A post on Facebook the other night led me to this random quiz: What American Accent Do You Have? Since we’ve always been fans of completely non-scientific online quizzes, why not take it for a spin, right? It was especially interesting for us to take since we get the occasional video comments like “John sounds soooo Southern” or “Sherry talks like Mila Kunis.” Not that Mila Kunis is an accent…
We both think we have pretty neutral American accents – although I’m quick to point out that the Jersey in Sherry likes to call the top of your face the “far-head.” And she gives me a hard time for not distinguishing between the pronunciation of “pin” and “pen.” So maybe this quiz would settle once and for all exactly how middle of the road our accents are (or aren’t).
I felt very validated by my result. Note the part that says “you don’t have an accent.” And the part that says “you have a good voice for TV and radio” (better than being told you have a face for radio, amiright?). I sat back as Sherry took the quiz and answered most questions the same way I did, expecting to see the same evaluation. That’s when this sprung up:
“YOU DEFINITELY HAVE A BOSTON ACCENT”??!?
We both cry laughed. Sherry has been pinned as New Jersey, New York, and even as South Carolina or Canada, but never Boston. But before I got to drop too many “paaaahk the cah in the Harvaahd yaaahd” jokes on her, we both noticed that she actually got an equal 83% ranking for both a Boston and Midland accent. So maybe she is still pretty neutral after all… just in a Boston-y kind of way. What do you Boston folks who met us at the signing think? Is there a little Boston secretly hiding in Sherry? Or is this quiz just way off?
Here’s the link again if you want to take it yourself. If you already did, what was your result? Was it spot on or not even close? Was there any question that you had a particularly hard time answering? I think Sherry repeated Mary, marry, and merry about 20 times before deciding that she said them all a little differently.
Alana U says
For further fun, check out this website to see maps of the US regarding regional dialect. My favorites are numbers 58, 73, 103, 105, and 110.
http://spark.rstudio.com/jkatz/SurveyMaps/
I am currently working on my Ph.D. in Statistics at North Carolina State University, and a fellow grad student worked with a linguist’s data set to create these. Just gotta give a shout-out for my school!
Young House Life says
Really interesting!
xo
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Amanda says
It said Midland with the South close behind. I am as southern as they come with the accent to prove it. Fun quiz to take but not very accurate I am afraid :)
Annelise in Edmonds says
Was this quiz meant specifically for East-coasters? I’m from Seattle and I scored 95% for the Midlands – but I’m not even sure what area that covers! John scored higher on The West than I did with 88% – if that west means “West Coast”…?
Either way – it was fun to play! It would be interesting to integrate Canadaian and Minnesotan accents in there, too.
Young House Life says
I think it was for the whole US. Don’t think it’s getting everyone right though… haha!
xo
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Chelsea says
“North Central” is what professional linguists call the Minnesota accent. If you saw “Fargo” you probably didn’t think the characters sounded very out of the ordinary. Outsiders probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot.
Oh my word I died laughing! I am Canadian….but to think we sound like Fargo – whoa baby! I bet however that is the closest answer to Canadian you can get :)
Kirsty | A Safe Mooring says
Well Sherry, if it’s any consolation, it thinks I’m from Boston too, and I’m from Scotland…
Young House Life says
HILARIOUS!
xo
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Kristen says
Mine was right on…”North Central” is what professional linguists call the Minnesota accent. If you saw “Fargo” you probably didn’t think the characters sounded very out of the ordinary. Outsiders probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot.
I am from Northern Minnesota so yeah…
Abbie says
Loved this. I’ve lost much of my ‘Chicago’ accent and don’t get people asking me much anymore if I’m from there. But I’m glad this quiz still got it right! I’m 100% Inland North! Now I just need someone to ask me if I’m from Chicago so I can answer, ‘yes!’
Jen C. says
100% midland – no accent! Love it. Especially because I had a coworker recently who thought I had an accent. Please.
Rachel says
Surprise, surprise! I got “the South.” #notreallysurprised #imfromalabama
Ashley says
I think I’ve taken this before (or one like it), but I did it again. It was spot on:
.resBarOuter {width:75%;height:15px;padding:0;margin:0;background:#eee;border:1px solid #000;text-align:left !important;position:relative;} .resBarInner {text-indent:-9999px;height:15px;background:#d02;font-size:6px;line-height:6px;margin:0;padding:0;position:relative;background-image:linear-gradient(bottom,rgb(221,0,33) 40%,rgb(255,60,86) 74%,rgb(221,0,33) 100%);background-image:-moz-linear-gradient(bottom,rgb(221,0,33) 40%,rgb(255,60,86) 74%,rgb(221,0,33) 100%);background-image:-webkit-linear-gradient(bottom,rgb(221,0,33) 40%,rgb(255,60,86) 74%,rgb(221,0,33) 100%);background-image:-ms-linear-gradient(bottom,rgb(221,0,33) 40%,rgb(255,60,86) 74%,rgb(221,0,33) 100%);} .resBarM {width:35%;float:right;margin-right: 10px;} .resRow {color:#000;background:#fff;clear:both;margin: 5px 0;}}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.” The Midland The Northeast Philadelphia The South The West Boston North CentralWhat American accent do you have?
I’m from Michigan. Except I -have- stopped saying “pop” and call it soda about 95% of the time.
– Ashley
Kelly says
I got 80% Philly. Keep it quiet, because if my southern family finds out, I’ll be disowned.
Simone says
ahahahahaaaa… I’m apparently sporting a Philly accent :) hilarious since I live in NY (state not city), and am originally from Germany (and still carry an accent around wiht me from there) good fun@!!!!!
Ashley says
I think I’ve taken this before (or one like it), but I did it again. It was spot on:
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.”
Result Breakdown:
100% The Inland North
80% The Midland
76% The Northeast
73% Philadelphia
65% The South
33% The West
19% Boston
15% North Central
I’m from Michigan. Except I -have- stopped saying “pop” and call it soda about 95% of the time.
– Ashley
(PS I commented twice since the first probably won’t display correctly.)
Julia says
I got 88% Boston, which is so off, ha! I was born in Texas and grew up in Colorado, so there is no way I have any Boston accent… but it was also tied with 88% The West, which as you may have put together already, totally would make sense.
Nicole B. says
Omg I got 100% The Midland! I guess that makes sense being smack dab in the middle of the United State though (woot woot St. Louis, MO)!
Chelsea says
I got Philadelphia – 88%!!! Oh yeah, born and raised in central jersey!
Alice says
93% Philadelphia! Spot-on since I have been living in Philly for the past 31 years. Happy to represent! The other 7% must be the Indian side of me. :)
Rebecca says
So fun! I’m from Canada but did the test anyway and I ranked 86% North Central and my results said that outsiders probably mistake me for Canadian a lot. LOL. Good to know I’m doing my Canadian ‘accent’ proud.
Cindy says
HA this is hilarious!! I’ve always been told that I have a “northern” accent but never believed it! I guess now I have to! 86% North Central. Ps. I live in Minneapolis!
Susan says
Too funny! It nailed me with North Central, aka the Minnesota accent. Minnesota born and raised right here. People could definitely pin me (and tease me) as a Minnesotan when I lived in California for a few years.
Alexandra says
This was so entertaining! I scored “The Northeast”, which was spot on! It basically roped in North Jersey, New York City and Rhode Island. I am from Jersey, and while I’ve been told I have a “Jersey” accent, definitely not a North Jersey one! For instance, I say “cahffee” not “couwffee” – that would be my sister. And I have noticed that with all the country music I listen to, some words, I have been told, I do say with a southern accent – weird.
zoe says
I thought it would be a laugh to do this as I have a very British accent even though I have lived in the US for 17 years. Apparently I have a NorthEast! who knew!!!!
Young House Life says
So funny!
xo
s
Alycia says
I’m 96% The West…..about as neutral as you can possibly get hahaha
Ginger says
100% midland! they ought to just come out and say it…..BORING! raised in Maryland, but have lived in the South the other 1/2 of my life
Tiffany says
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.”
Yep, born and raised in Wisconsin. But I say soda not pop :)
Sara M. says
96% The West
95% Midland
75% Boston
73% North Central
Spot on! I’ve lived in Minneapolis my whole life – except for the 5 years I spent at school (wait for it) in Boston. :)
Kara says
I got ‘Northeast’. Born and raised Long Islander! My parents are both from Brooklyn! Except I have to tone down my accent when I am at work, then people think I am southern.
Julianne says
Mine said Northeast, which is correct, but my results were equal 77% across 3 categories of the Northeast, Midland, and Inland North.
fun times
Kristen says
Fun quiz! I got Philadelphia – and since I’m from Central NJ, it sort of makes sense (though I pronounce my A’s like I’m from New York).
Betsy says
I took the quiz…pretty sure it’s not right. You can def tell that I am from the South…no doubt about that one. Although, I did get asked one time if I was from somewhere up North…still not sure about that one. However, I got the same result as John – The Midland.
heather says
I’ve been in the Northeast all my life, and I got mostly Midland with Boston as a close second. I laughed since they are so different (Boston and Maine – I’ve lived around both). This trailer of “Betting the Farm” shows how different the accents are around Maine alone. The one most people know about Maine is the Downeast Accent for sure.
On another note – this is actually a wicked good documentary if you’re interested in this type of thing.
I think I’m in the neutral/very light Maine/Northeast accent as are most people. Then again, I’ve been pegged as Northeast anywhere out of the Northeast. :)
Young House Life says
Will have to watch that Heather! Sounds wicked good!
xo
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Erin says
Ha! I got “Inland North” and was born and raised in Massachusetts. Don’t feel bad Sherry, not all Bostonians drop their R’s. :)
Young House Life says
Thanks Erin!
xo
s
Beth says
Midland. Which was shocking to me as I’m from South Carolina but then made more sense when I read the whole paragraph. Included in that was the reference to Charleston, as that’s where I was born and raised.
When I get extremely emotional (think very excited, very mad, very sad, etc) my southern accent comes out STRONG! Guess I took the quiz when I was feeling nice and calm!
Fun quiz!
Kristin says
I got 100% midland. But southern came in at 92%. From the Raleigh Durham area of NC.
JenB says
I got 100% Midland, too and live in NC (triad area), with 96% southern and 74% Philadelphia. I’ve lived in NC my whole life, which proves that not everyone from the south sounds like Gomer Pyle, right? Haha!
Lori says
96% West! (Of course, I think we westerners are the ones with no accent at all, not the Midlanders.)
Grew up in Southern California, now live in Oregon. I’m dying to know where I missed the 4%… must have been the few years I lived in Europe as an adult, since I’ve never lived anywhere else in the US.
Marissa says
I got “Midland” but I’m from California! Now I want to know how I’d need to answer differently to get that…
Jessika says
Can you please do a pop, Coke, Soda, or other survey next? This is fun!
Young House Life says
That would be fun!
xo
s
Cyan says
I got 100% West. I’m from west Texas, so I guess that’s not too far off. I have to say, compared to most people around here, I don’t have nearly as strong of a Texas accent. But, everytime I travel, people always ask if I’m from Texas.
Michelle says
Ha! Background: Born in southern FL and raised outside of Atlanta. I do say ya’ll though.
Your Result: The West 96%
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
Sharon says
95% Midland!!! I grew up in Northern West Virginia, went to school in Southern West Virginia, and now live in Virginia. Everyone I know has southern accents but mine only comes out after a couple glasses of wine.
Thanks for suggesting this quiz & giving me a break from my work :-)
Lil says
“chances are you call carbonated drinks ‘pop'”. Yes! Except that I decided about 15 years ago that I liked the word “soda” better…so now I really get funny looks.
Fun quiz!
Anne says
I just took it and got North Central which is right on the money since I’m from Minnesoooota :) I for sure thought I would get the “no accent” one like John because, seriously, I don’t have an accent! Fun quiz- thanks for sharing!
Jennifer says
I got 100% West, which apparently makes me a rare breed. I’m different yeah I’m different…(vague reference to an inappropriate rap song)
Melissa C. says
I got Inland North, which makes no sense since I grew up in NoVA and then moved to SoCal.
But how can “pin” and “pen” be pronounced the same???
Young House Life says
John says pen and pen. It’s hilarious. I’m like “what are you saying? The writing utensil or the thing that stabs you and makes you bleed?!”
xo
s
Ellie says
I’ve lived in Boston my whole life, but it said I sound like I’m from the west. Bahahahaha. Weird. I don’t have the classic “pahk the cah” accent, but I don’t know why it would think I sound more western…
Bonnie says
I got 89% Boston! Since I was born and raised there it makes sense. I have been asked many a time where I’m from and have been told I don’t have any accent.
Rachel says
I’m from Baltimore, the survey said I was from Minnesota/Wisconsin – haha. Some of the questions didn’t fit though. Baltimore has it’s own dialect – ever heard someone say egg, home, on, or “goin downe oshun hon!” haha
Miranda says
I’m 100% 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.”
Which fits being that I’m from Michigan…BUT I say “soda” not “pop”, and I have a tendancy to apply a British spelling e.g. theatre not theater, honour vs. honor and say things like “mum,” “lad” and I’m likely to call people “little wankers” if I’m upset with them.
Steph Nelson says
I got the midland one too. which is funny because I grew up here in Florida and no one ever guesses I am from here, but somewhere in the midwest. (which it also says that in the fine print)
Hannah says
I had fun taking this quiz as an English person – EVERY word is pronounced differently, come on! :)