Anyone else notice a Sacramento accent? (Redding, Chico: transplants, live, rated)

[WesternPilgrim]

I first noticed this in Denver, listening to a couple of fellows boarding a flight with me, while returning to Sacramento after a trip to the east coast.

By golly, there's a Sacramento accent! I swear it!

[sacramento916]

Probably a general Northern CA accent, there isn't a specific Sac accent.

[BeeGlee]

Originally Posted by sacramento916

Probably a general Northern CA accent, there isn't a specific Sac accent.

This.

[wburg]

Originally Posted by BeeGlee

This.

Hella this.

[WesternPilgrim]

Originally Posted by sacramento916

Probably a general Northern CA accent, there isn't a specific Sac accent.

Maybe ... maybe not. I find the same "Sacramento accent" in Chico, Paradise, and Redding, but not in Red Bluff, Oroville, Orland, or Willows.

[BeauCharles]

Originally Posted by WesternPilgrim

Maybe ... maybe not. I find the same "Sacramento accent" in Chico, Paradise, and Redding, but not in Red Bluff, Oroville, Orland, or Willows.

I'm sorry, but your observations sound almost schizophrenic. I'm a native to this county (born in Paradise, lived in Durham, Oroville and Gridley). There is no difference in accents between Sacramento Valley towns (or any difference between them and Sacramento for that matter). I can occasionally discern a difference between the Bay Area and rural North State counties among some individuals, but that's about it.

[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.

[mr bolo]

I notice some people have a mid western sounding accent, even if they were raised in northern Ca

almost like they could be from Texas

[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 second 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.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Originally Posted by mr bolo

I notice some people have a mid western sounding accent, even if they were raised in northern Ca

almost like they could be from Texas

You are hearing correctly. That is how it sounds. It's cowboyish but the watered down version.