What Kind of American English Do You Speak? (Non-Americans encouraged to reply)

[Shasta542]

what part of the country says "missour - uh"?

I don't know, but I've heard people say it.

And many around here say Ill-uh-noize!!!!! 

[brokeplex]

really Illin-noize? I have always said Illinoi, well we say it more like Ill-i-noi-ee draggiing out the vowels.

[BayCityJohn]

I started out speaking in New Jerseyian, with hints of Scotland,  but by the time I started school I was speaking Oklahoman.

When we moved back to NJ, my cousins couldn't understand everything we said and they called us 'Southerners'

From the 2nd through the 6th grade I went to school and lived on miltary bases, so I was influenced by just about every American accent. We also lived in Germany for 3 years during that time and I had a lot of German friends, so I also picked up some of their accents.

We ended up living in Michigan when my father retired from the Army, so I picked up a Michigan accent which is perly influenced by Canadian English.

One of the best things about being on these forums is that people can usually understand what I type, because most people can't understand me when I talk. 

[Lynne]

I started out speaking in New Jerseyian, with hints of Scotland,  but by the time I started school I was speaking Oklahoman.

When we moved back to NJ, my cousins couldn't understand everything we said and they called us 'Southerners'

From the 2nd through the 6th grade I went to school and lived on miltary bases, so I was influenced by just about every American accent. We also lived in Germany for 3 years during that time and I had a lot of German friends, so I also picked up some of their accents.

We ended up living in Michigan when my father retired from the Army, so I picked up a Michigan accent which is perly influenced by Canadian English.

One of the best things about being on these forums is that people can usually understand what I type, because most people can't understand me when I talk. 

I've never had any trouble understanding you, John!  Miss you, bud!
 

[Aloysius J. Gleek]

http://www.blogthings.com/whatkindofamericanenglishdoyouspeakquiz/results/?AM=40&Y=35&D=20&UPM=5&M=0

You Speak General American English!



40% General American English

35% Yankee

20% Dixie

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern


Hmmm. My parents were born furriners, but I am a born and bred New Yorker. As the poet Philip Larkin said about parents : "They fuck you up, your mum and dad--" 

As I got older, and went to primary school, I purposely shed certain things, carefully writing 'color' instead of 'colour,' 'gray' instead of 'grey,' and NEVER pronounced GA-rahj. I said guh-RAHJ.

Again, hmmm. 35% Yankee? All these years, I must have been channeling Katherine Hepburn--but her accent was also partially constructed and enhanced, too.

20% Dixie? Well, exactly 20 years ago, I accidently fell into a New Orleans coterie-cabal here in New York, and I have been with them ever since, and I have been in N. O. many times. If any of it rubbed off, I'm glad!

Whew. 'You Speak General American English?' Good!

(And good thing it all adds up to 100%, or I would have been worried that some of my left lobe had trickled out of my ear....  )