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View Poll Results: Which of these states have a more neutral accent
Iowa/Nebraska 31 52.54%
Washington/Oregon 28 47.46%
Voters: 59. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 10-01-2013, 01:06 PM
 
Location: Arkansas
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I don't know if there is such a thing as a "neutral" accent.
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Old 07-24-2014, 11:46 PM
 
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I'd say Iowa/Nebraska, though it's hard these days to say what a Oregon/Washington accent is due to the transplants to the region.
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Old 07-25-2014, 10:38 AM
 
Location: Milwaukee
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Katiana View Post
Many Iowans speak in an accent that is very similar to Minnesota's.
"Most" would be untrue. You're talking about the Twin Cities accent that everyone associates with the state I'm sure, and only a small percentage of people in the state have more than a subtle trace of that. Obviously, this is on the MN (and a touch on the WI) border of the state.
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Old 07-25-2014, 11:21 AM
 
Location: Louisville
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We start debates on the weirdest s*** on here
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Old 07-26-2014, 06:38 PM
 
Location: Cedar Rapids
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Here I go again with these maps! Yes, southern and southwestern Iowa do have more of a general, and bland accent. One thing to understand with that is the majority of Iowans don't live in that area, however. Outside of Des Moines, the population is centered on Eastern Iowa, primarily I-80 and north. This area, in literally all of my experience - is where you will find a more nasal, northern, accent. The culture in this area also assimilates to the upper Midwest much more than areas of Nebraska - so the two aren't actually as comparable as people think. You will here things like "gramma" "grampa" "dee-ad" for dad, and "pahp" for soda "pop" in this area. No different than Northern Illinois, which is even in latitude with Eastern Iowa, Northern Indiana, and Northern Ohio.

Keep in mind the Northern border of Iowa is even in latitude with areas like Baraboo, Wisc. whereas Illinois only stops at Beloit, and we all know how strong the accent is in that area.

As with any transitional area - you have hit or miss accents in all areas - it just depends on where peoples families are from, and where they assimilate to most. The Midwest is never cut and dry.
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Old 07-26-2014, 11:38 PM
 
Location: Auburn, New York
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For whatever it's worth, I've heard the pin/pen merger in rural Washington and Oregon, but not in Iowa and Nebraska.
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Old 07-27-2014, 11:17 PM
 
Location: Near L.A.
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There is a certain sort of Midwestern "distinction" with some, not all, native Iowan speakers, like a watered down version of the accent you'd expect to find in Minnesota or South Dakota.

For me, the clear choice in this poll is Oregon/Washington. Think Rick Steves; his voice is quite neutral.
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Old 07-28-2014, 09:20 AM
 
Location: Minneapolis (St. Louis Park)
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I heard that the PNW has the Northern Vowel Shift in their accents, making you sound a bit like MN, WI, MI, SD, ND. Iowa is a mixed basket of accents because it's surrounded by different regional accents:

Chicago and the "Da BArce" accent to the East
Missouri and the "Drawl Ya'll" accent to the South
Minnesota and the "DOncha KnOw" accent to the North
and the fairly accent-neutral areas to the West that becomes the Western U.S.


For this reason I can see why Iowa is purportedly known to have many newscasters and peoples with neutral accents. That is, neutral for an Eastern (East of the Rockies or I-29) state.
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