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Community => The Lounge => Topic started by: SpaceProg on December 24, 2013, 03:55:01 am

Title: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on December 24, 2013, 03:55:01 am
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2013/12/20/sunday-review/dialect-quiz-map.html?smid=pl-share

Mine didn't turn out quite like I expected in some ways, but exactly as I expected in others.  Guess I'm a Columbatlantachmond person at heart. ;)

EDIT:  added the Map
EDIT2: Columbus, Atlanta, and Richmond were the areas that met most of my dialectical traits.

(http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d36/SpaceProg/DialectMap.png)
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Art Vandelay on December 24, 2013, 07:54:45 am
Apparently Honolulu, Atlanta and Glendale are the most Australian-sounding cities in the US. Though according to some of the various options the quiz presented, you guys have some really weird names for things.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Ghoti on December 24, 2013, 10:23:51 am
I'm most similar to Spokane, Washington; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota. I'm not the least bit surprised about the Twin Cities as I've lived an hour away for most of my life, but I wasn't excepting Spokane.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: dpareja on December 24, 2013, 10:37:08 am
Boston, Honolulu and Seattle. I'm not at all surprised about Seattle considering I'm from Vancouver, BC, but I have no idea how the other two ended up there.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Zygarde on December 24, 2013, 10:47:26 am
Las Vegas, Paradise Spring and Henderson a bit weird.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Flying Mint Bunny! on December 24, 2013, 11:05:24 am
I got Spokane, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles the first time. The second time I got Los Angeles, Santa Rosa and San Francisco.

I'm kinda surprised, as I would have thought that I would get more Eastern cities, as they are at least geographically closer to England.

Also, you have drive-through liquor stores?
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist on December 24, 2013, 11:36:31 am
Omaha, Wichita and Lincoln apparently sound the most Canadian.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: clockworkgirl21 on December 24, 2013, 12:02:23 pm
Louisville, Phoenix, and Mesa. I'm such a redneck.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Ghoti on December 24, 2013, 12:40:57 pm
Also, you have drive-through liquor stores?
Yeah, but they're not hugely popular (at least where I'm at). I didn't know some folks had a special name for them, though.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: mellenORL on December 24, 2013, 01:09:12 pm
In order; Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus-Richmond. Makes sense, although I was born and raised in Miami, my mom was from Macon and Orlando (very Southern back in her day), then I lived in the city of Atlanta for 29 years. My map does show some compatibility along the southern half of the US all the way to California, though, so I would bet my Southern accent sounds somewhat less strong than Space Prog/The Doctor's does.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: gyeonghwa on December 24, 2013, 01:24:28 pm
Where'd I get the Jersey accent from? Like Newark, really? I also got Glendale and Long Beach which makes total sense since I live in the Greater Los Angeles Area.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on December 24, 2013, 01:38:35 pm
Atlanta's got a big mix of people so the 'southern drawl' isn't quite as pronounced at all there, even amongst those who have it.  Columbus, I don't know as I've never been there.  Richmond is... kinda middling, really.  There's traits from both the Southeast, and New England, then you have the people from around DC having an effect, which is kind of like Atlanta.  Lots of different accents mixing. 

I do have an accent, that much is true, but it's kind of an odd one from watching a LOT of British TV in my formative years, as well as having influences from other parts of the US (From TV and radio). 

Let's just say that I've been asked quite a few times where I was born only to tell them "Dalton, GA".   Then the inevitable "Really?"   Ah well.  I've been mistaken to have been from England, Ireland, Canada, California, ... pretty much everywhere I'm not from that speaks English, lol.

Also, you have drive-through liquor stores?
Yeah, but they're not hugely popular (at least where I'm at). I didn't know some folks had a special name for them, though.

I have never seen a drive-through liquor store in my life, but its special name should be, "The shittiest idea ever thought."

Where'd I get the Jersey accent from? Like Newark, really? I also got Glendale and Long Beach which makes total sense since I live in the Greater Los Angeles Area.

I think the test is flawed for a couple of reasons:

1. It doesn't let you select multiple responses on the same question. For instance, I use "roly poly" and "potato bug" interchangeably, as well as "highway" and "freeway," etc. This forces me to pick one and can skew the results in a certain direction.

2. It suggests answers to the test-takers rather than soliciting answers themselves. I know this is sort of inevitable when you're using this "quiz" format, but I think it might influence the test-takers' answers somewhat. Like in the bug question, my first thought when reading it was "roly poly," but when I read "potato bug" I remembered that I use the same word to refer to the same creature as well.

The thing is, I don't think it's supposed to guess where you're from or your accent, it's just showing you what parts your speech have in common with the rest of the country.  I don't think a dialect quiz CAN be completely flawless because as I've said above, people get influenced from lots of things. 
Meh, I thought it was fun to play with.

EDIT: As far as the multiple terms that one uses for the same thing, I just put down the one I used most.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Flying Mint Bunny! on December 24, 2013, 01:51:05 pm
Also, you have drive-through liquor stores?
Yeah, but they're not hugely popular (at least where I'm at). I didn't know some folks had a special name for them, though.

I have never seen a drive-through liquor store in my life, but its special name should be, "The shittiest idea ever thought."


Yeah, I can't really think of many legitimate reasons for needing to buy alcohol without even getting out of your car.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: dpareja on December 24, 2013, 01:55:15 pm
And I took it a second time and got Boston (again!), Augusta-Richmond, and Washington, DC. Now I'm even more confused.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist on December 24, 2013, 03:52:12 pm
I'd like to see an accent/dialect test that covers all English speaking regions, not just the US.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: mellenORL on December 24, 2013, 04:04:09 pm
I'm hoping for one that uses a spoken sample, but that's like orders of magnitude more sophisticated and a lot to want, really.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on December 24, 2013, 04:20:51 pm
I'd like to see an accent/dialect test that covers all English speaking regions, not just the US.

I'm hoping for one that uses a spoken sample, but that's like orders of magnitude more sophisticated and a lot to want, really.

When I get in a quizzy mood I look for stuff like that, but I've not had any luck yet.  To cover all the English-speaking world would make a hell of an exhaustive quiz with regards to data-gathering if it was to be accurate at all.  Not to mention the idea of spoken samples... t'would be quite a feat.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Flying Mint Bunny! on December 24, 2013, 04:32:13 pm
I think they did make some effort to include non-US English speakers as some of my answers came up as not being used anywhere on the map.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on December 24, 2013, 04:57:08 pm
Yeah, mine too.  Though it would have been nice if it was a world map instead of just a US map.

I probably would have gotten at least a few British red spots if so. 
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: lord gibbon on December 24, 2013, 05:32:10 pm
So, I got Miami, Boston, and San Francisco. I need to consider the possibility that I speak really weird.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: largeham on December 24, 2013, 06:01:19 pm
At first I got New Orleans, Washington DC and New York, but with strong red spots in south Florida and Hawaii. Therefore it is unsurprising that the second I took the quiz I got Honolulu, Miami and San Jose.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: JohnE on December 24, 2013, 07:25:54 pm
Apparently I have a central Californian / Salt Lake city dialect.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Radiation on December 24, 2013, 08:07:08 pm
I got Grand Rapids, MI, Rockford, IL and Madison WI.

I am not surprised that GR is my strongest spot as I live there.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Shane for Wax on December 24, 2013, 08:29:41 pm
Irving, Arlington, San Antonio.

Wait, what? I have never lived in Texas. I want a do-over.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist on December 24, 2013, 08:31:20 pm
I tried to find a Canadian dialect/accent quiz, but nothing turned up. I did find this, though: http://www.gotoquiz.com/how_canadian_are_you_1

100%. Sweet.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Flying Mint Bunny! on December 24, 2013, 08:57:48 pm
I'm 59% Canuck!
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Art Vandelay on December 24, 2013, 09:01:24 pm
0% Canuck.

Highly expected, all things considered.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Flying Mint Bunny! on December 24, 2013, 09:04:26 pm
I found a British accent one.

http://www.gotoquiz.com/results/which_british_accent_do_you_have_1

It's not very accurate though. It said I was 77% chav, which I can assure you is NOT true.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist on December 24, 2013, 10:18:37 pm
Which British accent do you have?
Your Result: Chavvy!

Well, damn.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on December 24, 2013, 10:34:37 pm
I'm 10% Canuck.

In the British accent one, I got 80% Normal.  (I'm assuming that's kinda like received pronunciation, or broadcast standard?)
My second highest rating was Chavvy (68%), so... take from that what you will.


What the heck am I?  :p
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Katsuro on December 25, 2013, 04:22:06 am
I got "Posh Totty" in the British accent one.  Which is funny because, whilst I am most certainly not posh
(I'm not sure posh people swear nearly every sentence - it's an Irish thing), a lot of people where I'm from think I'm posh because I don't have a local sounding accent and I can pronounce words correctly. Basically, in my neck of the woods not sounding like a fucking moron = posh.

My accent tends to confuse a lot of people too; most don't seem to be able to decide what my accent is and I get asked where I'm from a lot.  People tend not to even guess, they don't usually ask, "Are from [such and such a place]?" it's almost always, "Where are you from?" like they have no idea at all.

Although a lot of other people think I'm American.  Which puzzles me because I don't use American words or pronounciations; my pronounciations are very much English.  Plus I over-use the words "well" and "proper" as adjectives ("That's proper fucked," and "I'm well happy about that." for example) - that's a very distinctly Englsh habbit I picked up in uni.  I've never heard an American talk like that, ever.  Yet I talk like that all the time so I've no idea what leads people to think I'm American.

Also, when I was Australia at least one local mistook me as being Australian.  So I don't know what the fuck is going on with my accent.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Alehksunos on December 29, 2013, 04:31:49 pm
I would feel the most home in two towns of California (Modesto and Stockton) and Hawaii (Honolulu).

I also seriously had no idea drive-in liquor stores were a thing. Maybe I haven't been around one or remembered seeing one (I'm in Southeastern Texas).
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on December 29, 2013, 05:15:26 pm
They're kind of localized here and there sporadically in the Southern and Midwestern states, it seems.  I've seen one in KY, and a friend of mine mentioned one in OH and his wife knows of one in W. VA.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Shane for Wax on December 29, 2013, 06:31:58 pm
They had them up in Ohio but I haven't seen one down here.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on December 29, 2013, 06:42:11 pm
I think you're below the Brew-Thru demarcation line.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Alehksunos on December 30, 2013, 12:07:39 am
I tried the Canadian dialect quiz, and failed spectacularly (10%). I think it could be because I live almost South of the Border rather than "North of the Border."

I also tried the British dialect quiz. I ranked "Chavvy" (80%), as in those white Brits who think they're black Brits, the United Kingdom equivalent to our American "wigger."

I don't know what to say about this other than "gross."
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Sigmaleph on December 30, 2013, 12:31:29 am
Apparently my dialect comes from Boston, or somewhere in the vicinity. I've taken it three times and always get Boston, plus two other cities right next.

Which is weird, because I've never been to Boston. Or the East Coast. Or anywhere else in the US, for that matter.

My British accent is 77% Normal.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on December 30, 2013, 05:25:05 am
Like I said earlier, nowadays it doesn't really matter quite so much where you were born or grew up, as telecommunications and the world getting smaller and smaller via the internet is sort of homogenizing all of English.  I've heard terms in this country the last decade that I only heard on British TV when I was growing up.  There'll still be dialectical differences to some extent, but as far as everyday language, not counting colloquialisms and someone's Dixie showing when they get drunk...  I think it's pretty normal to show up across the board for some folks, as some are more receptive to subconsciously copying the accents they hear than others.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: mellenORL on December 30, 2013, 02:06:03 pm
Apparently my dialect comes from Boston, or somewhere in the vicinity. I've taken it three times and always get Boston, plus two other cities right next.

Which is weird, because I've never been to Boston. Or the East Coast. Or anywhere else in the US, for that matter.

My British accent is 77% Normal.

Your British accent result is key, I think, to your Boston results on the other quiz. Beacon Hill/upper class blue bloods in Boston have a posh, pommy factor to their speech.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Captain Jack Harkness on December 30, 2013, 03:16:17 pm
Although I've only taken the quiz once, I'm a bit freaked out by how much the heat map appears to have pinpointed me in the heart of the country  Having said that, there were a few times when there wasn't an "interchangeable" option, so I just had to choose just a tad arbitrarily.

Here's my map (http://nyti.ms/1k156sa)

Also...

Apparently Honolulu, Atlanta and Glendale are the most Australian-sounding cities in the US. Though according to some of the various options the quiz presented, you guys have some really weird names for things.

Not just weird names for things, but weird pronunciations of things.  Some of the pronunciation questions had answers that I had difficulty processing/imagining.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: nickiknack on January 02, 2014, 02:29:02 pm
LOL, mine is totally spot on, on my location.

NY-NJ States(very fitting given that I live in the mid-Hudson valley area of NY)
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Shane for Wax on January 02, 2014, 04:24:54 pm
I did it again (and they asked about different words this time I actually had a word for) and got Pembroke Pines, Ft. Lauderdale, and Newark. Um. Outside of Florida, I am not very similar at all to the other Southern states. My dialect comes from the North.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: shykid on January 03, 2014, 12:04:58 am
(click to show/hide)

ETA: My cities are Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, and Jacksonville. Also spoiler tag'd map.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Bezron on January 03, 2014, 04:50:25 pm
Stocton, Modesto, Fresno.  This actually makes sense, since:

1. My mother's family is from California, I have spent a lot of time there and actually lived there when I was little and again in my early 20's.
2. According to the map, those areas and Chicago are very similar in relation to dialects.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist on January 06, 2014, 07:17:25 am
Re-did it, and got fairly similar results:

(http://oi39.tinypic.com/2075l6g.jpg)
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on January 06, 2014, 12:44:34 pm
^Wow, you're very north plains-y.   I'm not even sure I know what that kind of accent would sound like.  I want to say like the folks in the movie "Fargo" but I know those were just stereotypes.

EDIT:  I couldn't help but notice it's like a direct reverse of my map, except my red extends a little farther into the west than your blue.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: The Right Honourable Mlle Antéchrist on January 06, 2014, 02:47:15 pm
I'm actually a little surprised that Wisconsin wasn't more similar, given that several Americans have told me I sound like I'm from there. Could be dialect differences, though, rather than an accent thing.

Wasn't too surprised to see Minnesota full of dark red, though.

It would be kind of neat if everyone here uploaded an audio sample of them saying some of the words from the test, so we could compare. I'm curious to hear some of your accents.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Radiation on January 06, 2014, 05:25:19 pm

It would be kind of neat if everyone here uploaded an audio sample of them saying some of the words from the test, so we could compare. I'm curious to hear some of your accents.

I actually did an accent video two years ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xyKFCpIcO7I
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Sigmaleph on January 06, 2014, 09:01:28 pm
You can always dig through the old voice thread (http://fqa.digibase.ca/index.php?topic=518.0) for samples.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Katsuro on January 07, 2014, 05:37:25 am
It would be kind of neat if everyone here uploaded an audio sample of them saying some of the words from the test, so we could compare. I'm curious to hear some of your accents.

Tempted, but I really, really fucking hate the sound of my own voice.  I coud just not listen to my own sample, but I know morbid curiosity would get the better of me, always does.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Flying Mint Bunny! on January 07, 2014, 07:12:19 am
It would be kind of neat if everyone here uploaded an audio sample of them saying some of the words from the test, so we could compare. I'm curious to hear some of your accents.

Tempted, but I really, really fucking hate the sound of my own voice.  I coud just not listen to my own sample, but I know morbid curiosity would get the better of me, always does.

Me too. I hate how my voice sounds when I hear it played back.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on January 07, 2014, 03:29:36 pm
Didn't someone(s) somewhere do a study or something that said the vast majority of people hate their own voice when it's played back to them?
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Flying Mint Bunny! on January 07, 2014, 03:51:26 pm
Didn't someone(s) somewhere do a study or something that said the vast majority of people hate their own voice when it's played back to them?

I know that you hear your own voice differently from how it actually sounds, so I wouldn't be surprised if most people had a negative reaction to hearing their own voice.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: mellenORL on January 07, 2014, 04:12:03 pm
I did it again (and they asked about different words this time I actually had a word for) and got Pembroke Pines, Ft. Lauderdale, and Newark. Um. Outside of Florida, I am not very similar at all to the other Southern states. My dialect comes from the North.

All in Broward County, which is chock full of former New Jersey-ites, for some reason. I grew up a bit down the interstate from there in Miami, so I remember that Broward County accent thing.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Rime on January 07, 2014, 08:40:48 pm
So I gave it a try.  I apparently sound like someone from Boston.  Which is strange, because I couldn't speak with a Boston twang if my life depended on it.
(http://imageshack.com/a/img5/8559/arx3.png)

Then again, I was doing a Let's Play for an old game, so maybe I could.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgenSUlulfY
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: chitoryu12 on January 07, 2014, 10:09:44 pm
Since when is "the devil is beating his wife" or "the wolf is giving birth" a slang term for rain falling on a sunny day?

In Florida, we just call that rain. We get enough of it.

Anyways, I'm most similar to Tuscon, Las Vegas, and Sunrise Manor, Nevada. I'm actually similar to the vast majority of the United States, most predominately the west, some of the Midwest, Florida, and most of New England.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on January 08, 2014, 12:36:30 am
I've heard of "The Devil is beating his wife", but I always heard it to refer to thunder, not the rain itself, nor it happening on a sunny day.

EDIT:  Brought to mind what my grandmama used to call chicken eggs.  "Henapples" or "Cackleberries".
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Ghoti on January 08, 2014, 12:43:40 am
I've heard of "The Devil is beating his wife", but I always heard it to refer to thunder, not the rain itself, nor it happening on a sunny day.

EDIT:  Brought to mind what my grandma used to call chicken eggs.  "Henapples" or "Cackleberries".
My dad calls it a "Creedence baptism", though I've never heard anyone else use that term. I assume it refers to the old CCR song asking "have you ev-aar, seen, the rain? Coming down, on a sun-ny daaay?"
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on January 08, 2014, 12:58:42 am
I've always liked that song because I can relate to it.

I like the color of the landscape when the sun is shining and there's rain.  Everything green gets more vivid and... it's hard to explain.  Never had a particular name for it.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Meshakhad on January 08, 2014, 03:04:57 am
I got West Coast, specifically California, although I did have a hot spot in New York. This makes sense, since my mother is from New York.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Shane for Wax on January 08, 2014, 02:47:05 pm
I did it again (and they asked about different words this time I actually had a word for) and got Pembroke Pines, Ft. Lauderdale, and Newark. Um. Outside of Florida, I am not very similar at all to the other Southern states. My dialect comes from the North.

All in Broward County, which is chock full of former New Jersey-ites, for some reason. I grew up a bit down the interstate from there in Miami, so I remember that Broward County accent thing.

Heh. Never been to New Jersey myself. I live in Georgia right now; born in North Dakota; lived in North Dakota, Ohio, California, Maryland, Hawaii, and Alabama.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: SpaceProg on January 08, 2014, 03:22:35 pm
Army brats tend to be kind of a mix anyway, considering the sometimes very disparate places they end up at times.
Title: Re: Dialect Quiz (Different than the ones I've seen before).
Post by: Indikins on January 08, 2014, 09:01:25 pm
Apparently, my Victorian Australian dialect vaguely matches up with Yonkers, Jersey City, New York and the north/north-east in general. Plus a little west coast and Alaska.