What do people usually think of your accent?

[luvnwdwgal]

Born and raised in north central Ohio. I don’t think I have an accent.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I don't think I have one at all anymore. I have lived in IN, IL, and SD.

In other parts of the country encountering people, they seem to think I sound like I am from MI... I have never lived in MI.

 

[lynxstch]

I didn't think I had one. I am from Western MA originally, not Boston, where they definitely have an accent. But when I moved to MD, people kept saying to me, you must be from MA, as you have that Boston accent'? LOL! Now down here, they DO have an accent, as my husband definitely has a southern one!

 

[AussieFan8]

I'm from Missouri, and I've had multiple people both in and outside of Missouri ask if I'm from Minnesota. Maybe all the hockey I've watched over the years has affected my accent!

 

[PollyannaMom]

I mostly get the comment from people in other parts of the country that they know where I am from. I have a mild Boston accent. I have never had a negative comment, just kind of a smile and a comment of being from Boston.

I live near Boston now, but grew up in upstate NY, so if anything, people probably wonder why I don't have the local accent.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I’m from Boston. Need I say more?

 

[LordBaltimore]

When I first moved to Colorado, I thought I did not have an accent, but one day a vendor asked me what part of the south I was from, and I told her that I was from Missouri! So I asked my 8th generation Colorado born wife if I had one, and she said that " Yes dear and it's very thick!" having lived here over 20 years, it's mostly gone, but I have gotten my wife to start using "You'all" Oh, and if I watch any southern shows, it's back for a few days.

 

[lynxstch]

I’m from Boston. Need I say more?

Do you pronounce your R's? lol!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Do you pronounce your R's? lol!

Yes, ahhhs

 

[GoingSince1990]

British accent, and Americans tend to love it. In my experience there is nothing that helps melt through hard-nosed New York officialdom like turning up my British accent to the max and throwing in a touch of Hugh Grant style stammering diffidence.

 

[DeeBee3]

Does the Hudson Valley have an accent? I just call it a “north of NYC” sounding voice.

I think that all depends if you are "from there" or your parents/family moved up from the city
My mom's family moved up a million years ago from the Bronx. So, they still sound like that. My father's family is "from here" and they have no noticeable accent that I can detect.

 

[goofy4prez]

I was raised in and living in N.E. Ohio for 58 years. I don't have an accent; You all do.

 

[MamaBelle4]

I've never had anyone comment on my accent.

But everyone has an accent, even if it doesn't have a specific name for it, there's no base way of speaking. I guess mine would be mid Atlantic.

 

[TippyThomas]

I sound like everyone else around me so I've never gotten a comment about it one way or the other.

 

[fla4fun]

I grew up in Ohio and moved to Florida when I was 18. People are always asking where I am from because of my accent. A lot of the time they think I am from the UK. I blame it on all the British TV programs I watch. I think it is due to the cadence of my speech instead of the accent, although I do sometimes catch myself pronouncing words in British English as opposed to American English.

 

[Bamaclan4]

Born and raised in North Alabama, so yes I definitely have an accent

 

[firefly_ris]

I still have some of my Balmer Merlin accent but I noticed I no longer say "wooter" (water) or "Tues-dy" (Tuesday, etc). My grandparents had way more pronounced/cliche Bawlmerese accents than I do, but I must still sound different because people do notice sometimes.

But then I bring up those Buffalo nasally A's, woo boy. Here's my friend Naaaancy from Cheektovaga, she loves to drink pop.

 

[CGB]

I grew up in the South and while my accent wasn’t that thick, I did have one. Thirty+ years later and having lived everywhere but the South, my accent is under control since I teach and constantly gauge my tone and enunciation.

Until I get mad and my self-monitor deactivates. Then, God help the poor soul who flips that switch.

 

[tinkerbellandpeterpan]

People are surprised I grew up and lived on Long Island until my mid 30s because I don't have a NY accent.

 

[lisaviolet]

Some.of these posts about having an accent from where you didn't grow up - but live now - are strange. Maybe you pick up ways of saying things because linguistically your accent is locked in around the age of twelve.