16
Jun

Do You have an Accent?

   Posted by: TimMc   in Colloquial, Just for Fun

Most people who don’t live in New England, the South, or the Midwest will tell you they don’t have any type of accent. However, as a person who has lived in many different areas of the United States, I can attest that this simply isn’t true. There are many, many regions in the US that have accents; whether the folks who live there will readily admit it or not is a different story!

This “Accent Test” is a fun and fairly accurate quiz. I’d encourage you to take the test and let us know if it was accurate for you. Have fun with it! In the coming months, I hope to explore a little bit more in-depth some of the regional colloquialisms that I have noticed while traveling or living in various areas of the United States. Our spoken language is quirky and always interesting!

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13 comments so far

Jackal
 1 

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.

Interesting quiz - I am not American - born in Zimbabwe, lived in South Africa and spent most of my life in Scotland.

June 16th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
TimMc
 2 

“Fairly Accurate” was a good description of the quiz then I suppose. I’m curious…do you have a South African accent or Scottish, or ? Thanks for leaving a comment!

June 16th, 2008 at 1:15 pm
Jackal
 3 

Oh I have a Scottish accent according to my relatives in South Africa - but folks in Scotland say I sound English.

June 17th, 2008 at 1:37 am
James
 4 

“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.”

Which is bizarre, as I’m English and have a part Yorkshire, part ‘estuary’ accent…..Still, Rhode Island is where the Griffins live, so I’m happy with that :p

June 17th, 2008 at 10:21 am
TimMc
 5 

Hi James,

Thanks for leaving a comment. There must be some deep phonetic similarities between modern American and British English that this test is picking up. I guess in a way it makes sense since the New England area was originally colonized by Great Britain. Interesting…

June 17th, 2008 at 10:35 am
Michael
 6 

What American accent do you have?
Your Result: The Inland North

Very accurate. I was born in Chicago and raised in Iowa. I am sometimes mistaken for a Minnesotan. I live in California now, and the accent is a little flatter these days. And I call it soda.

June 18th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Valiik
 7 

Hehe, well I have a weird Russian accent. Allthough many people tell me that I do not have one, I am the one that really knows what it took to pull that off. Sometimes when I least expect it something will just blurt out without me having a chance to catch it and then it comes out like I am one of those Russian bad guys in a movie.

My daugter (3) was born here in the US and we talk in English with her and for what ever reason, she sounds like that Daby Travis from the HGTV chanel, she has a Brittish accent. Go figure.

June 20th, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Valiik
 8 

Also, I just went and took the quiz an it says I have an American (West) accent. :)

June 20th, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Jenni
 9 

This test was WAY off on my accent. I’m originally from Russian but have been here since I was 9 years old, I am now 27. The test told me I have a Midland accent. I have NEVER in my life been past Washington Oregon and California. I wonder if this test is only accurate for people born in US and who don’t speak a second launguage. I have to say, it was fun to take it anyway.

June 20th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
TimMc
 10 

It obviously has to base its judgments off of presumed speech…how you THINK you would say a word verbally. Because of that, I think it must mess up, especially with people who have foreign accents. It is a fun test though; I’m glad you tried it. Thanks!

June 20th, 2008 at 10:25 pm
sandswipe
 11 

I’m from missouri, and it says I have a midland 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 guess we midlanders are the only ones who actually know how to use the English language right? :P

July 4th, 2008 at 12:01 pm
Kartik
 12 

That quiz was right actually. I am from Ontario, Canada and the results were the Northeast.

Excellent.

August 15th, 2008 at 8:34 am
Carol
 13 

It was right on the money! From the West and the lowest common denominator in American speech. Unless it was a So. Cal surfer, no one thinks I have an accent!
I loved the line-”Does bag rhyme with vague?” Definately people from Minnesota! My Dad’s from there, so I can laugh! He doesn’t use that word that way though!

December 10th, 2008 at 7:17 am

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