenix for 10 (with a detour to far NoCal inbetween). In Phoenix directions and streets are N, S, E, & W for the most part.
But not in N.O., oh no! Up river, down river, towards the river, or towards the lake. Technically you drive east to the "west bank" if you go across the bridge closest to the "CBD" (central business district). I still get lost.
I miss mountains, and topography.
Your Result: Philadelphia
Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak! If you're not from Philadelphia, then you're from someplace near there like south Jersey, Baltimore, or Wilmington. if you've ever journeyed to some far off place where people don't know that Philly has an accent, someone may have thought you talked a little weird even though they didn't have a clue what accent it was they heard.
Hmm - I've only visited Philadelphia once (but I do like cheesesteak).
I was born in NYC, lived in East Africa until I was almost 9 (with a very British accent), then outside DC until high school, went to high school in Maine, and have lived in Northern CA ever since. Maybe Maryland + British = Philadephia?
thats what i loved about phoenix. you could never get lost! i always knew how to find my way home. pick that one road you know where it goes, and follow it back home. thankfully anchorage is similar, only a few roads your not sure about.Quote:
Originally Posted by bmccasland