Is my accent Western or mid-Western? (I'm a New Yorker) (vs, area)

[UmmJ]

Hi guys,

As you know not all New Yorkers have the typical NY accent, it actually depends on your ethnic background. So blacks, hispanics and asians all have very different accents distinct from one another and definitely do not have the "NY" accent you would hear from many caucasians.

Asians (whether East Asian or South Asian) who were brought up here pretty much all sound the same with a Western or mid-Western accent. I'm ethically South Asian and I know I have either a Western or mid-Western accent but I'm trying to figure out which one I incline toward more, and wanted everyone's input. I wanted to know for myself as well as just to be able to explain it accurately to non-American fiends.

I think I'm a mix of both? I have the cot-caught merger. I say are and our the same way too. But some words I seem to have a twang, like for man or hand I would say mayn or hayn, and sometimes it's quite heavy with words like can't (cayyynt).

Dialect-wise I say like and omg all the time, but also say yooo a lot.

I don't know what other distinctions there are, please do chip in!

PS- I'm from NYC so am not speaking for upstate folks.

Thaaanks

[theraven24]

Based on what you're telling us, I would believe you don't sound like a Westerner.

[UmmJ]

I also pronounce these words (in each line) the same:

-on, don (dawn)
-stalk, stock (stawk)
-coller, caller (caw-lur)
-merry, marry, Mary
-after (af-tur), laughter
-hand, and (ayynd)

But words like these different for some reason:

-can (cahn) vs can't (cayynt)

I don't know what I am anymore!

But I recorded a 20 sec audio before I give anyone a headache, here is the paragraph I read:

Amy handed the pen back to Brian. She wanted to wash her hands immediately, but settled on wiping them on her jeans. The look on Brian's face when she did this sent a pin-pricking sensation through her. She knew she shouldn't be so hard on him. After all, she thought, he is my brother. I shouldn't be so angry all the time. And he is doing us a great service by helping us out this summer.

Here is the audio:
http://vocaroo.com/i/s1KYfVEiARKH

So what would I fall under?
Thanks again guys!

[saibot]

Originally Posted by UmmJ

But some words I seem to have a twang, like for man or hand I would say mayn or hayn, and sometimes it's quite heavy with words like can't (cayyynt).

This pronunciation is Midwestern or Southern. Not Western.

But, when I listen to your audio, I don't hear the "ay" sound when you say "hand." Your accent sounds very neutral (General American) in that recording.

[UmmJ]

Thanks for your reply!

But where would "General American" fall regionally though? I read in a lot of places that it is Mid-Western (in a very general sense, because I also read there are variations within the Mid-Western accent as well).

[saibot]

Originally Posted by UmmJ

Thanks for your reply!

But where would "General American" fall regionally though? I read in a lot of places that it is Mid-Western (in a very general sense, because I also read there are variations within the Mid-Western accent as well).

It's called "General American" because it can be heard in very large portions of the country.

From Wikipedia: General American (abbreviated as GA or GenAm) is an umbrella variety of American English--a spectrum of accents--unified by a sound system separate from the dialects of the American South and East coast, but today widespread throughout the United State.

Yes, supposedly there is a small area of the Midwest that is "most similar" to this accent but I can't tell enough from the short recording you posted to be able to pin you down more specifically than that.

[UmmJ]

Thanks, it makes sense now!