Posted on 09/16/2013 11:54:23 AM PDT by Theoria
Razib’s Dialect Similarity
Language dialect is something that we often pick up unconsciously, so I find it an interesting if narcissistic project to query my own dialect affinities. The above was generated using a 140 question test (warning: server often slow). In case you were curious, my most ‘similar’ city (to my dialect) is Sunnyvale, California. Though most of my life has been spent on the West coast of the United States, I did spend my elementary age years in upstate New York. You can see evidence of that in the heat-map. There are particular words I use and pronunciations that I have which I know are probably relics of my formative years, but it was a little surprising that this survey picked up on that, as I thought most of them had disappeared.
What’s my dialect? A hodgepodge ... my parents were from mid-Kansas but I grew up in north Texas. My classmates told me I sounded like a Yankee but my Yankee cousins always said I “talked funny.” (Despite “warshing” like a good girl until I went to college!) In college I studied theater and dropped most of both accents. Sometimes people now ask me if I’m from England! LOL!
He asked what kind of pepper black pepper, white pepper etc. He said no not that kinda pepper we need toilet pepper. LOL
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LOL! Reminds me of the time I heard one north Texas gal ask another for a “pee-yun” (aka a “pin”). Her friend said, “You want a writin’ pin or a stick pin?” And no one around them batted an eye.
I’ve traveled pretty extensively around the lower forty eight over the last almost forty years, but the deepest drawl I ever encountered was in Buffalo, Texas. Had a clutch burn out there and I was stuck there for a couple of days waiting for parts, and I dang near needed a translator! :-)
I’ve loved reading this thread...
4:00 AM and the server has been rendering the web page for 10 minutes. Almost done.
I didn’t think many people still ran TRS 80 Mod 1 computers. Those cassette players are so slow.
Most similar to Birmingham AL, Jackson MS & Columbia SC.
LOL! Well, gotta go boll sum s’rimp for suppa.
It wz bfoor ah saw you awreddy pinged yrsef, hon.
Based on your “retentive” answer, I’d say you probably are a fixed sign; but I wasn’t trying to guess your sign per se. I was wondering if your having retained your parents’ accent, even though you live far from where they grew up, was an indicator of a fixed sign. I don’t wish to pry, and you don’t have to say; but it would interest me to know if you fall into one of those four (Taurus, Leo, Scorpio or Aquarius), either Sun sign or Rising sign. That’s just a yes or no.
Although I do not believe in astrological signs, I know what believers believe about them, so I gave you a big hint.
I lived in Manhattan as my residence for most of the 80s although i was all over the world then
My girlfriend taught at Barnard and used to speak at length about all the different neighborhood accents
First time I took her to NOLA she thought the working class accent was like the Bronx
She herself was white Jamaican aristocrat and Virginia Hollins college but spoke like Scotland or could even do patois
I speak upper middle class deep South ..private school/college accent when I want to
think Hodding Carter Jr or Tom Wicker if anyone remembers those guys
But now in middle TN I speak with a little TN sharper twangy(er) teeth together Highland Rim accent...and it’s not as pleasant to the ear
In Mississippi i had piney woods deep country accents and Delta high brow in my DNA
and even a little Natchez goblet tinkler accent which was our equivalent of Newport..once
I noticed most down home country conservative folks from eastern Oregon to Nevada to Montana and Wyoming to the southern parts of the Midwest and even down to the Keys and Miami and out even to Arizona rural parts
say Ya’ll now...it’s the one vestige of southerness that persists thankfully
usually if one finds Copenhagen original and deer antlers you will hear ya’ll from someone...anywhere in the lower 48
Ah fhought you wuz fhinkin’ ah wuz danny oshun for a whal.
me too
Most Similar Cities
1 Jackson MS 50.3
2 Columbus GA 50.0
3 Montgomery AL 49.2
4 Birmingham AL 49.1
5 Mobile AL 48.9
The Trinity is my ultimate power. I don’t believe in compulsion due to astrological signs, but I do notice with birth times some mild behavioral “starting points”, in the same sort of way being born in the South, West or North is a starting place for accents or attitudes for many, but not all people.
Still curious for your simple yes or no to falling within a mere 33% of all possible time frames. It commits you to nothing whatsoever. It’s just about where you’ve been, not where you’re going. But go ahead and be retentive if it gives you more satisfaction — just more proof of “fixed” nature, only without confirmation.
My most similar cities:
1 Spokane WA 56.5
2 Billings MT 56.3
3 Vancouver WA 56.0
4 Seattle WA 55.9
5 Gresham OR 55.9
I grew up and still live within 30 miles of Spokane.
Another ping for later. They need a bigger server.
I gave you a big hint. Go back and read what I posted.
Interesting. I got to take the test — finally! And here are my results in terms of the cities with which I have common dialect characteristics:
1 Elizabeth NJ 57.1
2 Toms River NJ 56.7
3 Newark NJ 56.6
4 Baltimore MD 56.3
5 Yonkers NY 56.2
I grew up in Baltimore County, but both of my parents were from Philadelphia, so I guess that explains my NJ influences. The Yonkers angle is puzzling, but my mother’s mother came from near Wilkes-Barre, PA, so perhaps that explains that part.
Interesting exercise, but it sure takes a long time to process your answer compared to how fast most Internet traffic is. Or maybe it’s just my connection....
No, thanks.
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