If you live in the United States, you're likely aware that there are a handful of regional accents across that great country of yours, many of which are immediately recognizable before even three words are strung together.
We've found a map that details the boundaries of each of the major regional American dialects.
Where do you fit in?
There are eight different geographical areas marked on that map each with its own unique linguistic characteristics.
Accent Quiz
You may recall that a while ago we took part in a fun quiz that helped you to identify which American regional accent you had.
By virtue of where we are located in Canada's Great Lakes region, the accent that best matched our way of speaking was the "Inland North".
The results for Inland North said:
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."
Accents Associated with Public Figures
If you take a look at Wikipedia.org, there is an entry dedicated to American English Regional Differences.
In the entry, the sounds of American speech are also identified with a number of public figures:
Ted Kennedy speaks with a Boston accent, while Jimmy Carter speaks with a Southern coastal accent. Chuck Schumer speaks with a New York accent. The North Midlands speech is familiar to those who have heard Neil Armstrong, John Glenn and Hillary Clinton, while Bill Clinton, Al Gore and Robert Byrd speak with South Midland accents. Comedians Mel Brooks and Ray Romano retain typical New York accents while Jack Black and Pauly Shore have the standard sound of southern California.
Have you noticed that you have a regional accent?
If so, have you found a way to use it to your advantage or have you had to overcome it?
Looking forward to hearing from you!
Best wishes,
Stephanie
Great example...
I know a fellow named Artz.
In NYC area,. they call him Autz. In CT and RI, it's Arts. In MA, it Aaaahts
Cheers!
David
Yeah, they pegged me.
I'm from Cleveland and scored "Inland North" on the quiz.
Regional terms are a lot of fun too.
Anyone know what a "berm" or "tree lawn" is?
Happy Tuesday!
That map is a little oversimplified. There is no such thing as a "Coastal Southern" accent. Within that area there are distinct regional accents every 500 miles or so East-West. West Texas, East Texas, Lousisiana, Mississippi/Alabama, Georgia, the Carolinas, Maryland, and Florida all have identifiable accents.
Hi Stephanie,
Your Vox Daily submission about the voice categories througout the US was interesting.
I am from the Dallas, TX area and your map shows me to be in the Coastal Southern Region. Interestingly enough there are so many different accents in this region it makes the head spin! I sound nothing like Jimmy Carter and having traveled the south into Louisiana, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, you find a different sound in every state. Even traveling from the Dallas area out to see my family in East Texas is like going from city slicker dialect to redneckville in some cases! Funny how we are all so close geographically but sound so different!
My accent has presented mild challenges for me in my voiceover work but my demos don't show a heavy southern accent but I can surely get there without trying real hard. However, I just got a small job for Wrangler where I used my hometown native accent and I nailed the audition with just what they were looking for, so in some cases, right time, right place, right accent could be a ticket to success. It worked for me!
Kirk
Dead on! I am from North Dakota and sometimes when I visit my cousins friends down south they think I'm Canadian.
This is funny. I'm from California....I feel I have an unbelievably boring tonngue with no accent whatsoever
Interesting, but I think the map needs to be adjusted. Putting Baltimore-DC metro in Costal Southern? It's clearly Midland.
I moved from the mississippi gulfcoast to fall river mass. They believe that my accent is weird lol.Im a country girl. To me they speak weird.Why is it that we all speak differently?
I was born in california to a father from michigan and a mother from nicaragua. we moved to oklahoma and have lived there since i was 3 but we visit family in michigan constantly. i should have a southern accent or great lakes accent but i have a midland accent while my two younger sisters have southern. what happened?
Pretty thick North Jersey accent here. To anyone from the Midwest or California or wherever you're from that you "don't have an accent," believe me; you do. When I was really little, I could barely understand the "standard" American accent. xD "Mommy, why do all of their vowels rhyme?"
I'm from North central New Jersey and most of the population doesnt have any NY accent. We actually sound closer to people from Pennsylvania and West Virginia then people from New York. Those people who are more NY are in Bergen and Essex County. Theres a dividing line
Hi
I am English and live in England but we have American friends who live in Michigan. I have noticed that they sometimes add a "t" to the ends of words which normally end in "s". So "across the sea" becomes "acrosst the sea". Is this peculiar to this region?
Hi all. I'm in the process of developing an indie documentary on regional accents of the English language. I find this site very helpful. Any ideas are well received.
Best,
Ana
writersblockny@gmail.com
I'm from the Midwest! No one adds mid west in! I know we are mostly plain but we have accents.
A hodgepodge really. I've lived in AZ, OH, MA, ID, GA. Spent time in Europe. Though right now I'd guess that I have an Ohio accen
I have the distinct honor of NO ONE guessing where I'm from based on any infusion of accent! Ever! And I'm not telling.
Southern by the grace of God.
I'm Canadian, and English is not my first language...... but here is what the test says: Your Result: The Inland North
the Northeast being listed first. It makes sense......
because I expected the test to say New York (north east) or something. that being said, I'm still not American nor a native speaker of English.
When I try I get a fairly neutral sound. If I'm the least bit tired then it's East Tennessee all the way.
I have a wicked Boston accent..altho some people ask me if I am from Brooklyn LOL