Placing Sarah Palin's accent

Slate ^ | 10/1/08 | Jesse Sheidlower

[T-Bird45]

I find accents, dialect, and language to be fascinating so this article was quite interesting, especially when you consider that many make a connection or assumption from how one speaks to their general intelligence. That is a mistake as far as SP is concerned, IMO.

[LibFreeUSA]

At least it’s not one of the ‘Kennedy elitist’ NE types.

[Perdogg]

I thought it was a NJ (southern Jersey/Philly) accent the first time I heard it.

[boocoowell]

If people hear Margie from “Fargo” in her voice, that’s a plus. Who doesn’t love that character?

[P8riot]

She sounds just like my sister-in-law from North Dakota. As a matter of fact, when I first heard Palin speak I thought it was her.

[unspun]

It is definitely similar to accents in northern Wisconsin and the UP — not quite as much like Minnesota.

And, it’s one of them most delightful things I’ve heard in quite a while.

[BigEdLB]

Sarah Palin was born in Idaho, and learned to talk around her folks and three sisters.... So Idaho would make sense

[gleeaikin]

Here is an interesting link regarding Palins accent, style, and delivery. And people’s reactions both pro and con.

http://webmail.aol.com/39155/aol/en-us/Suite.aspx

[Paradox]

Whatever it is, its cute. Kind of annoyingly cute. Awww heck, I have a confession to make, I think Sarah is cute. I mean, I still think she will make a GREAT VP, and then some.. but she is still cute..

[Bear_in_RoseBear]

An Alaskan accent? Wherever could she have developed that? (/sarc)

To my ear, she sounds remarkably like the character Pickles in the animated Cartoon Network show "Metalocalypse".

[T-Bird45]

If people hear Margie from “Fargo” in her voice, that’s a plus. Who doesn’t love that character?

She was one of the reasons I enjoyed that movie and my wife hated it so much, that is, besides the Coen brothers' overdone blood and gore.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Definitely N. Wisconsin/UP>
Sounds very familiar to me from my travels in the area.

[TexasCajun]

I plan on placing her accent in the White House!

[3AngelaD]

I can place it precisely. She is Enid Loopner from the old Saturday Night Live sketch, Lisa Loopner’s mother. If you can find the refrigerator repairman skit video, Jane Curtin (Mrs. Loopner) even has her hair done like Mrs. Palin’s hair. It might be here: http://www.hulu.com/watch/4112/saturday-night-live-nerds-broken-fridge

[Tarpon]

I find Gov Palin’s accent decidedly AMERCIAN. Not sure what country Obama’s accent represents. Chicago thug-land maybe?

I have a question — Why is an association with David Duke, different than an association with Rev Wright?

Anyone want to take a shot at answering ...

[Uncle Miltie]

I’ve lived in NoDak and Washington State. It is a combination of that Nordic vowel swallowing disease and some localisms of both places. Then, taken to an extreme up in Alaska. My impression.

[T-Bird45]

I would like to read the info at your link but it sends me to an AO-hell ad. Can you copy/paste into a comment?

[cynwoody]

I thought it was a NJ (southern Jersey/Philly) accent the first time I heard it.

That would be Representative Fwank, not Governor Palin.

[Dixie Yooper]

Sarah Palin talks just like a Yooper girl!

[Peelod]

Pacific Northwest English

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pacific_Northwest_English