Your region's accent

[Antidaeophobia 299]

http://www.kcci.com/news/central-iowa/this-is-iowa-do-we-have-an-accent/24530054

No accent? Hmm... interesting, so I looked this up, and it seems Iowans do have an accent, but its very mild. The video gives a few words as an example that Iowans do, like pronouncing 'cot' and 'caught' the same. But I guess except for those minor things, they overall have no accent, except saying 'Milk' like 'Melk'.

 

What do you think, is this video wrong or correct in your opinion?

 

 

It depends on where you are on the border, but the closer in the middle you get, the less accent. I've never pronounced my words like in the video, nor has my family or people I know since most of them come from the middle of the state, or from the south eastern part. However, if you go towards the state lines, you get an intermingling of different accents from Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois and Nebraska. However, there are certain terms, that while not said with an accent, are pretty exclusively said in Iowa. This is due to our overwhelming Swedish and Norwegian immigrant population that settled the areas. 

My best friends mom, when I was a kid, she was from Illinois, and she said the words like the appeared in the video. It drove me and people she knew crazy. She's say it like 'Meelk' or 'Heppy Mill' instead of Happy Meal, and growing up around people that forced the idea of pronouncing words correctly, and were also educators, it would drive me crazy to hear her pronounce words the way she did.

 

If you grew up closer to Missouri, you might pronounce Washington like 'Warshing-ton'. 

 

I had a friend from the UK tell me that my lack of accent was boring LOL

Edited January 24, 2015 by Antidaeophobia

[Christmasy Britty 2,553]

So I was watching some videos about accents, and I thought it would be cool to have a discussion about accents from our regions. So, lets talk about how silly we talk, or the people around us at least.

 

I'm from Massachusetts, I really don't have much of an accent nor do most people I know, but I do notice I do sometimes say words a certain way sometimes although I think its subtle when it does comes out, but then again I might sound super off to somebody out of my region and I just don't notice.

 

So here is a video of a lady speaking with the Boston accent, and she is so right about people faking the accent and calling it BAHHHSTON.

 

i'm also from MA and sometimes i'll get a bit of the bostonian accent even though i don't live there but its just something that comes and goes not really exaggerated like so many people believe (thats why i hate the movie Ted they make us MA women look really bad)

[Sceethe 704]

 

go to about  32:30

 

it´s german, but even german people sometimes have trouble understanding it.

 

that´s how people from my region talk( at least where i originally come from).

[MasterPieces 31]

I'm from Ukraine, and i have... IDK about my accent... My accens is Ukraine/Russian or, i don't know, sorry.

[Overdrive 5,366]

I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, and we have a very distinct dialect and accent, as you will notice in this video.

Now, mine isn't as bad, but a bit of it is still there.

Edited January 24, 2015 by Overdrive

[legionbrony 107]

I don't agree with all the people saying they have "no accent".

 

First of all, you probably just don't notice it because everyone around you talks that way.

 

Second, there is no "normal american" way of talking, really. A midwest accent is still an accent.

[Shanks 10,816]

I live in Southern California which is a fairly diverse place so accents can vary a bit but the most common aside from me who really dosen't have much of an accent is the hispanic accent particularly Mexican with me being so close to the border. My Dad's side of the family immigrated to America from Italy so there are a lot of Italian accents in my family.

[Rene 41]

From Michigan. We don't have accents there. The rest of you do.

I live in Thailand. Here we speak a completely different language.

I used to have a really good friend that was Australian. I started saying water the same way she did. (wauter)

I use Thai words in my normal speech. Like instead of why I say taam ai?

I often forget others sometimes don't understand Thai. I'[m forgetful like that.

I count in Thai half the time.

[SparklingSquirrels 21,324]

I'm from the midwest, so I guess that means I have a midwestern accent, whatever that's supposed to be.

[DubWolf 17,225]

I've kinda noticed that a lot of people actually do have a Southern accent (in Texas). It's not just a stereotype after all .

[Panne 1,342]

YEEEERRR 'SCONSIN!!!!! The "er no?" thing is true... way to true.

[Rene 41]

Okay, I'll admit that I say milk, melk, and don't pronounce my Ts at the ends of word. I also pronounce little, liddle, city, ciddy, both, bolth, clothes, cloze, mirror, mere, nightmare, nightmere (sorta spoils the nightmare moon joke). Silly Michigan accent. Can mimic others, though I have a hard time saying ya'll. My friend once even wrote that in a letter to me, like "How ya'll doing?" Who does that?!

I also pronounce have, half.

[Zoraxe 546]

It depends on where you are on the border, but the closer in the middle you get, the less accent. I've never pronounced my words like in the video, nor has my family or people I know since most of them come from the middle of the state, or from the south eastern part. However, if you go towards the state lines, you get an intermingling of different accents from Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois and Nebraska. However, there are certain terms, that while not said with an accent, are pretty exclusively said in Iowa. This is due to our overwhelming Swedish and Norwegian immigrant population that settled the areas. 

My best friends mom, when I was a kid, she was from Illinois, and she said the words like the appeared in the video. It drove me and people she knew crazy. She's say it like 'Meelk' or 'Heppy Mill' instead of Happy Meal, and growing up around people that forced the idea of pronouncing words correctly, and were also educators, it would drive me crazy to hear her pronounce words the way she did.

 

If you grew up closer to Missouri, you might pronounce Washington like 'Warshing-ton'. 

 

I had a friend from the UK tell me that my lack of accent was boring LOL

 

Are you sure they don't say any of those things in the central parts? It can be pretty hard to spot your own accent. And even if there really isn't any accent, it seems like that is changing and a midwestern accent is in the first stages of developing.

 

http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/americanvarieties/midwest/

 

I'm from northern Illinois, so no accent from this chick.

 

Are you sure about that?

[Rene 41]

Hmm... Just noticed I say aloud, atloud. Anyone else?

[Antidaeophobia 299]

Are you sure they don't say any of those things in the central parts? It can be pretty hard to spot your own accent. And even if there really isn't any accent, it seems like that is changing and a midwestern accent is in the first stages of developing.

 

http://www.pbs.org/speak/seatosea/americanvarieties/midwest/

 

 

Are you sure about that?

Yes, I'm sure. Most of the time, if you pick up on that sort of thing in public around here, people can usually tell if that person is either from the state line, or from a different midwestern state. If you don't pronounce your words correctly around my area, someone WILL correct you. It's a college town, so that's to be expected. We get a high influence of slang from Chicago though.

[Vox 870]

I lived in New England, and while there i picked up the accent, it isn't very noticeable except when i drop my R's and speak a bit too quickly

[Neutral 1,185]

well in the uk in the town where i live there is no strong accent. I can't hear my own accent and i apparently speak quite poshly.

[MasterPieces 31]

I don't agree with all the people saying they have "no accent".

 

First of all, you probably just don't notice it because everyone around you talks that way.

 

Second, there is no "normal american" way of talking, really. A midwest accent is still an accent.

I agree with you, no one knows about his accent because don't know about different accents in all, and mabe because people don't care about their accent, i think...

[PROJECT: Simon 3,953]

Korean people speak in high voice but my voice is very low..... and they sound quite funny. 

[skbl17 199]

Lemme tell y'all 'bout a little place called the South, where the chicken's fried, the tea's sweet, and the hospitality's...Southern.

 

In reality, I haven't picked up that accent. Maybe it's because I'm a filthy Yankee transplant, who knows?

Edited January 25, 2015 by skbl17

[Red Cedar 1,408]

Western Canadian, specifically British Columbia. I've been told I'm easy to mark as a Canadian by Americans because I elongate my 'o's slightly, and I speak very fast.

 

After I took a multi-month trip through the U.K., my friends said I had a slight English accent after I came back. It's now gone, but most tellingly, I still put a definite inflection on one word - "pint".

Edited January 25, 2015 by Red Cedar

[s.slug 218]

A while ago I took a little test(I don't remember where I found it, so don't ask) to determine where you were located based on phrases you use, e.g. soda or pop, fountain or bubbler, or pronounciations like "igg" or egg" etc... The results were impressively accurate.  A map was displayed highlighting the area you probably live.  It correctly found me right smack dab in the middle of about a 25 mile radius.  The only other area highlighted was a small place in New York about 1000 miles away.  I guess they speak the same as me.  I've been told by some I sound Canadian, and a few others have said I sound like I'm from the south side of Chicago.  I guess that makes sense since I'm right between the two in Wisconsin.

[Codelyy 1,286]

I live in the UK so of course i was a British accent but i don't know how i can describe a British accent XD

 

All i can say is that I and everyone else doesn't sound like this

 

(start at 1:39)

Edited January 26, 2015 by Code

[Raritas 6,820]

The region I live in England is very agricultural. I guess there's a stereotype for people from here speaking in a certain... style? 

 

Waas gorn orn buh? Howes tha day gorn? 

 

Thankfully I don't speak like this...

Edited January 28, 2015 by Raritas

[Po-Nonimous 583]

First, being originally from Boston myself it's not "Bahstahn", it's BAWSTIN!" Okay, that's working class accent but if I was to type in the same manner in which I speak it'd come out something like this:

 

"Oh, my GAWD! Dat was so wicked KEWL! I can't beleeve it! Wait! On second thawt maybe she's a little mentle? Ya know? MENTAL? HAH! Hey! Don't PAHK dere! Dat's MY space! Git yah cah out'a dere! Go git youah own space! Pahk on da street, instead! I don't care if it's a HAWNDAH an' little! Don't pahk dere! Sheesh! Now I need a TAWNIC!"

 

Yeah, it would be something like that. LOL!

Edit: Wait! I gotta add more to this!

 

For those who're always baffled by "Worcester" it's "wustah!" (woo stah), "Quincy" is always pronounced with a "Z" as in "Qwinzee". (If you ever happen to be visiting, never, ever say it any other way. You could get mugged! LOL!) Oh! And the aforementioned "tonic" is the Bostonian way of saying soda or, as in common in the south, "coke".

Lemme tell y'all 'bout a little place called the South, where the chicken's fried, the tea's sweet, and the hospitality's...Southern.

 

In reality, I haven't picked up that accent. Maybe it's because I'm a filthy Yankee transplant, who knows?

 

You forgot one thing: The women are beautiful, the men are, more often than not, charming and fried okra is AWESOME! I honestly don't know how they do it. Any time I tried to fry okra it always came out as a greasy, nasty, gooey mess so kudos on anyone who can fry okra properly.