Anyone else notice a Sacramento accent? (Fresno, Redding: living in, store, farmer)

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by KC6ZLV

Pronunciation varies very little in most of the Western United States. The most noticeable difference is going to be the usage of informal language and slang. There are some slight differences in pronunciation of some words in various subregions, such as the pen/pin merger in the San Joaquin Valley and Southern California, and many people from about Sacramento and north pronounce the 'h' in herb. But these are things you would have to listen for. The pen/pin merger is somewhat of a southern thing, but occurs in many other parts of the country. The pronunciation of 'h' in herb is probably only accepted in Northern California/Oregon/Washington ( I don't hear it in other parts of the country). So, singling out those individual variants in pronunciation isn't likely to clue you in to what city people are from.

I think the ultimate origin of our accent is Western TN, but way back, as in the early 1800s in that region. Of course the accent there became more Deep South more recently. Ours is some sort of relic of the original frontier Mid South accent. Makes sense given the fact that mountain men and others skilled in dealing with the frontier hailed from the original post War for Independence frontier of places like Western parts of TN and KY.

[ragnarkar]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

There is a sort of watered down southwestern or western "cowboy twang" that exists among non transplants or in areas with a high "Sons of the Golden West" to transplant ratio. At its extreme, for example, the word "other" comes out sounding almost like the first syllable is trying to rhyme with the "ot" in "otter" but not quite getting there. "O-ah-ther." And of course the dropped ultimate "g," the exaggerated "l," emphasis in the first syllable of "concrete" etc.

Listen to Stan Ridgway (not from the Central Valley, actually from eastern Kern County) - he speaks like this.

Part of how I discovered this was hearing myself on a recording. BTW - I'm not from the Central Valley either, I'm from the Bay Area - SF outer lands and later the burbs.

Yeah, I've noticed it in the Davis and Woodland areas.. some of the locals (not students) had a slight Southern feel in their speech.. I also hear on the music of some of the Central Valley bands (notably Grandaddy..)

[Mr. Ozo]

Said this before, but we have an "Texas/Okie" influence in our speech from the Dustbowl migration of the 30's. It's stronger the older you are and the closer you are to Bakersfield.

[DMenscha]

You must visit Oakdale. I swear everyone there speaks with an Oklahoma accent so thick you feel like you've been transported there.

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by DMenscha

You must visit Oakdale. I swear everyone there speaks with an Oklahoma accent so thick you feel like you've been transported there.

That's not true. I lived there seven years (from second grade to freshman in high school). The only people with Oklahoma accents there are the ones who were actually from Oklahoma (like my parents). Oakdale is probably the least "Okie" town in the San Joaquin Valley. Most people there are Bay Area refugees and Portuguese and Dutch dairymen. Its not even close to towns and cities farther south in the valley as far as a "Dust Bowl" migration flavor goes.

[KC6ZLV]

Originally Posted by BayAreaHillbilly

I think the ultimate origin of our accent is Western TN, but way back, as in the early 1800s in that region. Of course the accent there became more Deep South more recently. Ours is some sort of relic of the original frontier Mid South accent. Makes sense given the fact that mountain men and others skilled in dealing with the frontier hailed from the original post War for Independence frontier of places like Western parts of TN and KY.

The San Joaquin Valley has an influence from the "Okies" who came here during the Great Depression. That is where he pin/pen merger came from.

Most of Northern California and the Northwest is said to have influences from Pennsylvania and areas to the west of Pennsylvania, known as the East Midland dialect (the other Midland dialects didn't exist at the time). That dialect moved westward along the route of the Transcontinental railroad. Dialects in general followed a movement to east to west in the United States, moving along with the expansion which was east to west rather than north and south.

Of course, that was then, and now it has changed due to people moving within the western portion of the country. Linguists who study dialects are still able to find some similarities between the dialect in Portland and Sacramento with dialects in the eastern part of the country.

Linguistic Geography of the United States

If you want to see where the Oklahoma/TX Panhandle type of speech is found in California, look at the San Joaquin Valley and in areas of Southern Calfornia where there is a merger of pin/pen.

American English Dialects

[NinaN]

I think everyone in Sacramento has an accent. Of course, they all think I'm the one with the accent.:-) I suppose it's all just a matter of perspective. People that pay close attention could probably distinguish an accent from city to city within a state. Most people don't.

[Marsh511]

It seems only those who grow almonds in the Escalon/Oakdale area pronounce it "A-munds" instead of "Ahl-monds"....

Originally Posted by NinaN

I think everyone in Sacramento has an accent. Of course, they all think I'm the one with the accent.:-) I suppose it's all just a matter of perspective. People that pay close attention could probably distinguish an accent from city to city within a state. Most people don't.

[caligirlz]

Originally Posted by Marsh511

It seems only those who grow almonds in the Escalon/Oakdale area pronounce it "A-munds" instead of "Ahl-monds"....

People from the south say a-munds too instead of the correct CV way of ahl-monds.

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by Marsh511

It seems only those who grow almonds in the Escalon/Oakdale area pronounce it "A-munds" instead of "Ahl-monds"....

That seems to be a statewide thing among almond growers. I spent 8 years of my childhood on a small almond farm in Durham. My grandmother, oddly enough, was a stickler for proper English and stubbornly refused to use the colloquial pronunciation.

You know the old joke, right? Almonds are harvested by a "shaker" that grabs the trunk of the tree, shakes it violently, and the dry nuts come raining down. We shake 'em so hard we shake the 'ell out of 'em.