Discussion (Argument) on Dialects/Accents

[Mrs. Utah]

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Apparently there is a belief that Omaha, NE the most neutral sounding accent that is hardest to place.



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I have heard this about Nebraska too-not specifically Omaha.

[acoustix]

But I'm not refering to just myself, but also everyone I know. If you look at the pronunciation key in the dictionary, this is exactly how the majority of people in CT speak ( for a small example, we say yard rather than yaad like our RI, MA brothers).

I think it would be interesting to say the least to see if people can place even what region someone from CT is from without any prior knowledge. I don't think they could becuase we are that bland.

[Q8offsuit]

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Kenny,

From my experience, all people from the upper midwest talk like they're in "Fargo," ... So no, I think you're very wrong on this one.

NT

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[Elevens]

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But I'm not refering to just myself, but also everyone I know. If you look at the pronunciation key in the dictionary, this is exactly how the majority of people in CT speak ( for a small example, we say yard rather than yaad like our RI, MA brothers).

I think it would be interesting to say the least to see if people can place even what region someone from CT is from without any prior knowledge. I don't think they could becuase we are that bland.

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I'm not saying that you're wrong, because I really don't know. However, I still feel (I don't have any proof on this, either) that many people are deaf to their own accent and to others with similiar accents to their own.

[LittleOldLady]

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But I'm not refering to just myself, but also everyone I know. If you look at the pronunciation key in the dictionary, this is exactly how the majority of people in CT speak ( for a small example, we say yard rather than yaad like our RI, MA brothers).

I think it would be interesting to say the least to see if people can place even what region someone from CT is from without any prior knowledge. I don't think they could becuase we are that bland.

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Guess again. My best friend is from Bridgeport, and he has the flattest As I have ever heard. His older sister. also from Bridgeport, has a distinct Eastern New England accent.

I am not a dialect geographer, but I taught History of the English Language for 25 years, and I am pretty good at placing who's from where by their speech patterns.

And, folks, EVERYONE speaks a dialect, regional and/or social. Typically people think that THEY have no accent, but everyone else does. As for broadcasters Dan Rather's speech is noticeably Texas. One non-standard feature in his speech, non-standard for the US, that is, is the aspiration of W in wh- words. That is, he makes a distinction between which and witch, whether and weather, whale and wail. This feature is ultimately Scotch-Irish, and is found in places where the Scotch-Irish settled. I have this too. If you can find an old clip of Peter Jennings, listen for his very Canadian speech patterns. People in newsbroadcasting try to rid themselves of the most noticeable regional/social features in their speech, but they don't entirely succeed.

Midwesterners are easily identified. They typically do not distinguish between cot and caught and Mary/merry/marry and Erin and Aaron. By listening for the alternation of the vowels ah and aw, I can usually place someone all along the east and gulf coasts.

[hawk59]

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my theory - people raised in the suburbs develop less noticeable accents than people raised in the sticks or in the central city.

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This is why Jersey girls have such pleasant accents.

Ditto Worcester.

NT

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Jersey girls from the suburbs have MUCH less noticable accents than girls from Hudson County or Newark.

[katyseagull]

I've noticed that people from northern and western Ohio have no accent, but if you go south or southeast they do.

My nephews in Madison Wisconsin have a very slight accent which is cute (very slight Minnesota sound) though they don't think they have one.

Also, I think the sweetest accent is the Lexington accent.

[Brian707]

Being from Chicago people in other areas say we have accents. I guess when we say words like polish sausage it sounds like polish sashage or Chicago we pronounce Chicaago. Its more pronounced on the South side than anywhere else.

[RunDownHouse]

I grew up in St. Louis and thought I didn't have any sort of an accent at all. After I graduated high school I went out to CA for a while, and some girls out there told me I definitely had an accent.

[James Boston]

I grew up, and live, in Alabama. I was on the radio for several years, so I've got a pretty unbiased opinion of my voice. I have a southern accent, but I don't sound anything like a southern accent impression. I don't know how you would descibe it.