Any parts of the country that have a big accent change over a small area? (island, water)

[JJG]

Originally Posted by Jay F

Is Mesquite one of the heavier Texas accent cities in DFW? I know a woman from there who has such an over the top Texas accent...which I like.

Well... Mesquite is just another suburb, so you'll get a mixed bag there.

[fluffydelusions]

Originally Posted by Spreadofknowledge

North jersey accents sound like NYC accents... And South Jersey accents sound like Philly/Delaware accents, I dont know where you get southern

The Philly/Delaware accent has a noticeable southern influence that you can hear if you are from further north. It was quite apparent to myself and everyone that came to visit me when I was living down there for a year.

[That_One_Guy]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

Also, North Jersey can be different from North Jersey. My friend from Kearny in Hudson County said Yuhs as a plural of you and pronounced Newark as Nork and Stewarts as Storts. I grew up maybe 25 miles away in a more suburban area, and we sounded very different.

Re South Jersey--there is a hilarious map on the Internet breaking down NJ into different sections, and the southwestern portion of NJ is labeled "pretty much Alabama".

Lol... I think I found it! Gotta love Google.



Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/com...kr&sh=81ea3c97

I'd say it's pretty spot on.

[Chriscross309]

Often times in WV you can tell what town/county someone is from by their accent.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by Spreadofknowledge

North jersey accents sound like NYC accents... And South Jersey accents sound like Philly/Delaware accents, I dont know where you get southern

No, North Jersey accents don't sound like NYC accents. Biggest difference is that NJ clearly pronounces the R and New York doesn't.

--born and lived in NJ most of my life, worked in the city for more than 30 years.

Now people who moved to NJ from the city have NYC accents, but that doesn't morph it into a Jersey accent.

[Mightyqueen801]

Originally Posted by That_One_Guy

Lol... I think I found it! Gotta love Google.



Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/MapPorn/com...kr&sh=81ea3c97

I'd say it's pretty spot on.

It's close! I live in Bankers and Businessmen, and one of my neighbors works for Kevin Smith (who made "Clerks").

[Jay F]

Originally Posted by Chriscross309

Often times in WV you can tell what town/county someone is from by their accent.

I heard someone call into a radio talk show from Huntington West Virginia and to my surprise they had a northeastern accent.

[That_One_Guy]

Originally Posted by Mightyqueen801

It's close! I live in Bankers and Businessmen, and one of my neighbors works for Kevin Smith (who made "Clerks").

My favorite is "Ghetto in the woods"

[sub]

Northeast Ohio-West Virginia-Western Pennsylvania.
All sorts of different things going on there.

As for Kansas City, I've known several people born and raised there. One will sound like they're from Chicago, another talks like they just came up from Arkansas, while many others qualify for that "nuetral" sound.
Some parts of far southern Missouri are the same way but without the Chicago part. Not as consisently southern as one would think though it is very prevalent.

[2e1m5a]

Definitely the Mid-Atlantic with Philly, NYC, Baltimore, DC, Amish Country. Lehigh Valley, and many more including maybe the most interesting accent in the US-the tidewater VA accent on a small island that sounds similar to 1700's British.
I don't think there is anywhere in the US that has so many accent changes in such a small area.