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I've visited various parts of the South, but because I've not lived there nor know many Southerners, I'm unable to discern between the various Southern accents- they are just deemed "Southern Accent" in my mind but I guess there are many variations.
Also, if I am in a room with someone from Nebraska, Arizona, or Maryland- I do not know if I will be able to distinguish them based on their accent.
I know others who confuse other accents outside the American accents too- even Australian for British (of which there are many variations); Australian for South African; I know many people overseas who cannot differentiate between General American and Canadian too...
I agree with you about the Southern thing, and I'm from the South. I do think there are plenty of different kinds of Southern accents, but in my experience, they're usually not tied to region. They're tied to class, race, age, rural vs urban, and other factors. I can hear several different variations of a Southern accent in the same area. I think this is true throughout most of the South. I can listen and tell if someone is from the country or from the city, but I have a hard time telling the difference between East TN & West TN. Certain specific areas do have their own unique accent, like Southern Louisiana, Charleston, etc.
Being a Floridian, surprisingly, I am able to discern many accents across the country. Including the New York boroughs and Jersey. The only one I have a hard time discerning really is the urban Philly and urban Jersey accent. I really can't tell the differance sometimes. I might guess one and it is actually the other. So that's my only one.
Being a Floridian, surprisingly, I am able to discern many accents across the country. Including the New York boroughs and Jersey. The only one I have a hard time discerning really is the urban Philly and urban Jersey accent. I really can't tell the differance sometimes. I might guess one and it is actually the other. So that's my only one.
Urban Jersey is basically a NY accent (which shouldnt sound at all like a Philly accent) for the most part unless you are saying a South Jersey accent which is basically a Philly accent. New Jersey has two distinct accents influenced and largely similar to either a NYC or Philly accent
Though most of this video has more of Philadelphia influenced accent (which given it appears to be filmed in the Ventnor/AC area would make sense with more a Philly accent), especially the Italian girl and how she says three
The two guys on the beach are more hybrid Philly/Baltimore accent and the brunnette with them has a suburban Philadelphia accent, the first dude is more central Jersey which has some North (NYC) and South (Philly) accent; though a few key words would to me place it slightly more Philly. The closest NYC accent I hear is when the professor says "Philadelphia" FWIW
Last edited by kidphilly; 12-30-2011 at 07:56 AM..
People from the northeast mostly sound alike to me. I can hear a difference between New England vs New York/New Jersey, but that's about it.
Same with the midwest; they all sound alike to me.
I hear that a lot; people think I have a NY accent (to me Philly and NYC are vastly different; I can usually tell in the first two words even without key accent words), which I dont think even my Philly accent is strong sans a few words (water, daughter etc.)
I agree on the Midwest, especially outside the large cities
TX today seems to have no real distinct accent among the large cities nor the west coast in general
The Southeast has some distinct accents though also being mitgated among the larger metros
Honestly I may take a lot of heat for this one, but to me the Baltimore accent really resembles the NYC accent. In the wise words of a person I once knew: the farther east you head from I-81, the harder time people have pronouncing their R's
I hear that a lot; people think I have a NY accent (to me Philly and NYC are vastly different; I can usually tell in the first two words even without key accent words), which I dont think even my Philly accent is strong sans a few words (water, daughter etc.)
I agree on the Midwest, especially outside the large cities
TX today seems to have no real distinct accent among the large cities nor the west coast in general
The Southeast has some distinct accents though also being mitgated among the larger metros
A lot of people in big cities in Texas don't have a Texas accent because they're not actually from here. There are regional differences in Texas accents but even I have trouble telling them apart and I was born and raised here. I'm told I have a "mild twang" which seems pretty typical for people who are native to north Texas.
Honestly I may take a lot of heat for this one, but to me the Baltimore accent really resembles the NYC accent. In the wise words of a person I once knew: the farther east you head from I-81, the harder time people have pronouncing their R's
Baltimore is more similar to Philly than NYC, Baltimore is a slightly more southern influenced version of the Philadelphia accent (of which there are some southern influences in the Philly accent non existent in the NY accent)
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