My accent...

[fajrdrako]

There is something inherently absurd about doing a quiz called "What American accent do you have?" when you aren't American. But I did it anyway.

The quiz thinks I sound as if I come from Minnesota. Since I have recently learned exactly where Minnesota is on the map - and that's said tongue in cheek, I already knew, sort of, since I went to Minnesota once long ago - I suppose it makes an odd kind of sense. Geographically I am far, far closer to upstate New York, but Minnesota is at least on the same latitude as I am and ... well, it could be a lot closer, but it isn't the West coast either.

The best part of the quiz is the last line: "Outsiders would probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot." Well - duh! Yes!

What American accent do you have? Your Result: North Central "North Central" is what professional linguists call the Minnesota accent. If you saw "Fargo" you probably didn't think the characters sounded very out of the ordinary. Outsiders probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot.
Boston
The Midland
The West
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The Northeast
The South
What American accent do you have?

Comments

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I got North-East. Which is amusing, as I, too, am not an American.

[chazzbanner.livejournal.com]

I glanced at the quiz, and it does seem to have quesitons that make sense, linguistically. Pin and pen (someone from Texas will pronounce them the same way), mary/merry/merry (I've taught themselves to distinguih them, but in my natural dialect they sound the same).

The only complain I have is about the movie Fargo -- I'm from Minnesota and most of us don't talk like that. LOL Every once in a while I'll hear someone who does, and laugh and wince because, yeah, a (relatively) few talk like that, though in a less exaggerated form than the movie. Mostly those ae working class, rural, northern Minnesotans. And we don't say 'ja' ! Why in the world did the movie have everyone say 'ja'? Oh well.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Just as every planet has a North, I guess every continent has a North-East! Which ought to put you on the border of Siberia, right?

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

Well, I've lived most of my life on the East coast of the UK: my childhood in the north-east of England, and my adulthood (bar the last 3 years) on the eastern coast of central Scotland.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Pin and pen (someone from Texas will pronounce them the same way),

I can't quite imagine that - I've heard Texans speak on TV, but I don't remember what they do to vowels, and I never paid attention to those two words, if ever I heard them. What does that vowel-sound come out like? More like an 'e' or an 'i'? Or is this just impossible to answer in written form when I can't hear the answers, and an 'i' doesn't sound the same to me and to a Texan?

I find this question of linguisitic divergence fascinating. Over time, too - I wonder what my ancestors sounded like, those United Empire Loyalists who came to Ontario from Massachusetts or Pennsylvania?

I haven't seen "Fargo" so I have no notion of the accent in it, but one of these days I might have a look just out of curiosity.

When I was in Minnesota I hardly noticed anyone having an accent, which is a dead give-away, because usually when I'm in the U.S., everyone's accent sounds so different I'm very aware of it. Usually it's charming, sometimes it's grating, and occasionally I can't understand what they're saying. But I had that problem in Newfoundland, too.

There is a distinct Ottawa Valley accent that sometimes creeps into the urban speech in Ottawa, but people tend to be laughed at when they talk that way - it smacks of country hickishness.

And of course here, you have the complication of various distinctive French accents from the l'Outouais - sort of the French equivalent of our Ottawa Valley accent, but from the other side of the Ottawa River.

Do you know what kind of accent Captain Jack has? They refer to it as American, and it does sound American to me (rather than Canadian or British), but not in any identifiable way. I'd say it didn't sound quite natural to me but I think that's John Barrowman's enunciation. I assume he's using his natural accent? Illinois influenced by Scotland and London? That would make sense, but my ear isn't good enough to hear it that way.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I guess that gives you an authentic North-East accent, if we think in terms of countries rather than continents. And if we're thinking in terms of planets... there's the new question of figuring out where east and west begin.

In terms of living in Canada, I'm in central Canada. But the continent is a funny shape and I actually live far closer to the American 'eastern seaboard' than to eastern Canada. I wish the Maritimes were easier to get to, as it's some of the most beautiful country in the world.

Rather like your country, in some ways, part of it. It isn't called "Nova Scotia" just because it was peopled by Scots.

[silverwhistle.livejournal.com]

I actually dislike coastal landscapes. For me, St As would have been perfect if it had been inland!

[kikibug13.livejournal.com]

I heard a radio interview with him where he explained that at home they spoko Scott. Demonstrating, too. So I wouldn't say he's using his natural accent. Here (http://www.americantheatrewing.org/downstagecenter/detail/john_barrowman), if you're curious. Thanks to Wikipedia...

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, his family may speak Scots, and he may speak that way when he's with his family, but his normal speaking voice sounds more American than UK to me, though with a sort of intonation that is all his own. I love his voice.

Thanks for the wonderful link - I've been listening to the interview while counting the bar money.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I like coastal landscapes, but I haven't had a lot of experience of them - Ottawa is waaay inland and I only encounter oceans when travelling.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

I got midlands. I'm not sure what that says about me, but I'm wary.

[littledrop.livejournal.com]

I ended up with the North East, which doesn't really surprise me. The New York accent always strikes me as being quite close to British, despite not being as clipped. Also funny, because I live in the north east of England. Heh.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I thought the 'midlands' was a place in England.

Maybe it means you're a cowboy. Or maybe one of those Kansas farmers.

Who knows?

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Well, then they got it right - sort of!

I've always thought the North East of England was some of the most beautiful country I've ever seen.

[sparklebutch.livejournal.com]

I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay, I sleep all night and I work all day.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

LOL.

[cupati.livejournal.com]

Entirely irrelevant - but you wanted me to keep an ear out:

900 years of phonebox travel and it's the only thing that'd surprise me - The Doctor, The Empty Child.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

LOL - he's referring to how surprised he'd be if a Companion stayed put, right? When Rose has wandered off?

[chazzbanner.livejournal.com]

I should mention that I picked up a lot of this stuff when I worked in a linguistics department. I just went to liunch with my friend catsman, who is a linguist. He says the accents in Texas are variaeties of 'south midlands' and all of them lack the pin/pen distinction. It essentoally all comes out 'pin.' "A writin' pin" for example.

Catsman recognized Jim Carry as Canadian from one word he said... perhaps 'dollar.' Something like that.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I should mention that I picked up a lot of this stuff when I worked in a linguistics department.

That must have been interesting.

"a writing' pin"

Neat!

Catsman recognized Jim Carry as Canadian from one word he said... perhaps 'dollar.' Something like that.

I am impressed. I suspect Jim Carrey speaks very like I do, since he sounds unaccented to me, and we're both from Ontario. Though a really fine-tuned ear would possibly be able to tell that I am from Eastern Ontario and he is from Southern Ontario.

[cupati.livejournal.com]

Yep. It was the 900 that was important.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

I'm Inland North (Great Lakes) and that is correct, lol.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

They have you pegged!

I hope to hear what you sound like some day.

Great icon.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

I hope to hear you too! :D

Yes, Klaus is fab. I gave these manga to a coworker's sixteen year old daughter. She thought they were 'weird' but she said she would keep reading if I could get her the books, lol.

I like this pic:

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Oooh, gorgeous!

I love the way Aoike Yasuko loves doing historical costume - draperies, wallpaper, and so on.

And in this one, I love the contrast between louche, draped Dorion and cynical, wordly Klaus - with his black leather jacket, buttons, tie, layers of clothing, cigarette, and so on! And the poofy carving of the chair he's on. It's all just such fun.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

SO much fun. I owe you.

I liked the Arabian garb, and the embrace:



*giggle*

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I love the contrast between the appearance and what they're actually saying.

[monsieureden.livejournal.com]

I know, lol!

[hamadryad11.livejournal.com]

I, of course, got the same result. That last line made me snicker.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I wonder if it's just that everyone in Ontario sounds (to this quiz) as if they're from Minnesota. If we were from Newfoundland, Victoria, or PEI, would we get the same result? It would make sense if people from New Brunswick sounded like people from Maine, but you know what? I bet it isn't that simple.

[hamadryad11.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to remember what people in New Brunswick sounded like when I was there a few years ago, and you know what? I don't remember any huge differences from an Ontario accent. Maybe a bit more of a lilt, but nothing really obvious the way it is in Newfoundland.

Mind you, I might just have a bad memory.

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

I'm not good on this subject because I have a terrible ear for accents. Hardly hear them, unless I'm having trouble understanding, or something catches my attention.

I do think that most Canadians tend to sound alike, but there may well be differences I'm not hearing or noticing.

And I guess we sound like Minnesotans!

[hamadryad11.livejournal.com]

They sound like us. ;)

[fajrdrako.livejournal.com]

Right!