American accents?

idealbody

Question for those of you not in the US:
Of all American accents, which do you find most pleasant? Most annoying?
I apologize if this has already been asked, but I am curious.

Although I came here from outside US years ago, I can't answer this question because I'm in the US now.. Bummer.

tsh0ck

I'm from New Zealand - we get lots of different American (and British) TV shows so we here 'Boston Legal' accent, 'CSI Miami' accent, 'True Blood' accent etc. etc. Of course how accurate the actors are is another matter. On True Blood, for example, most of the actors aren't from the States originally.

PS - to reiterate - yes, you really do have an accent! EVERYONE has an accent of some kind - you might just sound like most of the people you live near... but move you to another state or another English speaking country and people would notice!

Nobody on 'CSI Miami' has an accent that is typical of Miami or Florida. They basically have neutral American accents. It is funny to think of those TV shows representing different cities to the rest of the world, though!

I watched a documentary on American Accents once, most actors (when performing) speak with a Midwestern accent as this is the one that has been found to be most easily understood. There are actually schools that teach actors, high level businessman and such to speak in this accent regardless of where they are from.
I grew up in the Midwest, and have never in my live heard that Ohioans had a "raunchy accent."

you're right. I have a broadcast journalism degree, and that is exactly how students are taught to speak. because, in general, the midwest has a neutral accent. or, really, there really isn't one. that's why I posted initially that folks from Montana don't really have an accent. up along the highline -- which is what we call the northern area there near Canada -- you might start hear some of that a-boot bleeding in, but otherwise we're very neutral. I did, though, go to school and live for 10 years in Texas, so I picked up a few Texan phrases ... they just come out without the twang.

Oregon is much the same way, though Washington state has an odd sound. They add the letter R to a lot of words, too, for some reason. like washing machine becomes warshing machine.

mistersmithsbox

I think it should be mentioned that NO ONE in the south sounds like they do on tv. No one has that smooth, drawn-out Blanche Devereaux or cowboy accent. Most of the time, Alabama just sounds ignorant! (My family is from here but I'm originally from Northern Cali and worked hard to overcome any southerness I have. Ha - now I sound funny as hell because box, for example, almost sounds like bax.)

Oh how I dream of sounding Canadian...

stylistchik

I'm from Minnesota and had a REALLY bad midwestern/Minnesota accent until I moved to the Florida/Georgia border and now my family thinks I have a southern accent, but living in Virginia more people identify my midwestern accent before the southern one.

I LOVE African accents. I had a friend from Nigeria in beauty school and she spoke perfect english with the most beautiful accent. Really, I appreciate anyone who can speak english well... haha

stylistchik

Well, I'm not sure if I count... I lived in Germany for a year (with Germans and stuff, haha, not in an American city). After a few months I could easily pick out Americans by hearing an accent across the room (without even comprehending words).
Personally, I found the accent from Ohio really raunchy. I'm not sure why, it just bothered me.
I found the accent from the west coast the best and most pleasant. Again... no clue why, haha.

LOL... well, I know to watch my raunchy Ohio-Hillbilly accent then... LOL... I'm sure it is because we end our sentences with preposistions. This might be why no one understands me living here in New Mexico.

The ending-sentences-with-prepositions is a midwest habit. So is telling distance in time, i.e. "How far away is it?' "About 20 minutes."

stylistchik

However, British people always sound smart no matter what they say :blushing:

I suggest visiting some parts of London, and also the West Country. The West Country accent especially is just... well, it makes you sound totally stupid and inbred - trust me, I'm very well versed. :laugh:

As someone from Essex I suspect you might mean me as well! I love this thread. These people will think I sound clever!

Can't remember who it was, but someone said that they thought it odd someone would pronounce pawn and porn the same way. Everyone in England does exactly that. I am from very near London and say it. My husband is from Yorkshire and says it too. I'm trying to imagine how you could pronounce them differently and failing ..... Anyone?

Nope, Porn and pawn sound exactly the same, in my head anyway as I'm stuck at work and don't want people to think I've gone crazy by saying what would sound like the same thing over and over again out loud!! Lol.

I'm from South East London (the outskirts) and can sound smart when I make the effort but generally I think I sound common as muck! Haha. However there are a lot of accents in England (and if you talk Britain then there's Scottish and Welsh too!) Some do make you sound dim I'll admit that much. My boyfriend is from the midlands and we always argue over how you should say bath and path and glass etc!! I prefer adding the invisible 'r'.

As for Americans accents, I like them all. Have never heard one that made me think 'yuk, who would want to sound like that?!' . Accents from up north in England however..........lol.

The"porn" "pawn" thing really makes me laugh... I'm saying them out loud in a British accent now... I pronounce "porn" with an R like "pour" and "pawn" like a puppy "paw" ...now we're all going to be saying them out loud...

SmallerBecky

haha i love when people get offended over nothing. i'm american but i hate the michigan accent. yes i live in michigan and i can't stand the accent of a lot of people here. like when people say 'melk' instead of 'milk' *shudder*

as far as non-american accents i love japanese and british accents. scottish accents annoy me.

Yes, I hate the Michigan accent too! And YES, I live in Michigan! I think my accent has gotten worse and worse and I really do hate it so much! However, I don't say "melk" or "FAAAHG" (fog) like some of the hardcore Michiganders! UGHHHHHH, so ugly! I notice it most in my dad and his brother, for some reason. I hate the way I say words with the long "O" sound, like "notice," MinnesOta," etc.

SmallerBecky

Oh, and I love the way West Coasters speak too.

I used to talk to a guy from South Boston. What a trip! I told him he sounded "trashy"! LOL

dragonfly74

You know, until I read this thread I didn't know people had issues with the word "Oriental" - it's used in the UK without anyone being offended. I find it so interesting how different places have different acceptable phrases.

I have to agree. I was surprised that this is considered a "1940s" word . When you look the word up in the dictionary I see no definition pertaining to "rugs" as she suggested. I had no idea some people find it offensive.

nakabi

I find the southern accent charming. My husband has one and I think it's cute. I have a South African/Brittish accent so we have been told it's fun to listen to us talk to each other lol

stylistchik

This thread was fun! I don't really find an accent hot or annoying so much as the tone of the person. If you have a high, naselly (sp?) voice, even a sexy Aussie accent will be annoying.

I do have to agree with the person about the asian accent. I do not find it appealling at all. And yes, it's probably because the asians I have encountered have been very rude. Am I assuming they are all like that, probably. (My bad) But it is no different then the posters who don't like the "Joisy" accent because of Snooki. This was a post asking peoples opinion. If you don't want to hear what we have to say, don't read the thread!

I am from Michigan and I approve this thread! :laugh: (So lets all go get a "pop" & discuss this! LOL)

HAHAHA!!! You go get your "pop" and I'll go get my "coke"...lol! :laugh: :drinker:

LOL Ohhh my goodness I love this thread! I am a HUGE accent nerd. I love recognizing them and talking about them. MY TWO CENTS, here we go!

First of all, I am from Ohio. I say pop and I'll always say pop LOL. As far as an Ohio accent goes, it really is impossible to say there is *an* Ohio accent. Really, there are 2 - those from the north (wooo Cleveland rocks!) and those from the south. This could be why a former poster felt it appropriate to place Ohio and Texas in the same catergory. There is no Ohio SLASH Texas accent. People in southern Ohio will, however, have a little bit of a southern drawl like those is Kentucky, West Virginia, etc. Notherners will say some things differently, like reeeeeally draw out their long O's (Owwhioww, owwpen the door). Really, a lot of notherners have a unique cadance to the way they speak, kind of like a "Valley girl." "Owh my goooowsh, are you seeeeeeriouuuus?"

Anyway, my point is, not everyone on Ohio has that odd little southernesque drawl, to be compared with places like Texas. Only the bottom half of the state :-)

I personally find the Canadian/Michigan/Wisconsin accents to be very endearing. Like the mom from Bobby's World! Anyone remember that cartoon!? "Ohhh it's Baaahhbby's world dontcha know?!"

Aussie accents, I find (no offense) a little annoying. It sounds to me like they have a bouncy ball in their mouch while their trying to talk LOL.

We currently live in Arkansas, and we find the accent incredibly annoying here too. People says "OLE" (no, not the spanish "olay", more like ol') instead of oil, and "BOLE" instead of boil. THey get all of their tenses mixed up too. Of course, there is "ya'll" and, apparently, the PLURAL of "ya'll" which is "all ya'll" LOL. Uuugh I hate it!

OMG when I was in Florida people would say "alls ya'lls" for the plural of "ya'll" personally, I think "ya'll" is plural... lol I usually say "you guys" instead of "ya'll" but someone yelled at me once for being sexist?!?!

deadstarsunburn

haha i love when people get offended over nothing. i'm american but i hate the michigan accent. yes i live in michigan and i can't stand the accent of a lot of people here. like when people say 'melk' instead of 'milk' *shudder*

I agree lol another word is "pellow" instead of "pillow." I'm from Michigan too and the over pronounced "aaah" part of any word bothers me. I'll admit I do it really bad and it makes me nuts! For example I say aaaccent, aaactually, behaaavior. Ugh.d

delilah514

I love these Americans who insist they do not have accents. LOL. You guys crack me up. Everyone has an accent when you are talking to someone who is not from where you are. As an American living in Australia I am now the one with an accent. Although after 2 1/2 years the Aussies don't sound so different anymore. I get a lot of stares when we go out to places where you don't usually have foreigners though.

takehimaway

I live in Portland, Oregon but I've lived all over the country. As most of the other guys stated, I do really like cute southern girls with accents; it makes the wheels turn in my head. I have trouble understanding New Englanders, and Midwesterners make me giggle. Funny, today some woman asked where I was from, and I was like, "Yeah, I'm a mover.. Lived in ten states in four years, finally home!"

VonRockette

I LOVE Cajun accents. I don't know why... Think Rene from True Blood... bowchicbowow.

AmberMagdalena

I don't care for the Jersey accent, but I love the Philly accent. And a Sexy western accent mmm-mmmm. Not an accent, but I can't stand slang talk, not attractive to me.


I have a little bit of a western PA accent, but not much. I speak like the people on the news or something. Not much of an accent at all. Also, there's this deep western PA accent that just tear right though me! For example, they say things like " What do yinz think about those Stillers(Steelers)". Ugh! Annoying!!

soccerella

I'm from Maryland and as far as I know, I personally don't have an accent. There are some in this area that do though. I pronounce everything properly though. I love slight southern accents though. I was in Auburn, AL a few months ago and it was like being in heaven listening to the women talk. It wasn't too strong but it wasn't non-existent either.

I'm from MD originally too....when I went to PA for school, everyone said I had a southern accent. When I moved to VA for graduate school, everyone said I had a northern/yankee accent. Go figure

I think everyone has an accent/dialect in the way they speak. Some are just more noticable. Nonregional dialects seem only to be found in movies

godroxmysox

I am from the US, but just wanted to toss out that I LOVE the Bronx accent.....not sure why, but I do

stylistchik

I'm from the southern most part of Alabama. I say "y'all" and "fixing to". I was once told I sound like Daisy Duke. LOL I took it as a compliment. : )

For the most part I enjoy all accents. I think it's because I have friends from all over the world so each accent reminds me of someone. The southern accent is most comforting to me because it sounds like home. The Minnesota accent reminds me of my dad. There's not any accent I particularly dislike...just a few I find more difficult to understand.

I enjoy an English accent as well. Also, the Ukrainian accent is nice. I have friends from there and I spent a few weeks in Kiev when I was 19. So, I think a person's opinion on liking or disliking an accent is based on experiences.

I will say one thing I dislike is stereotypes. I'm from the south, but I'm not stupid.

Sorry I've posted so much on this thread but I love it.

When I first moved to Jacksonville, FL I was working in a hair salon and I was taking a client back to wax her eyebrows. We only had one wax pot and it was being used so I was just waiting patiently when the other stylist looked up and said "Oh I'm sorry honey, are you fixin ta wax?"

I was confused at what she said and honest to god replied "Um, is it broken?"
:laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

tuskegee4

Boston or any MA accent is annoying to me..kind of like the variety of accents in Atlanta, GA because noone here is from GA.