# 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:** 8
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/141 "2007-01-27T18:41:27Z")
I got Midlands, which seems accurate. I’ve lived in Detroit, Chicago, and Atlanta, which somehow ended up neutralizing my accent altogether. ---
**Author:** ![psycat90](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@psycat90](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psycat90)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/142 "2007-01-27T18:48:48Z")
“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 and raised. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2007, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/143 "2007-01-27T22:56:30Z")
Midlands here. I guess it kinda works, I grew up in the Quad Cities area and an old roommate of mine tried to convince me that, regardless of where it was, if it was in Illinois and was not in the Chicago area, it was Southern Illinois. I guess he was right. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a radio station to apply to. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nuggets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Mr.Nuggets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nuggets)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/144 "2007-01-28T00:48:52Z")
I got Midland?!? I’m from DC, and I rarely go off the coast and I’ve never been to the Midwest. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Nuggets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a87d85/32.png) [@Mr.Nuggets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Nuggets)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/145 "2007-01-28T00:57:34Z")
I got Philadelphia/Northeast. Makes sense, because I’m from DC. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2007, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/146 "2007-01-28T01:54:38Z")
I have lived in the Boston area for 9 years. The results: Least close match: Boston Real Result: “That’s a Southern accent you’ve got there. You may love it, you may hate it, you may swear you don’t have it, but whatever the case, we can hear it.” I am from Louisiana and it is good to see that I have still got it after all this time. ---
**Author:** ![hekk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/50afbb/32.png) [@hekk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hekk)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/147 "2007-01-29T02:21:12Z")
So, how the _hell_ does “bag” NOT rhyme with “vague”?? My accent is south side Milwaukee all the way, and I cannot for the life of me think of anyone ever (even on TV) pronouncing those words differently. And it’s soda, people. And you drink from a bubbler, water fountains are those things in front of office buildings and such. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![OBJECTION](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/fbc32d/32.png) [@OBJECTION](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OBJECTION)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/148 "2007-01-29T06:03:09Z")
“ **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. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta.” Born and raised in northern New Jersey, and currently residing in NYC, so while not geographically accurate, at least I can sleep easy knowing I don’t harbor a Joisey accent? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/149 "2007-01-29T06:21:32Z")
[QUOTE=sturmhauke] So I took the test on whether I was a Northern or Southern Californian, but it just said I was confused. Pfft, I say. I have lived in the Bay Area my entire life, dammit. [/QUOTE] And this argues against your being confused how? Have you lived upwind or downwind of Haight-Ashbury? ---
**Author:** ![tomndebb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b9e5f3/32.png) [@tomndebb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tomndebb)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 6:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/150 "2007-01-29T06:28:07Z")
[QUOTE=hekk] So, how the _hell_ does “bag” NOT rhyme with “vague”?? [/QUOTE] In the same way that hag does not rhyme with Hague (or Haig), Dad does not rhyme with Dade, mad does not rhyme with made, lad does not rhyme with laid, bath does not rhyme with bathe, lath does not rhyme with lathe, ban does not rhyme with bane, bat does not rhyme with bait, and so forth: easily. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/151 "2007-01-29T07:32:48Z")
[QUOTE=tomndebb] And this argues against your being confused how? Have you lived upwind or downwind of Haight-Ashbury? [/QUOTE] That’s confused in the context of being a Northern or Southern Californian. And while I have lived in S.F. proper, it was south of the Haight - neither upwind nor downwind. ---
**Author:** ![Carm6773](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/2bfe46/32.png) [@Carm6773](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carm6773)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/152 "2007-01-29T11:37:49Z")
_“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_ Raised in Florida by an Ohio native. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 11:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/153 "2007-01-29T11:37:52Z")
Airyagarmay. Looks like, as was the case with the other Aussies, I have a Notheast accent. I am also 76% British, peacefull, 91% in highschool test and have 50% ADD. ---
**Author:** ![mks57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b9bd4f/32.png) [@mks57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mks57)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/154 "2007-01-29T12:11:21Z")
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.” Weird. I was born in Wisconsin but I’ve spent most of my life in other parts of the country. Maybe I picked it up from my parents. And it’s soda! ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/155 "2007-01-29T19:35:51Z")
[QUOTE=hekk] So, how the _hell_ does “bag” NOT rhyme with “vague”?? [/QUOTE] Next you’ll tell us that Don and Dawn sound the same. ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2007, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/156 "2007-01-29T19:45:06Z")
[QUOTE=hekk] So, how the _hell_ does “bag” NOT rhyme with “vague”?? [/QUOTE] I’ve always pronounced bag with a short a, and vague with a long a. Sounds very different from my mouth, then. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/157 "2007-01-30T00:35:26Z")
[QUOTE=Sarahfeena] It got me right…I am indeed a Chicagoan, and I definitely sound like one! [/QUOTE] Exactly what I got, and I **am** from Wisconsin. But therefore, I call it “soda”. I also say, “Come here once”, drink from a bubbler, and use a rubber band to bundle papers. Regards, Shodan, ain’a? ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2007, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/158 "2007-01-30T21:34:53Z")
[QUOTE=hekk] So, how the _hell_ does “bag” NOT rhyme with “vague”?? My accent is south side Milwaukee all the way, and I cannot for the life of me think of anyone ever (even on TV) pronouncing those words differently. [/QUOTE] Bag rhymes with sag and tag, but vague rhymes with leg and egg. To you, do sag and leg rhyme? ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/159 "2007-01-31T01:36:55Z")
[QUOTE=elfkin477] …but vague rhymes with leg and egg… [/QUOTE] Don’t be so ridiculous! “Vague” has an A sound, “leg” and “egg” have an E sound. Did the Pilgrims forgot a few vowels when they set sail, or what? Seems you lot over there have to make do with about three vowel sounds for the whole English language 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Hostile\_Dialect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e495f1/32.png) [@Hostile\_Dialect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hostile_Dialect)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2007, 11:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373/160 "2007-01-31T11:21:10Z")
> [@GoToQuiz](#): > > 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. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta. Well, I’ve never surfed, but I probably sound like a surfer to the tourists. Granted, I don’t interact with tourists much anymore, now that I live a good 15 miles away from the beaches they like. > [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Texan is possibly the most annoying of all American accents. There are several of them. People from El Paso speak differently from those from San Antonio, who speak differently from those from Dallas, etc. > [@Gut](#): > > The West. I guess Western Canada counts as West. Of course it does. BC is California with more rain and fewer minorities. > [@Heffalump and Roo](#): > > I don’t think that’s the answer that clinched it for Philly. I answered the same as you on that question and it said I’m from the West. Me too. I’ve never been to Philly, BTW. > [@Sofaspud](#): > > Can someone who hears this difference possibly express it in text? Because I Just Don’t Get It. I’m trying to figure out different ways to say them and it ain’t working. I can’t figure any of them out, except for pen/pin and feel/fill. (I associate that speech pattern–both of them sounding the same–with black people, which probably just means it’s a Southern thing.) My aunt from Minnesota pronounces “bag” like “vague”. What is “about” supposed to sound like, if not “loud”? Aboot? That’s Toronto or something, ain’t it? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-american-accent-do-you-have/389373.md?page=9)