New York Times Dialect Quiz
NYT Dialect Quiz
Apparently, only Houston has "feeder roads." When I lived in Austin, they had the same type of road, but people didn't use that name.
Chandler and Tempe are neighboring cities so they nailed it
Do y'all say "yinz"?Quote: AZDuffmanAnyone from these parts need only answer the first one. Only folks from here call a group of people by that term.
This made me thirsty. I need a tonic. :-)
Quote: JimRockfordDo y'all say "yinz"?
"Yinzer" is a half-disparaging term for locals by transplants, it has gotten that bad.
from in MI. The runner up was
Detroit. I had no idea dialect was
so location specific. They could also
be reading my IP, which is more
likely.
Quote: EvenBobHoly crap, it nailed me right to city I'm
from in MI. The runner up was
Detroit. I had no idea dialect was
so location specific. They could also
be reading my IP, which is more
likely.
they're not reading your IP, genius. Just take the quiz and answer "wrong" and you will see they aren't
Quote: sodawaterthey're not reading your IP
I still think they see the IP, where I
live doesn't talk any different than I
see on TV. Not possible to be that
accurate, this isn't 1875.
Quote: EvenBobI still think they see the IP.
Something isn't right.
I tried it, and it finally came back with, "Map not available, save this link to keep your answers and check back later."
I checked a minute later to get, "You’re viewing another reader’s map. Click here to take the quiz and see your own."
Doesn't make sense while using a VPN, etc?
I got similar errors the first time I tried it. I went back to the original link and took it again and it worked fine ever since.Quote: KerkebetSomething isn't right.
I tried it, and it finally came back with, "Map not available, save this link to keep your answers and check back later."
I checked a minute later to get, "You’re viewing another reader’s map. Click here to take the quiz and see your own."
Doesn't make sense while using a VPN, etc?
Quote: 1BBThe results took me to Des Moines Iowa. Anyone from Des Moines? What's going on there?
Is that anywhere near Montana, and you know who?
Quote: KerkebetIs that anywhere near Montana, and you know who?
Only a couple of trains away.
Quote: EvenBobThey could also
be reading my IP, which is more
likely.
It put me in Philadelphia, where I grew up (but about 200 miles east of where I currently reside). The dialect here is closer to Pittsburgh than Philadelphia. There are very distinct differences between the two. I don't even think I have a hint of the "Philadelphia accent" left, but this quiz is based on usage, not twang.
Quote: EvenBobI still think they see the IP, where I
live doesn't talk any different than I
see on TV. Not possible to be that
accurate, this isn't 1875.
The results are generated entirely by your quiz answers. You can see that from your personal results URL, which contains every answer you gave in the address.
Quote: 1BBI took it again and checked other on every question that it was available, 21 in this case. The results took me to Des Moines Iowa. Anyone from Des Moines? What's going on there?
so that's what it was. I went with closest to the pin answers in several cases, and it put me near Chicago (suburbs) where I've never lived. I should've been more exact on the "others". I did most of my growing-up years within 150 miles of Des Moines, 5th grade thru age 25, but N, E, and W of it depending on the years. 2 years living there "legally", but I was in college at the time.
Orange County CA: 18 years
Las Vegas: 14 years
Baltimore: 9 years
Santa Barbara: 5 years
San Diego: 3 months
Indiana: 3 months
Ontario (Canada): 4 months
There were some words where I knew of the regional differences and went with what I call them now. For example, I've always used "firefly" but when I moved to Baltimore everybody corrected me when I used that term, saying they were "lightning bugs." I know they also would never say "garage sale" in favor of "yard sale" in Baltimore but in California it is almost always "garage sale." In Vegas I've seen it both ways, a little more in favor of garage sale.
Anyway, my map was very red along the California coast, with the best guesses of San Francisco, Sacramento, and Santa Rosa. Pretty close.
Finally, they are rollie-pollie bugs, dang it!
What the...?
Edit. I used to love playing with Rollie pollies when I was a little kid. Now I absolutely hate bugs.
Louisville, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Wichita, Kansas
Kentucky is geographically the closest, but I still consider the quiz to be incorrect. The mean average distance of these two cities, from me, is over 300 miles.
Although, I'm not surprised to find that my manner of speech is not comparable to that of someone who lives around here. Call me arrogant, but I like to flaunt the fact that I have a greater than second-grade education.
I had no idea that individuals from Kentucky spoke so well, but I must give credit where credit is due. I do know, however, that my pronunciations tend to compare more closely with someone from the Midwest than an Appalachian person because I refuse to speak in the manner that many of these people do, so I tip my hat to Wichita in that regard.
Additionally, I'm surprised to find that there are specific words for a good many things for which I did not know that there were specific words. Not just a specific word, but apparently, many of them. For instance, the grassy area between the sidewalk and the street, where I'm from, would just be considered part of the yard, so there's no special word for that. The grassy strip in the middle of the road, to me, is also simply known as the, "Median," unless there happens to be a grassy strip in the middle of a rural road or non-major road in a town, in which event, it is not called anything.
We also simply call the drive-through liquor store a, "Drive-Through," which interestingly, didn't appear to be an option...so, I just went with, "We have no name for this," or whatever the verbiage on that answer was.
Anyway, thanks for linking up to the quiz JimRockford! I typically don't participate in the non-gambling or sports game threads very often, but this was a rather interesting quiz and certainly worth sharing.
Lexington, KY
Louisville, KY
Akron, OH
In this case, Akron is the closest to me. I think it is close enough to call the test correct, in this instance.
Okay, three more:
Kansas City, MO
Overland Park, KS (Might as well be Kansas City)
Springfield, MO
I used to live in Kansas City, and this version of the test seemed more pronunciation-based, so these results are unsurprising.
Omaha, NE
Lincoln, NE
Columbus, OH
Columbus is reasonably close, but again, I speak more like a Midwesterner than anything, although I've only lived out there 3.23% of my life.
Wichita, KS
Overland Park, KS
Cincinnati, OH
I grew up an hour away from each. So pretty accurate.
Quote: HunterhillI also took the quiz twice. Some of the questions changed but both times it came out with Boston and Worcester.
I grew up an hour away from each. So pretty accurate.
My wife is from Worcester and got the same results as you and I. It's pronounced Woos-tah by the locals. The oo is short as in book. Drive a scant fifty miles west on the Mass Pike to Springfield and the Boston accent disappears. As soon as you cross the Connecticut River it's gone.
This is a dialect quiz which, as Daddydoc pointed out is about useage, hence my puzzlement about Des Moines. Do they not converse there? If the quiz asks the pertinent questions, shouldn't the test always be accurate? Poor boy - New Orleans, tonic - Boston etc. Accents are more difficult but no less fun. Great thread!
Quote: WizardFinally, they are rollie-pollie bugs, dang it!
Thanks Mike, I had NO idea what the reference was in that "rolled up bug" question!!
Quote: Mission146Although, I'm not surprised to find that my manner of speech is not comparable to that of someone who lives around here. Call me arrogant, but I like to flaunt the fact that I have a greater than second-grade education.
I had no idea that individuals from Kentucky spoke so well, but I must give credit where credit is due. I do know, however, that my pronunciations tend to compare more closely with someone from the Midwest than an Appalachian person because I refuse to speak in the manner that many of these people do, so I tip my hat to Wichita in that regard.
I retook the test and made a note of the questions. By far the bulk of them are related to usage, not pronunciation. In my count, 19 were "what do you call" type, while only 6 were "how do you pronounce".
Quote: EvenBobI still think they see the IP, where I
live doesn't talk any different than I
see on TV. Not possible to be that
accurate, this isn't 1875.
It's definitely not based on IP addresses. I sent the quiz to my sisters, who at the moment are on vacation in Flathead Lake Montana, and they got almost the same results (NYC) as me. Interestingly, Boston came up as one of the choices for my sister who went to college there…I think that's because she used the term "Rotary", which based on the map seems to be a very regional-specific term.
In college, even the folks from New Jersey made fun of my accent. In the army, everyone did :-)
They ... are ... PILL BUGS!!Quote: WizardFinally, they are rollie-pollie bugs, dang it!
Quote: teddysThey ... are ... PILL BUGS!!
Those weren't even the bugs that came to mind, for me. I've not seen those very often, if ever.
We have bugs around here that are gray and/or brown and black, usually some mixture of three colors, but predominantly gray. Unlike the bugs pictured above, this bugs do not have a shell or exoskeleton, whatever the case, but are covered by a bunch tiny hairs. These are hairy caterpillars, which we would just call hairy caterpillars...lol
I think that the actual name of the bug pictured above (Armadillidiidae) is appropriate given their resemblance to armadillos. Perhaps something easier to pronounce would not be out of the question, "Armadillabug?"
From your results as well as those from Babs and some others it seems that the data does not discern between Midwest towns very well. Maybe the language usage is too similar between Midwest towns or more likely the discerning characteristics are not captured by the survey.Quote: Mission146I have three spots on the map:
Louisville, Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky
Wichita, Kansas
Kentucky is geographically the closest, but I still consider the quiz to be incorrect. The mean average distance of these two cities, from me, is over 300 miles.
Although, I'm not surprised to find that my manner of speech is not comparable to that of someone who lives around here. Call me arrogant, but I like to flaunt the fact that I have a greater than second-grade education.
I had no idea that individuals from Kentucky spoke so well, but I must give credit where credit is due. I do know, however, that my pronunciations tend to compare more closely with someone from the Midwest than an Appalachian person because I refuse to speak in the manner that many of these people do, so I tip my hat to Wichita in that regard.
Thanks for saying that. I was half expecting to get an invitation to take my action to DT. I am also guilty of starting the cover song thread a couple of years ago.Quote: Mission146Anyway, thanks for linking up to the quiz JimRockford! I typically don't participate in the non-gambling or sports game threads very often, but this was a rather interesting quiz and certainly worth sharing.
Quote: teddysThey ... are ... PILL BUGS!!Quote: WizardFinally, they are rollie-pollie bugs, dang it!
Weird this question wasn't one of the 25 I was asked, but in AZ we call them Rollie pollies too.
Quote: chickenmanAmazing, dead-on for me.
In college, even the folks from New Jersey made fun of my accent. In the army, everyone did :-)
Wow, chickenman! The quiz didn't mention coffee milk, gravy on pasta, cabinets or the big blue bug and they still pegged you. Don't get me started on Del's lemonade. Somebody ask him what a cabinet is. :-)
Quote: BeardgoatQuote: teddysThey ... are ... PILL BUGS!!Quote: WizardFinally, they are rollie-pollie bugs, dang it!
Weird this question wasn't one of the 25 I was asked, but in AZ we call them Rollie pollies too.
I took it twice and didn't get this question either time. (The second time it put me in CA! huh?)
I infer that there's a narrowing based on the first few questions you answer, that you go into a queue that goes from general to more specific in order to pinpoint from area to region to state to city, something like that. And I don't think I've ever seen these bugs, so I wouldn't have known what to call them, don't know what parts of the country they occur.
Quote: Toes14I grew up in St. Louis, and have been here nearly my whole life. The quiz listed Overland Park, KS, Rockford, IL, and Fort Wayne, IN for me, despite having the darkest red matching coloration right around St. Louis. Odd. Of course I've also had people tell me I can't be from StL because I don't pronounce Highway 44 as "Farty-far".
So is it Missoureee, or missourah?
Ely, Nevada is pronounced "ee-lee" not "ee-lie."
Kearny, Nebraska is pronounced "kar-nee" not "ker-nee."
Pierre, South Dakota is pronounced "peer" not "pee-air."
And if you are an old white geezer living in Pueblo, Colorado all your life its pronounced "pew-eb-lo" no "pweb-lo."
Do you know of any other towns where its not pronounced the obvious way?
Quote: beachbumbabsAnd I don't think I've ever seen these bugs, so I wouldn't have known what to call them, don't know what parts of the country they occur.
Pretty much everywhere. They like dark, wet, and areas with a lot of detritus and/or dead foliage. So very rocky, sparsely vegetated areas, like a desert, are probably void of them. I imagine sandy, coastal areas are a tough find as well. But anywhere the above occurs, like here in the north east where there's plenty of fertile soil and a million million dead leaves, they are everywhere. Were I to pick a random 6' radius in my garden and start rooting around, finding 100 isn't out of the question.
On topic, it nailed me as well. Although while it picked Buffalo correctly, it added Rochester, and I find the two very different indeed. It is so immediately obvious when I meet a Rochan that I'm surprised they grouped them together.
As an aside, I answered the test again using UK lingo. It put me in Montgomery, Alabama. Needless to say, my opinion of thecesspit has changed dramatically
Quote: FaceAs an aside, I answered the test again using UK lingo. It put me in Montgomery, Alabama. Needless to say, my opinion of thecesspit has changed dramatically
The southern U.S. dialect is more closely related to the English dialect than the northern U.S. dialect.
I know it sounds irresponsible, but at least in Texas a drive through liquor store can't be within 1000 ft. from a drive through gun store.Quote: RS"What do you call a drive through liquor store?"
What the...?
Quote: JimRockfordI know it sounds irresponsible, but at least in Texas a drive through liquor store can't be within 1000 ft. from a drive through gun store.
In Mississippi a girl has to be 14 years old to marry. It keeps the Arkansans on their side of the river.
Quote: mickeycrimmThe southern U.S. dialect is more closely related to the English dialect than the northern U.S. dialect.
Not sure that I follow you. Seems counter intuitive.
Quote: mickeycrimmThis might be the right thread for the pronunciations of towns. The locals know how it pronounced but a lot of out-of-towners don't.
Ely, Nevada is pronounced "ee-lee" not "ee-lie."
Kearny, Nebraska is pronounced "kar-nee" not "ker-nee."
Pierre, South Dakota is pronounced "peer" not "pee-air."
And if you are an old white geezer living in Pueblo, Colorado all your life its pronounced "pew-eb-lo" no "pweb-lo."
Do you know of any other towns where its not pronounced the obvious way?
Worcester mass is wista or woosta not wor cestar
Coos county in nh is co os not coos rhymes with loose
Quote: 1BBWow, chickenman! The quiz didn't mention coffee milk, gravy on pasta, cabinets or the big blue bug and they still pegged you. Don't get me started on Del's lemonade. Somebody ask him what a cabinet is. :-)
Ok.I'll bite. What's cabinet, gravy on pasta and big blue bug.Because of the coffee milk I'm guessing you're from New England.
Quote: KerkebetNot sure that I follow you. Seems counter intuitive.
It's just what I've read. But I can't cite any sources at this point. I'll see what I can find.
Quote: HunterhillOk.I'll bite. What's cabinet, gravy on pasta and big blue bug.Because of the coffee milk I'm guessing you're from New England.
Coffee milk is milk and coffee syrup made the way you would make chocolate milk. It is the official drink of Rhode Island where, chickeman hails from and where I spent a lot of summers.
The big blue bug is the mascot that sits atop a pest control company and can be see when driving through Providence on I95.
Gravy is tomato sauce. I've heard this in New York and Jersey as well. It may be more an Italian thing. Lots of Italians in Rhode Island.
Ah, the delicious cabinet also called the coffee cabinet or just cab. Coffee ice cream, coffee syrup and milk. It's called a frappe in Boston although frappes come in different flavors while a cabinet is usually coffee.
Jeat? That's Rhode Islandeese for did you eat?
I was born in Southie which is what we call South Boston. I may leave New England at times but I always return. It's home.
