Which American accent do you have? (online quiz)

[Greenfield]

http://www.youthink.com/quiz.cfm?obj_id=9827

I got "Northern" as my result, perfectly fitting where I live in Wisconsin.

I don't know how this test will result for our friends in the UK, Australia, and so forth, or from non-English countries, but you can give it a try and see what happens.

[leannsmarie]

My result was:

Neutral

You`re not Northern, Southern, or Western, you`re just plain -American-. Your national identity is more important than your local identity, because you don`t really have a local identity. You might be from the region in that map, which is defined by this kind of accent, but you could easily not be. Or maybe you just moved around a lot growing up.

This is pretty accurate. I did move around a lot growing up.

I was born in Hawaii and lived in Ohio, New Hampshire, Illinois, New Mexico and even over the 'pond' in Bicester, Great Britain for a time. Now I live in Oklahoma with plans to move to the west coast of the US.

[betlee]

I live right in between north & south & I speak a little of each unless I'm around a southerner and that's what I speak. My dad spoke more southern & I think that that is why I pick it up so quick.

[Musky]

Didn't work for me. It said I have a "Northern" accent from "Chicago/Detroit/Cleveland/Buffalo" and I was born and raised in Southern California. I have lived many different places in later years, but always in the western states, mostly the pacific northwest. (Oregon, Washington).

[Tazzy]

So COOL!!!!

Which American accent do you have?

Canadian

People from outside North America probably think you`re from the States, but over here we wouldn't make such a mistake.

Canadian ........eh? Yep, born in Quebec, raised in Southwestern Ontario.

[surfergirl]

This is an interesting Game, I like to have a go any way..Being Aussie.

I ticked no or different to most of them. I got The Northern result.

[boodles]

Wide thread, I see.

I loved the test, especially since I teach ESL (English as a Second Language).

It identified me as a westerner, which is true!

Now, excuse me while I go find the post comment button!

[surfergirl]

Wide thread, I see.

I loved the test, especially since I teach ESL (English as a Second Language).

It identified me as a westerner, which is true!

Now, excuse me while I go find the post comment button!

I was tricked I had to check the other post I thought my kids might have fiddle with my computer:lol1:

[betlee]

I live right in between north & south & I speak a little of each unless I'm around a southerner and that's what I speak. My dad spoke more southern & I think that that is why I pick it up so quick.

OK I took the test after I posted. It says that I'm southern so I guess that I was wrong.

[Brenda]

This didn't work for me. I have never lived in the West...except 6 months during winter in Arizona. Mostly lived in the South.

Oh well, maybe I really sound like I have an accent even locally.

Western

Western is kind of neutral, but not quite since it`s still possible to tell where you`re from. So you might not actually be from the West (but you probably are). If you really want to sound "neutral," learn how to say "stock" and "stalk" differently.

[retroHelen]

Well it came out as North Eastern -which I thought it would - being New England areas and lots of folk from the 'old country' started out coming to the East Coast from our biggest Northwest coast ports (our town's port was the 3rd largest in UK trading with America in the 1600-1700's, second to Liverpool) for hundreds of years and many still do.

However, when answering some questions, I could see that Southern English would give a different answer to me because their English is more influenced by previous invaders from Europe (Norman French and Angle-Saxon) in the past and Northerners have been more influenced by Scandanavia (Vikings) from the past and it effects how we say vowels - much shorter up North eg: up north we tend to say hook and book more like huck or buck, whereas Southerners say 'oo' sound for them. I notice that some areas of England pronounce the h in when and where as Hw. Irish and many northerners pronounce the l in film = fill'm. Known is pronounced knowen in some areas further south. As the saying goes round here "Nowt as queer as folk!" ( the Queer being old English for odd in this case!)

The Queen and Royalty have an accent that I have rarely heard among ordinary people. Her family pronounce house more like hice, but then they are mostly German by ancestry and not so long ago English was their 2nd language. People on the BBC used to speak like that up until the 1960's - It seems strained and emotionless as if it's more by 'elocution lessons' than natural, but now TV has people with more regional accents.

[GrumpysWife]

Northern for me. New England for sure.

[surfergirl]

Well it came out as North Eastern -which I thought it would - being New England areas and lots of folk from the 'old country' started out coming to the East Coast from our biggest Northwest coast ports (our town's port was the 3rd largest in UK trading with America in the 1600-1700's, second to Liverpool) for hundreds of years and many still do.

However, when answering some questions, I could see that Southern English would give a different answer to me because their English is more influenced by previous invaders from Europe (Norman French and Angle-Saxon) in the past and Northerners have been more influenced by Scandanavia (Vikings) from the past and it effects how we say vowels - much shorter up North eg: up north we tend to say hook and book more like huck or buck, whereas Southerners say 'oo' sound for them. I notice that some areas of England pronounce the h in when and where as Hw. Irish and many northerners pronounce the l in film = fill'm. Known is pronounced knowen in some areas further south. As the saying goes round here "Nowt as queer as folk!" ( the Queer being old English for odd in this case!)

The Queen and Royalty have an accent that I have rarely heard among ordinary people. Her family pronounce house more like hice, but then they are mostly German by ancestry and not so long ago English was their 2nd language. People on the BBC used to speak like that up until the 1960's - It seems strained and emotionless as if it's more by 'elocution lessons' than natural, but now TV has people with more regional accents.

I am with you Helen. When I went to school of cause you know Aussie history Captain cook. One of my school teachers would sit with a ruler,

you had to use your finger to follow the line when reading and if you didn't or didn't pronounce properly the H. you would get wacked for it. To this

day I have to say H the American way not the British way or any other formalities it goes against me like rubbing your finger nails down a chalk board.

[trottigy]

Just your Neutral American here

[retroHelen]

Here is Captain Cook's ship Endeavour in our (Whitehaven) harbour -( the Kingdom hall is on the grassy hill upper right). My husband, as an ex-fireman, offered to be a night security guard on board. They were keen, but he was a little late getting his application and the position was very popular, so he was kept in reserve. The original ship sank on the Barrier reef, but what little was salvaged is incorporated in this rebuild/restoration. It sailed all the way back to Sidney Australia afterwards and some locals, including a brother from Workington, paid for a short passage to their first stop-over port. It suited our harbour well, as it was originally an old flat bottomed coal ship that Captain Cook converted,so our harbour was built for coal and American tobacco and sugar/rum ships. It featured in Russell Crowe's film' Master and Commander'. Captain Cook took the man who organised the start of the British Museum and the man who started the Kensington Botanical Garden in London with some of the exotic plants he brought back from his long voyage and astronomers who were watching the transit of the planet Venus, (which happened this year as well) When we went on board one of my old history teachers was there as a volunteer guide, explaining all the terms from the days of sailing ships that are now part of the English language "Square meal" "Not enough room to swing a cat" "sailing close to the wind" and many more.

My husband sitting on a massive windlass beneath the main mast of the Endeavour.

[Mrs. Musky]

Ok, now back to the topic being discussed:

I have a Western accent.

[Micah]

Western

Western is kind of neutral, but not quite since it`s still possible to tell where you`re from. So you might not actually be from the West (but you probably are). If you really want to sound "neutral," learn how to say "stock" and "stalk" differently.

HAHA!!!! That is cool!!! I am born and raised in Seattle. Lived in Denver... It all makes sense. What's wierd is if I go out west, everyone says I have an eastern accent. Not sure how that works.

[ava]

I got Northern, Chicago, Detroit, and a couple of other cities.

I am from Chicago, so that makes sense, lol.

I have been in Texas for 14 years, and I still have not lost my accent, cause people down here constantly, every day, ask me "where are you from, cause it's obvious you are not from Texas cause you talk funny" lol. I always say, "I talk fine, you guys talk funny"

[LizzyJo]

Mine is neutral although I was born on the west coast and have lived her all my life. Maybe I should be a news anchor.

[rocket]

Mine is "Minnesota accent" but I have never even been in Deluth so how can that be?

[stuagu]

i havent taken the test but i think it would come up with an english american accent

[LoneWanderer]

Br. Stuart, I just tried, unfortunately the test ain't that intelligent, innit... Blimey

Which American accent do you have?

Northern

You have a Northern accent. That could either be the Chicago/Detroit/Cleveland/Buffalo accent (easily recognizable) or the Western New England accent that news networks go for.

So much about me being able to imitate Brrr-rrritish English

...

;)

[pinkpopcorn]

Mine is : Northeast New England

I was born in MA but raised in Miami, which was truly a melting pot of people, cultures and accents. But, my Mom 'pahks the cah in Hahvud Yaa'd' because she was raised in New England. The only two things I actually say that I notice are different (because my kids make fun of me when I say them) are 'sort of' (I say sohta) and orange (I say ah'renge). My father used to add r's to words, like Cuba he called Cuber. DUH!

I have lived most of my life in Florida. When we visited Massachusetts I fell naturally in line with the fast talking, fast thinking of the people there. Here in the South, New Englanders sound very out of place. The friends make fun of Mom all the time, but she loves it!

[steeringwheel]

Mine came up 'Western'; although I'm on Eastern side by Houston. I have been in Texas 36 years, & when I go back to Ohio; they say I sound 'Texan'...Ya'll, etc.

I was raised in Ohio the first 23 yrs. (So, Ava, you'll probably change too).

[sweetwillow58]

Mine came up "Northern" I live in New York State. Guess my time living in Georgia, New Mexico, and Okinawa didn't corrupt me lol.