Did I Shave My Legs For This?

Last night, after watching my new favorite TV-via internet crush--Law and Order UK-- I got to thinking about accents.

I've always felt that I had a rather poor showing when it comes to accents. I mean, in Britain everyone crosses (crawssez) their t's (thair tee's) and rounds their r's quite (rowndz thair arr's qwIte) nicely. Their speech has character (kairecht'r).

Where in America we-seem-to-just-talk-in-a-flat-montone-and-as-if-we-are-all-running-late-for-work. So I got to wondering, last night, what my accent really is. Do I have one? How would someone from Britain describe it? Do they think that their speech is melodic or monotonous?

Once, in a store just outside of London the sales lady asked me if she was correct in hearing a little "twang" in my speech.

Twang?

That makes me feel like I'm a li'l lady from Texas. Except that in Texas they take pride in size... so I'd probably be a big lady from Texas.

Here in South Dakota they all say bag like beg and speak with hard O's like in Canada, but I'm not from South Dakota. I'm from Idaho where accents are non-existant. The only thing I can claim is that I say crik instead of creek.

So what does an average, non accented American accent sound like? I thought I'd record myself talking and give you all the chance to tell me what you think.

If you know anyone from somewhere else... convince them to chime in. I'd really like to know!

For anyone rss-ing this or reading on facebook you'll have to see the video at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xqaf6w9-BDk

Comments

I am from Arizona and I have no accent, well I am Mexican so I have a sight accent.
BS5 Blogger said…
Heck yes, you have an accent! It's a pretty one though.

All that said I don't think I have one, but you probably think I do!
Anonymous said…
My thoughts are that you have an American accent. You don't sound like you're from the south or new york etc.... so it must be a northwestern accent.

Warshington....always makes me laugh. My mother says warsh too. I used to say ambliance until someone pointed out to me that i wasn't saying it correctly.

So where's the follow up on the crafty thing?? I want to know if you did make the lamp and if not what you did make.
Cannwin said…
@BS5 Blogger Why thank you. But what I want to know is what does it sound like!? And your even accent comes out in the way you write... sometimes I have no idea what you are saying. All those colloquialisms and what not. :)
Cannwin said…
@Ivy

I have a friend who said Tukson forever before someone told her that the 'c' is silent in Tucson. :)

The voting ends either today or tomorrow on the crafts and then I can tell you!

I will, however divulge that my project made the top ten, so I am in the contest!! woo hoo!
Cannwin said…
@Melissa: Write it in Lipstick

I adore any accent. And being Mexican just makes it better because then you get the gorgeous complexional to go with it. I've now become super jealous of you, and if you are bilingual I will be so envious as to imagine myself as you for several days. ;)
Sarah said…
We had an exchange student from Serbia and she said Americans talk like we have marbles in our mouths.

But I think everyone has their own idiosyncrasies. I used to say "antana" instead of antenna and "milnk" instead of "milk." My roommate from Texas always said "melk." It's just a weird word!
Cannwin said…
I get teased because I say 'sherbeRt' instead of 'sherbET'

:)

Marbles in our mouths huh?

Like 'the rain in spain falls mainly in the plains'?
Anonymous said…
The milnk thing reminds me. My daughter has only this year found out the word forehead is not floorhead. Haha...so funny...she makes us laugh! There are a couple other words that she puts an l in but I can't think what they are right now. I just never noticed her putting the l sound in until she had them for spelling words.
Jennifer said…
When I was in Australia it took me a while to get used to the way they end all sentences on an upswing. In other words, it sounds to the American ear as if they are making every sentence a question. To them, on the other hand, we all sound like we are bored by everything.

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