December 03, 2006

• It correctly identified me as being from the Northeast, but swore up and down that I was from Philadelphia. Maybe my Noo Yawk accent needs updating.
• Sly, it did the same for me when I took this a while ago. I've been accused of being a Mainer in real life (except I...don't...talk..that...slowly.) Maybe going to school outside Philly for four years affected me. (checks) Well, I still hate cheesesteaks, at least.
• It said I was from "the midlands" which I've never heard anyone ever call the midwest. I am from Indiana. I must say that I hate "USian" with a passion.
• I must say that I hate "USian" with a passion. It's third-jokey (smirky/derogatory), third-pc-ey (so as to not offend our northern neighbors), third-necessary (what is the proper term, anyway?) I'm certainly not trying to officialize it or even spread it, so... meh, take it or leave it (even from my own pov).
• It said I'm from "the midlands" -- which Wisconsin (my current home) is near. However, it then said "For all we know, you're from Florida.." which is, in fact, where I spent the first 25 years of my life. Eerily accurate!
• I'm a real American
• Correctly identified me as from the North East/northern NJ/NYC area. Neat.
• The West, baby. Gnarly and whoa.
• "Outsiders probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot." Heh. I guess living in the US for most of my life has done nothing to erase my accent.
• I must say that I hate "USian" with a passion. It's third-jokey (smirky/derogatory), third-pc-ey (so as to not offend our northern neighbors) Perhaps the southern neighbours, too? "Outsiders probably mistake you for a Canadian a lot." Not bad, eh?
• 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." I'm from Buffalo, but I will readily agree that accent-wise, I am more like Chicago or Milwaukee than New York City. By a long shot.
• The Inland North. Quite frankly anyone not getting that result has a funny accent - there is no excuse you're just being lazy, you really should try harder to be understood. I say this as a cockney, not an authority on American accents.
• It guessed me as from Philly, which I suppose is not too bad, since I grew up in (northern) new jersey...
• Ah ya buncha fucksticks. I don't got no aaaaaccent. /chicago
• Perhaps the southern neighbours, too? D'oh! Never underestimate your ability to accidentally offend.. I guess I was thinking that we normally say "North America" to distinguish from "South" or "Central" or "Latin" America, but that's where the breakdown ends (and hence "USian").
• Some consider North America to consist of the obvious 3 countries; other descriptions include up to 24 countries!
• I got the West, too, but I notice that they don't have any answers specific to Texas. However, I do get told a lot that I have a "no accent" American accent.
• Why, then we're Topknot America! Ow! Those in the central area are Waistbanded or Belted Americans! Quit that! And those further south are ... Sock America! ... or something ... Ach, what are ye kickin' aboot? /multi-globulist
• I took the test out of interest. It thinks I'm from the north-east, but my accent is mostly north-west England, and half my US friends here have trouble understanding me if I give it the full effect.
• I got "inland North," too (a term I've never ehard before.) I grew up in the bit of the Great Lakes region that's in New York, so I guess that's accurate. Hey, Monkeys outside the US could take the quiz, but look at is as, "What kind of American accent WOULD you have?"
• Hey, random, I'm from Buffalo, too. And I got "Inland North", too. A design flaw in the test, maybe?
• I knew the moment I answered that "pen" and "pin" sounded differently that they would place my accent at least 1000 miles away from where I have lived most of my life. At least I also have the "Inland North" accent (I've never heard of that term either). Chicago is just a fun, if long, road trip up I-75... /I'll have a deep dish and a pitcher of Old Style
• I too was raised in Buffalo and it diagnosed me as inland north. i think it's and accurate, even if their phrasing is a little off, because Buffalo is by the great lakes I think all of the rustbelt share a similar accent.
• inland north + wisconsin ftw! (great-tasting bubblers, too)
• +inland north
• North Central. aka Minnesotan ... ? ! Seems a ridiculous label since it also refers to parts well east of the Great Lakes, like Boston etc.
• They should ask how many syllables "pin" and "pen" have. (Because if you're from where I'm from, they often have two.)
• Chalk another one often thought to be Canadian. Go figure.
• Midland: I have no accent, at least as far as America is concerned. Interestingly, I'm from Kentucky. My mom is from Indiana and says "warsh," as in "George Warshington."
• meredithea must be from Venus.
• I got "the Midland" tied with "the South" (going by the little red bars), which is probably pretty accurate for Oklahoma, the state no demographer can agree on. Currently living in that "North Central" place, though, I get told I have a southern accent all the time.
• Midland here. Which is probably accurate, as I have lived back and forth across the US since I was a child. Iowa, South Dakota, New Mexico, Nawwth Caaruhlina, Minnesota, New Yawk... You have a good voice for radio and television... Foop!
• Bless their hearts, that test couldn't even find *my* Southern accent.
• randomaction, how did you guess? *looks around all shifty-eyed, adjusts human costume*
• It was right on for me - Inland North, born and lived most of my life in Michigan. (Very far from Michigan now. Kind of miss it.)
• Well mereditea where could you possibly be from where pen and pin often have two syllables? Is there a place on this planet for which this is true?
• Actually, I'm from north Texas, where people often say "Honey, can yew ha-yund me a pe-yun please?" I only say it like this when very, very tired :)
• Midland non-accent! Ob-visly the test is flaa-wed. Born in PA, raised in CO, lived in ID for 35 years. Out-of-Staters think I talk lak a native, and in-Staters occasionally suspect I'm from Pittsburgh *looks around furtively, hitches up chaps and pulls down 10-gallon hat
• I also think we should change "Yank accent" to "Yankcent."
• It nailed me as bein' frum Bahstin.
• I also think we should change "Yank accent" to "Yankcent." Brilliant. Wish I'd thought of it.
• Some clarification (with map of accent regions, if you weren't satisfied with the terminology used in the quiz).
• Mid-land non-accent, though I've lived in South Carolina for the past 25 years and never west of the Mississippi. I just try to speak correct English, although I must admit that "ya'll" (yes, that's how it's spelled here) is a terribly useful word. And why thank you kind test, I *have* done radio. (That's where the nick comes from!) Kinda interesting, I have friends that can distinguish accents between SC towns 15 miles apart. I sure can't hear it...
• Did *anybody* get pegged as Southern? It described me as "midland" even though I said I pronounce "pen" and "pin" and "feel" and "fill" the same (OK so I don't really on that second one, but it probably sounds like it to someone from colder climes). I couldn't have answered the questions any MORE Southern and it still came back as third on my bargraph. And no, I'm not really sure why I care so much. Except that I still cringe at the memory of the first (and last) time I said "you guys" when I was going to grad school in Chicago. They should have asked the pop/soda/Coke and y'all/you guys/you'uns questions if they really wanted to get an accurate result.
• I work with a feller from Indiana who pronounces "pen" and "pin" the same way.
• Huh. Maybe I just don't get out enough.
• Well we're going out, wanna come with?
• Just you, or all the petebesteses? The one with the underscore kind of gives me the creeps.
• I don't talk like this, but I grew up with a bunch of people who did.