# What American accent do you have? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 25, 2007, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373 "2007-01-25T04:42:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/1 "2007-01-25T04:42:54Z")
[Take this frighteningly accurate test](http://gotoquiz.com/what_american_accent_do_you_have). I thought my accent was generic West Coast by now. In fact, I haven’t lived there for over 30 years, but: > [@](#): > > Your accent is as Philadelphian as a cheesesteak! If you’re not from Philadelphia, then you’re from someplace near there like south Jersey, Baltimore, or Wilmington. You can take the girl out of Philly, but she’s still going to say WHORE-ible So, what accent did you fail to eradicate? ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/2 "2007-01-25T04:46:07Z")
> [@](#): > > Outsiders probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot. Well that’s a relief 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/3 "2007-01-25T04:48:32Z")
> [@](#): > > What American accent do you have? > Your Result: The Inland North > > 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.” It got me right…I am indeed a Chicagoan, and I definitely sound like one! ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/4 "2007-01-25T04:50:40Z")
Damn, Your Result: **The North East** > [@](#): > > 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. Central Jersey born in NYC. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/5 "2007-01-25T04:53:48Z")
“You have a Midland accent” is just another way of saying “you don’t have an accent.” You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio. I live in Florida, used to live in Ohio, have lived in Atlanta, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Seattle and was born in California. I’ve also lived in a few different countries. Nobody can figure out where I’m from, and strangers often think I might be European, but seem terribly American. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/6 "2007-01-25T04:54:55Z")
North east I tried it for fun. ---
**Author:** ![Bobotheoptimist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/919ad9/32.png) [@Bobotheoptimist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bobotheoptimist)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/7 "2007-01-25T04:55:42Z")
> [@](#): > > “You have a Midland accent” is just another way of saying “you don’t have an accent.” You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio. I like that “for all we know” part… ---
**Author:** ![The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecae2f/32.png) [@The\_Blue-Sighted\_Shadow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Blue-Sighted_Shadow)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/8 "2007-01-25T04:57:10Z")
> [@](#): > > The West > Your accent is the lowest common denominator of American speech. Unless you’re a SoCal surfer, no one thinks you have an accent. Born in Santa Cruz, California, so I speak surfer, too. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![threnodyangelfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@threnodyangelfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/threnodyangelfire)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/9 "2007-01-25T04:58:05Z")
I’m an Aussie and it told me I have an North East American accent. I travelled through the USA (well a few states) last year, and completely fell in love with the Texan accent. _drool_ ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/10 "2007-01-25T05:01:57Z")
[QUOTE=threnodyangelfire] I’m an Aussie and it told me I have an North East American accent. I travelled through the USA (well a few states) last year, and completely fell in love with the Texan accent. _drool_ [/QUOTE] Texan is possibly the most annoying of all American accents. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/11 "2007-01-25T05:06:11Z")
It pegs me as being from “The Inland North.” Well, I guess that’s halfway right. I have spent most of my life in Oklahoma, and have lived in Texas, Tennessee, and Missouri. Not very northern, but mostly inland. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/12 "2007-01-25T05:06:24Z")
Haha! I listed as “Inland North,” but I grew up in Texas. I’ve never even lived east of the Mississippi River! Of course, my father was from California, and it’s been a long long time since I’ve lived in Texas. I’m constantly told that I have no Texas accent. And I’ve worked and buddied around with enough Brits and Aussies that I think they’ve had quite an influence. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/13 "2007-01-25T05:07:02Z")
“You have a Midland accent” is just another way of saying “you don’t have an accent.” You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio. Fair enough; Mom’s from the Northwest, Dad’s from the Heartland, and I’ve lived in IN, VA, OR, and WA. ---
**Author:** ![LifeOnWry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/96bed5/32.png) [@LifeOnWry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LifeOnWry)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/14 "2007-01-25T05:13:31Z")
"Your Result: The Inland North 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.” " Chicago girl here. Most local folks can tell whether fellow native Chicagoans are from the North or South Side. The real oldtimers can tell from your speech patterns what hundred block you grew up on 😛 ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/15 "2007-01-25T05:14:13Z")
“Boston” I spent my first 25 years there and moved to Oregon 25 years ago. Neat test. ---
**Author:** ![PastAllReason](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@PastAllReason](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastAllReason)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/16 "2007-01-25T05:16:28Z")
> [@](#): > > “You have a Midland accent” is just another way of saying “you don’t have an accent.” You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio. All-righty then. This is one Canadian who is going to bookmark that page to have in my back pocket to defend against accusations of “a-booooot-isms”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/17 "2007-01-25T05:16:59Z")
It thinks I’m from North Central. Well, it’s half right. I’m from the North East. I’ve had a couple people remark that I don’t sound quite like I’m from around here, so there’s that. ---
**Author:** ![Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gut)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/18 "2007-01-25T05:17:53Z")
The West. I guess Western Canada counts as West. ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/19 "2007-01-25T05:33:45Z")
The Midland. I guess that what comes from having grown up just west of Philadelphia, with a mother from NJ and a father from rural Washington state. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2007, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/20 "2007-01-25T05:38:55Z")
It said The West. I’m from Vermon. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373.md?page=2)