Twin Cities Accent? (Minneapolis, St. Paul, Duluth: university, living, mall)

[LittleMathYou]

There is a New Yorker accent, a Chicago accent, perhaps is there a TC accent? Some odd blend between the Minnesotan accent and something a little bit more urban? If you don't think it exists, what do you think it would be if there was one?

[Aylalou]

Hmmmmmm. Details, details.

[knke0204]

//www.city-data.com/forum/minne...-people-3.html

[bostonguy1960]

I was born in St. Paul in 1960, and left White Bear Lake in 1966. I have no family tree in Minnesota. I've lived in several states until age18 when I went to college in Boston (have lived here almost entirely since then).

While I certainly don't have a Boston accent -- and don't want one -- I also don't want a MN accent. That seems to sound as simple and stupid to me as it may to Bostonians -- and as a Boston accent may sound to a Minnesotan. Either way, I have a MN accent, despite only living here until age 6 (49 yo now) or a Buffalo accent (even worse?). I lived there from ages 7 to 11.

I'm insulted, frankly, when people say I have a midwestern, MN or Canadien accent. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but it sounds uneducated (sorry to offend, but most posters tend to be blunt here).

I met a young gay guy, and he and his friend wanted to know where my accent was from. When I said possibly MN, he called me/it/Minnesotans white trash. His parents live there, but he lives in Texas. What is there to do in MN but the Mall of AMERICA, he wondered. He thought my Fargo-type accent was amusing, I guess, even though I protested such an accent.

I'm way offf topic, but thought any input would be ok.

BTW, I always talk up the TC as educated, cultured, good healthcare, etc., to those unaware, but I doubt they believe it. One sports talk host in Boston called Mpls. the most white-bread city in America. The ignorance and superiority here in Boston, the "greatest city in the world" according to some in Boston.

When I visited the TC for the first time as an adult at age 40, a convenience store clerk said I didn't have a MN accent, but rather a Winnipeg one! I guess they'd know in the TC due to the relative proximity. My dad is from Winnipeg; I guess that accent is even worse than a MN accent?!

So that is Minnesota's image to some Americans.

[icewater]

Littlemath, i assume you aren't meaning that there's possibly a twin cities accent that differs from the rest of the state....right? Maybe The Iron Range would have a thicker accent than the less homogenized TCs. As soon as I tell someone i'm from Minnesota, they say "Yeah, Fargoooo..." or maybe "yeah sure youbetcha". While this is a caricature, i've heard some talk this way in reality. So I think that people have that movie as a grasping point for a minnesota accent. And I actually kind of like this since when I meet new people it allows me to disarm them for a second and go into like a goofy accent routine that totally breaks the ice. Definitely it can be used to one's advantage.
I like hailing from a state that's well known enough to have a consistent place in the national consciousness- silly press is better than no press. (?)

[MrMinneapolis]

Originally Posted by bostonguy1960

I was born in St. Paul in 1960, and left White Bear Lake in 1966. I have no family tree in Minnesota. I've lived in several states until age18 when I went to college in Boston (have lived here almost entirely since then).

While I certainly don't have a Boston accent -- and don't want one -- I also don't want a MN accent. That seems to sound as simple and stupid to me as it may to Bostonians -- and as a Boston accent may sound to a Minnesotan. Either way, I have a MN accent, despite only living here until age 6 (49 yo now) or a Buffalo accent (even worse?). I lived there from ages 7 to 11.

I'm insulted, frankly, when people say I have a midwestern, MN or Canadien accent. Perhaps I'm mistaken, but it sounds uneducated (sorry to offend, but most posters tend to be blunt here).

I met a young gay guy, and he and his friend wanted to know where my accent was from. When I said possibly MN, he called me/it/Minnesotans white trash. His parents live there, but he lives in Texas. What is there to do in MN but the Mall of AMERICA, he wondered. He thought my Fargo-type accent was amusing, I guess, even though I protested such an accent.

I'm way offf topic, but thought any input would be ok.

BTW, I always talk up the TC as educated, cultured, good healthcare, etc., to those unaware, but I doubt they believe it. One sports talk host in Boston called Mpls. the most white-bread city in America. The ignorance and superiority here in Boston, the "greatest city in the world" according to some in Boston.

When I visited the TC for the first time as an adult at age 40, a convenience store clerk said I didn't have a MN accent, but rather a Winnipeg one! I guess they'd know in the TC due to the relative proximity. My dad is from Winnipeg; I guess that accent is even worse than a MN accent?!

So that is Minnesota's image to some Americans.

I would backhanded that gay dude straight.


Ive been told I have an accent. I dont really care. It is what it is, what am I gonna do, try and speak differently?

Funny being judged by bostonians of all people LOL. Neurotic loudmouths ! (kidding)

[Ben Around]

As one is has long been interested in accents, I don't think there is a distinctive Twin Cities accent, which I find peculiar, since most big cities in the Eastern half of the US have their own accents. The is a very definite Minnesota accent that is easily recognizable, but I've heard it as often in rural areas of the state as in the Twin Cities. RE: the Iron Range, I'd herad it said that Governor Rudy Perpich had an Iron Range accent. Those who recall him may remember how he sometimes slurred syllables and substituted "d" for the "th" sound (e.g., "Nordeast") This may be attributed to his Slavik heritage and explains why many white ethnics in NE Mpls have the same accent is Rudy.

OTOH, Bob Dylan, also an Iron Ranger, didn't share Rudy's accent. His was more the typical MN ("Fargo") accent. Listen to some of his earlier recordings: "A complete unknowhhhhn...Like a rolling stohhhhne". Also Bob's folks were from Duluth, not the IR, so maybe that explains the dif?

[AT9]

The misconceptions about Minneapolis form people outside of the Midwest are astonishing.... when I tell people in Florida that I'm going to the University of Minnesota, they almost always ask me "why would you want to go there!?" To many people in the US, the TC's are just a frozen wasteland way up north. Little do they realize that it's a thriving, diverse, educated, metropolis. I've been living here for about a week, and I love it!

[Oildog]

I live in TX and didnt think I had an accent, but people ask if we talk like in Fargo. But they say we draw out or vowels, I havent noticed unless I met some 'country' people.

[Minneapolitan]

Originally Posted by AT9

To many people in the US, the TC's are just a frozen wasteland way up north. Little do they realize that it's a thriving, diverse, educated, metropolis. I've been living here for about a week, and I love it!

This almost makes me glad...because people who are ignorant/stupid/judgemental enough to assume the things they do about MPLS are probably better off living wherever it is they live anyway. I like that we are relatively little-known, so we only attract the open-minded enough to be able to "make par" of what it means to be a citizen here. Don't get me wrong...I DO make a valiant effort to educate the morons, but alas, people will think what they will...and that is ok to me (by-and-large).

I'm glad that you love it already!