online accent quiz

[Joel S. Berson]

It got me right -- mostly:  The Northeast, "Judging by how you talk
you are probably from north Jersey, New York City, Connecticut or
Rhode Island. Chances are, if you are from New York City (and not
those other places) people would probably be able to tell if they
actually heard you speak."

But many people can't tell where my accent arises from, even though I
did grow up in New York City, and even the Bronck's.  Perhaps that's
because I was well educated (pat, pat).  And as college freshmen (at
Columbia), we were required to take a short speaking test.  I don't
recall what the sentence would have been had I failed, but I was
merely warned that my "ng" was too g-ish and sent on my way.

And a question:  How do age and gender factor into the other eleven questions?

Joel

At 11/30/2006 06:59 AM, you wrote:
>Roger is right about the complexity (and even leaves out the social
>complexity now folded into more detailed geographical investigation),
>but I find nothing wrong with intelligent quick-and-dirty fun stuff,
>especially since the test revealed the following about me:
>
>"You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't
>have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania,
>southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but
>then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one
>of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good
>voice for TV and radio."
>
>I been trying to tell you all that I AM Peterson and Barney.
>
>dInIs
>
>PS: I grew up in a Southern Indiana suburb (New Albany) of Louisville, KY.
>
>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>-----------------------
>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
>>Subject:      Re: online accent quiz
>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>>At 10:20 PM -0500 11/29/06, Wilson Gray wrote:
>>>I tried it. My result: The South. No surprise, that.
>>>
>>>-Wilson
>>
>>And I'm from "the northeast", ditto.  But Roger Shuy is not amused.
>>He comments on the forensic linguistics list:
>>
>>"...I took it and it placed me as being from "the West,"
>>whatever that means (I am from northeastern Ohio).  Linguistic geography is
>>much more complex and detailed than this rather simple test indicates. When
>>I did fieldwork for the Linguistic Atlas the interviews  took over four
>>hours for each informant. I'm amazed at how anyone could take ten items and
>>try to say it is in any way diagnostic."
>>
>>LH
>>
>>>
>>>On 11/29/06, Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at yale.edu> wrote:
>>>>---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>>>-----------------------
>>>>Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>>>>Poster:       Laurence Horn <laurence.horn at YALE.EDU>
>>>>Subject:      online accent quiz
>>>>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>>for those of you who can't remember where you're from but do remember
>>>>how you pronounce your vowels...
>>  >>http://www.gotoquiz.com/what_american_accent_do_you_have
>>>>
>>>>LH
>>>>
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>>>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>>
>>>
>>>--
>>>All say, "How hard it is that we have to die"---a strange complaint to
>>>come from the mouths of people who have had to live.
>>>-----
>>>-Sam Clemens
>>>
>>>------------------------------------------------------------
>>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>>
>>------------------------------------------------------------
>>The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>
>--
>It should be the chief aim of a university professor to exhibit
>himself [sic] in his own true character - that is, as an ignorant man
>thinking, actively utilizing his small share of knowledge. Alfred
>North Whitehead
>
>Dennis R. Preston
>University Distinguished Professor
>Department of English
>Morrill Hall 15-C
>Michigan State University
>East Lansing, MI 48824-1036 USA
>Office: (517) 353-4736
>Fax: (517) 353-3755
>
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