What American accent do you have? | Comments

I was born in northern Delaware, lived most of my childhood in Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore, then moved to southern Delaware, and yet this quiz says I have a Philadelphia accent. If anything, I've got a mix of Mid-Atlantic and Tidewater. (How dare they exclude the Tidewater accent from this quiz!)

Interesting...I have lived the majority of my life in central Connecticut, and it pegged my "Inland North" accent. According to Wikipedia,

"The accent family of western New England (eastern Connecticut--someti mes central, western Massachusetts, and Vermont) differs sharply from the Boston accent to its east and the New York accent to its southwest, but is thought to be closely related to the so-called Inland North accent of the Great Lakes region due west of it, to which western New England contributed many early settlers."

On specific words: I, and most people I know, call carbonated beverages "soda", athletic shoes "sneakers" and call it a "water fountain".

I and my peeps are from the West--Montana in the case of my parents & grandparents, the California desert in my own. I lived in Washington state for 13 years, then moved to Louisville, KY, where I've been for seven more. My accent? "Inland North," with very weak southern and western components! Yet I do recall my mother snickering at the flat and diphthong-tending vowels of our Los Angeles neighbors. Our Mohave desert community had a strong component of Utah and Dakota natives. And I teach reading through motor action, so of course I think a lot about sound production and connection to letters. Fun quiz!

It was delightful to hear that your quiz does not identify my roots as New Jersey. I also lived in Manhattan for five years, and currently reside in Connecticut.I was expecting North Eastern for sure and was quite surprised to see the Inland North....I think you need more qualifying questions ...

I've lived in NC most all my life. It had me wayyyy southern which is true. Very good test. "I'm a North Carolinean by choice, but SOUTHERN BY THE GRACE OF GOD"!

(And we really dont mind northerners from coming down, just dont tell us how to talk, drive, or eat. And you can still retain your identity; remember, just because you birth your children here,doesn't make them any more a southerner, than a cat having her kittens in the oven makes them buiscuits! Bless your pea-pickin' hearts, we know you got here quick as you could - As Brother Dave Gardner said, "Have you ever heard of anyone retirin' to the NORTH?"

PS "pop" or "soda"? In NC it's neither; it's "Soft Drink" or "Coke"(no matter which type you like - hey, dont ask me why,I dont know, its just what we call it ; my daddy used to call it "a bottle of dope").

It guessed Philadelphia-I don't know if that's a compliment or an insult. I was born in Detroit (please note how close Canada is and it has a very obvious effect on my spech), spent 6 months of every year from age 10 on in Hemel Hempstead, England. (approx 40 miles north, sl. west of London) My mother was a Geordie and mt father was educated in Paris.

Inland north accent? uh....no. I work with people from Wisconsin, and, believe me....I sound nothing like them. (I'm from Connecticut). Their accent sounds something like a cross between nails on a chalkboard and a cat in a blender....on the other hand, my new haven area accent can sometimes slip into a light James Gandolfini a la sopranos type sound....so, I think this test needs some tweeking.

sm4him is very right. I was born and raised in upstate South Carolina and yet according to this I have a midland accent. I have two NJ teachers for grandparents and a proper speaking Southern Mama. I don't have an accent per say because they all made sure that I spoke proper (American) English - the second dead language.

Those who complain about the quiz being wrong when they live in England, Australia, or Singapore (etc.) should focus on another activity than learning which *American* accent they have. Like learning how to read for instance.

Now I'm not sure the test actually is right either. It seems like it often comes out wrong and I don't think I have an "Inland" accent... But how the hell would I know: I am French and I have never been to the US...

Born and bred Bostonian (I pahk my cah in Havhahd yahd and calf=cahf, path=pahth, laugh=lahff, half=hahf, after=ahftah) and yet I came out WEST????

I was once told by a linguist who was doing his doctoral thesis on accents that New Englander's vowel sounds were the most phonetically correct. THAT was a surprise, since a lot of people make fun of the Bostonian accent.

It's got me pegged to within a few miles of where I grew up. Northeast says Northern Jersey first, and I spent 36 years living in Central Jersey! I've since moved to MA and te local accent is driving me insane! Where else do they say "Aunt" to not rhyme with "Ant"? I swear I'm going to shoot the next person that dares to "correct" me.

Result : 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."

They be able to tell that I'm from (South-East) England!

Wow, I guess I have lost my accent.... I was born and raised in South Georgia but moved away when I was in early 20's. Lived in Florida, upstate NY, South Carolina, Virginia and Alabama. My quiz results say I talk like a Yankee....Lord have mercy!

This quiz pegged me dead wrong.

The very lowest percentage = where I actually grew up, and the closest to how I actually speak.

It said I'm from "The Midland", and the listed locations aren't close to anywhere I've ever lived - which would be Alaska, upstate NY, and silicon valley in CA.

You may think you speak "Standard English straight out of the dictionary" but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like "Are you from Wisconsin?" or "Are you from Chicago?" Chances are you call carbonated drinks "pop." 80% Inland North for me, and I AM from Wisconsin, and I do get asked all the time if I am from Chicago.

This says I am from the Island North. I was born and raised in upstate NY (the Adirondacks, NOT Westchester County as lots of NYC people consider upstate). My grandmother (who influenced most of my speech) came from the Finger Lakes Region so I guess the test is pretty accurate.

I was diagnosed as being from the midwest....no I have never been to the midwest in my life. I am NY born and raised. I was born to newly arrived emigrants and English was not my first language.I do remember that my first teacher was from the midwest with bright red hair.Maybe the combination made me the English speaker I am today.

It pegged me at 100% Philadelphia or close environs, which is 100% accurate as far as birth and family origins is concerned. However, I have spent the rest of my life in Michigan, South Florida, North Florida, Southern Georgia, and West Virginia. Let's hear it for sticking to your roots!

Wrong location, right about no accent. I grew up in North Carolina, at least until I was 12. Was raised by my mother from Northern New York, then moved to Northern NY, then Central NY. Not all of North east / New York people have accents. There is a whole other culture above NYC. I am sure there are many more states without accents not listed here.

Hi, well I am from Pakistan, but my upbringing has been in an environment luckily, with learned parents.Throughout medium of education English.

However, since childhood I was fond of listening to Voice of America & BBC. So either British or American accent is no problem for me.

I was born and raised in Wisconsin, but left there in 1959. I have lived the the state of Washington ever since. The quiz says I'm least likely to live in the West.In Wisconsin, soda water was the normal way to ask for a soda. I never used the word pop for soda until moved out West. I don't think you quiz is very accurate. Most people know that people from the Midwest, like Wisconsin, don't have accents.

It would be interesting to know the scientific basis of the quiz. My quiz result was "Northeast", yet my accent was certified some years ago, by 5 speech science PhD's, as "General American" in a research project with thousands of subjects, and my voice was then used as the exemplar voice for the project.

Although I usually chuckle when I say, "I'm from the Rocky Mountains of Wyoming, where we speak PURE American english with no accent" -- I usually actually mean it! Many ad agencies will tell you that they look for voice talent from WY, CO and MT because of the relative lack of accent. So the quiz was correct -- Western!!

Hi, love your AM program. My husband was from SE Kentucky and over 42 years I got an education on pronunciation. I guess the best was the word "haint", which was how he said "haunt", i.e. "Boy, that sure is spooky, it must be a hainted house." The word bologna was pronounced "bolongee" and the word "character" was "ki rack ter"......he passed away in January, but life was good and filled with plenty of laughs.

I am from Southwestern Pa and I know I have a slight nasal accent, I also can tell others with this accent which is fairly common for Southwest Pa, West Va., Southeast Ohio. We have a tendency to sound Whale, Well alike, mile and Mow how and Howell-- L words are brutal.