# Dialect Quiz & Survey **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 10, 2013, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532 "2013-09-10T22:58:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/41 "2013-09-11T17:15:29Z")
Interesting. It picked Shreveport, LA as my #5 most similar. That is the closest city to where I grew up. It also picked the the specific part of New England where I have lived for the past 18 years to be the least similar. I guess it hasn’t worn off on me much. Most Similar Cities 1 Jackson MS 52.5 2 Birmingham AL 51.0 3 Montgomery AL 49.9 4 Columbus GA 49.5 5 Shreveport LA 49.5 Least Similar Cities 1 Worcester MA 30.3 2 Springfield MA 30.5 3 Waterbury CT 30.6 4 Providence RI 31.3 5 Plymouth MA 31.8 ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/42 "2013-09-11T17:52:42Z")
Most Similar Cities 1 Springfield MO 57.1 2 Springfield IL 56.2 3 Peoria IL 55.7 4 Fort Collins CO 55.6 5 Olathe KS 55.5 Least Similar Cities 1 Philadelphia PA 27.7 2 New York NY 28.6 3 Yonkers NY 28.7 4 Waterbury CT 28.8 5 Hartford CT 28.8 Considering I spend 20 some years of my life in Peoria before moving to Chicago, I’d say it’s pretty damn accurate. ---
**Author:** ![gallows\_fodder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8c91f0/32.png) [@gallows\_fodder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gallows_fodder)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/43 "2013-09-11T17:54:42Z")
I don’t know what the hell to make of this survey, because it told me my top 5 similar cities were all in Michigan or Wisconsin, and I’m Pennsylvania born-and-bred and have never been to Michigan or Wisconsin, nor has anyone in my family. My mom was from Nebraska…that’s the closest midwest connection I have. ---
**Author:** ![Politzania](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3ab097/32.png) [@Politzania](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Politzania)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/44 "2013-09-11T18:02:09Z")
Lived in Michigan & Indiana all my life, but it tagged me further west: Most Similar Cities 1 Saint Louis MO 52.4 2 Madison WI 50.7 3 Milwaukee WI 50.6 4 Kansas City MO 50.5 5 Lakewood CO 50.2 I bet answering “soda” for a carbonated drink instead of “pop” caused (part of) the shift - I decided in my early teens I hated the way “pop” sounded & decided to call it “soda” from there on. The least similar cities makes sense to me: 1 Worcester MA 29.5 2 Plymouth MA 30.5 3 Manchester NH 30.6 4 Providence RI 31.3 5 Boston MA 32.8 ---
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/45 "2013-09-11T18:19:25Z")
Dead on for me. I grew up in the Bronx, and my #1 and #2 are NYC and Yonkers (which is right next to da Bronx). Most Similar Cities 1 New York NY 50.3 2 Yonkers NY 50.0 3 Providence RI 48.5 4 Boston MA 47.9 5 Plymouth MA 47.5 Least Similar Cities 1 Detroit MI 27.0 2 Warren MI 27.3 3 Flint MI 27.7 4 Minneapolis MN 28.0 5 Sioux Falls SD 28.6 ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/46 "2013-09-11T18:32:34Z")
Just took it again and this time wound up in the heart of Michigan rather than Pennsylvania. WTF??? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/47 "2013-09-11T18:53:04Z")
Took the 25 question one again and this time it was accurate: Most Similar Cities 1 Yonkers NY 59.0 2 Newark NJ 57.5 3 Elizabeth NJ 57.3 4 New York NY 56.9 5 Toms River NJ 53.0 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/48 "2013-09-11T19:06:41Z")
My most similar is where I grew up. ``` Most Similar Cities ``` 1 Yonkers NY 52.2 2 New York NY 50.9 3 Boston MA 47.9 4 Elizabeth NJ 47.7 5 Newark NJ 47.3 ---
**Author:** ![The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@The\_wind\_of\_my\_soul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_wind_of_my_soul)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/49 "2013-09-11T20:14:00Z")
Okay that’s weird. I’ve spent my whole life in the DC area. Most Similar Cities 1 Provo UT 45.3 2 Salt Lake City UT 45.3 3 West Valley City UT 45.3 4 West Jordan UT 45.3 5 Billings MT 43.9 Least Similar Cities 1 Philadelphia PA 27.2 2 Providence RI 30.3 3 Allentown PA 30.6 4 Waterbury CT 30.7 5 Toms River NJ 31.5 ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/50 "2013-09-11T22:33:39Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > Took the 25 question one again and this time it was accurate: > Most Similar Cities > 1 Yonkers NY 59.0 > 2 Newark NJ 57.5 > 3 Elizabeth NJ 57.3 > 4 New York NY 56.9 > 5 Toms River NJ 53.0 Wow. I actually would like to meet you to see if we sound alike. 🙂 See my post #40 above ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/51 "2013-09-11T22:44:19Z")
I wasn’t even a little bit surprised: Most similar 1 Columbus GA 51.4 2 Birmingham AL 50.5 3 Montgomery AL 50.4 4 Jackson MS 50.1 5 Memphis TN 49.8 Least similar 1 Worcester MA 26.7 2 Springfield MA 27.0 3 Buffalo NY 28.2 4 Hartford CT 28.8 5 Providence RI 29.1 ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/52 "2013-09-11T23:21:43Z")
Born and raised in Minnesota, except for a brief stint in TX which, actually, is where I learned how to talk (early babyhood until about 2 years old). My “most similar cities” were all in NY (1), NJ (2), or CA (2). Four out of five of my “least similar” were in Louisiana and the last one was in Mississippi. I call shenanigans. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/53 "2013-09-12T01:49:08Z")
Took the whole 140 questions: Most similar 1. ``` Joliet IL 58.7 ``` 2 Rockford IL 58.5 3 Naperville IL 58.0 4 Aurora IL 57.9 5 Cedar Rapids IA 57.5 Least similar 1 Plymouth MA 47.6 2 Winston-Salem NC 47.7 3 Boston MA 47.7 4 Birmingham AL 47.9 5 Charlotte NC I grew up in the Chicago suburbs and have never lived outside the Midwest, so I agree with their conclusions. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/54 "2013-09-12T02:05:59Z")
It had me pegged from Texas. I have never lived in Texas, been in the South/Midwest for 32 years but most of first 20 years was spent in the Northeast. I really don’t have an accent. ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/55 "2013-09-12T02:51:51Z")
It nailed me. Exact city. Color me impressed. Most Similar Cities 1 Arlington VA 48.2 2 Washington DC 47.1 3 Norman OK 46.8 4 Oklahoma City OK 46.8 5 Plymouth MA 45.9 Least Similar Cities 1 Waterbury CT 28.6 2 Flint MI 29.3 3 Detroit MI 29.6 4 Warren MI 29.8 5 New Haven CT 30.6 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/56 "2013-09-12T03:09:05Z")
It got me pretty much dead-on. I didn’t save the exact numbers, but the top three were: Milwaukee, WI Green Bay, WI Madison, WI I grew up in Green Bay, and lived in Madison for 6 years (college and grad school). Least similar accents were all in Louisiana and Mississippi. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/57 "2013-09-12T03:11:17Z")
Best matches: four cities in Louisiana (including Metairie, which seems to show up a lot) and Jackson, MS. In my 50+ years on this planet I have spent slightly under a week in these two states and never lived within a thousand miles of any of these cities. (grew up in Chicago) Worst matches: top four were all in New England. That I can buy. But the LA-MS axis–that’s just fucked up. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 3:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/58 "2013-09-12T03:31:18Z")
I was born and raised in the Bay Area and have lived in the greater Sacramento area for the last 25 yrs. Not sure what’s up with Baltimore, but the other cities make total sense. Most similar: 1 Baltimore MD 46.7 2 Fresno CA 45.4 3 Sacramento CA 44.7 4 Visalia CA 44.5 5 Oakland CA 44.3 Least similar: 1 Pittsburgh PA 28.7 2 Springfield MA 28.8 3 Buffalo NY 29.7 4 Irving TX 30.0 5 Joliet IL 30.2 ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/59 "2013-09-12T03:41:48Z")
Ok, took it again just for yuks, got many of the same questions bt a few I hadn’t gotten before. This time… 1. Baltimore 2. Chicago (that’s more like it) 3. Joliet (likewise) Then Columbia SC and Birmingham AL (? And ?) Least similar: Worcester Massachusetts (which had been on my previous list) and four cities in Arizona … Better, by a lot. But still kinda screwy. ---
**Author:** ![Suburban\_Plankton](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suburban_plankton/32/219_2.png) [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2013, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532/60 "2013-09-12T03:46:27Z")
I’ve lived all my 46 years in Sacramento. My results: Most Similar Cities 1 Fresno CA 54.0 2 Modesto CA 53.4 3 Visalia CA 53.3 4 Roseville CA 53.0 5 Santa Rosa CA 52.9 ``` Least Similar Cities ``` 1 Yonkers NY 30.4 2 New Orleans LA 30.5 3 Metairie LA 30.6 4 Philadelphia PA 31.0 5 Baton Rouge LA 31.6 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/dialect-quiz-survey/668532.md?page=4)