American accent test

[Wilson Gray]

dInIs writes, "Got to pick and choose your features to make [the claim
that Philadelphia is the US's northernmost southern city] true." As
the bruz 'n' cuz would put it, "You sayin' a tas'e!" I first heard
middle-class Philly BE spoken before, for all practical purposes, I
had ever been anyplace except Saint Louis. Hence, I was still quite
sensitive to the "funny" ways of speaking used by outsiders. Philly BE
struck me as being as different from Saint Louis BE as NYC BE was
(which is not to say that they showed any particular similarities to
each other, to the naïve ear). I've since had occasion to hear
middle-class, white Philadelphians, e.g. Chomsky, speak. They don't
sound in any way Southern to me.

On the other hand, I mistook (white) Bostonians for both New Yorkers
and Southerners, when I first heard examples of their speech.

-Wilson

On 3/24/08, Dennis Preston <preston at msu.edu> wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
>  Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>
> Poster:       Dennis Preston <preston at MSU.EDU>
>
> Subject:      Re: American accent test
>  -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> As Labov says, Philadelphia is the US's northernmost southern city.
>  (Got to pick and choose your features to make that true.)
>
>  dInIs
>
>
>  >---------------------- Information from the mail header
>  >-----------------------
>  >Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>
> >Poster:       Wilson Gray <hwgray at GMAIL.COM>
>
> >Subject:      Re: American accent test
>  >-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  >
>
> >For me, it missed by a mile, saying that I'm from Philadelphia.
>  >However, if I interpreted the bar graph on the answer page correctly,
>  >the Philly accent isn't very far removed from the Southern accent.
>  >IMO, though, this is simply unbelievable.
>  >
>  >-Wilson
>  >
>
> >On 3/23/08, Tom Zurinskas <truespel at hotmail.com> wrote:
>  >>  ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>  >>-----------------------
>  >>   Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
>
> >>   Poster:       Tom Zurinskas <truespel at HOTMAIL.COM>
>
> >>   Subject:      American accent test
>  >>
>  >>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  >>
>  >>   This site tries to locate your American accent.  For me it came
>  >>close, but just missed.
>  >>
>  >>   http://gotoquiz.com/what_american_accent_do_you_have
>  >>
>  >>
>  >>
>  >>   Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+
>
> >>   See truespel.com - and the 4 truespel books plus "Occasional
>  >>Poems" at authorhouse.com.
>  >>
>  >>   _________________________________________________________________
>  >>   Watch "Cause Effect," a show about real people making a real
>  >>difference.  Learn more.
>  >>   http://im.live.com/Messenger/IM/MTV/?source=text_watchcause
>  >>
>  >>   ------------------------------------------------------------
>
> >>   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'l Clemens
>  >
>  >------------------------------------------------------------
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> >The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
>
>
>
> --
>  Dennis R. Preston
>  University Distinguished Professor
>  Department of English
>  Morrill Hall 15-C
>  Michigan State University
>  East Lansing, MI 48864 USA
>
>
>  ------------------------------------------------------------
>  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'l Clemens

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The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org