When I was in San Jose a couple of days ago, I was talking to this sales guy from Philly. We started talking about Hockey when he asked me where I was from. When he and the Chicago sales guy got done taunting me, the guy from Philly says "Yeah, I figured that 'cause youse definitely got a Michigan accent".
I guess I must have shaken off my drunken Minnesotan slur (although it does come back every once in a while). The funny thing is I can't figure out where I might have gotten it back AND, sadly, I do recognize Michigan accents and while difficult to detect it is distinct.
The funny thing is that I tend to identify temperment before accent with folks from the US. As you go east, folks tend to be more direct, aggressive and less veiled in their intentions. Very gritty and loyal. As one moves west, it tends the other way. In any event, it was pretty funny talking to the Philly guy since we have a friend in common who is from Bean town who played on the RPI National Champ team in the mid 80's (The one with Adam Oates and Darren Poooooopa) who is a true Nor-Easter. Everything with this guy boiled down to "If we were in bean town or Philly we'd just "take care of it outside."
I think I'll have to see if I can get relocated to our New England design center :-)
-P
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BTW, I heard somebody ask for the next "IN line" yesterday. Must have been a transplant.
Did you say Tennis shoes or pop. That is a big give-away for the Detroiter.
I don't think there was any word issue unless Guiness is ordered differently in other places.
On, in, is there really a difference?
:)
-P
Kind of funny, I was having a discussion the other day about what a "midwest accent" was. It exists, but I don't know how to define it.
Also, I don't know how to define the "midwest". Which states are in and out? Seems very nebulous.
KC
When I lived in Minnesoootaahhh, they considered Detroit "East Coast". I could never figure that out. Michigan appears to be a disputed Midwest state.
The most concrete definition I have ever heard, which I don't necessarily agree with, is that the Midwest is defined by those states West of the Mississippi and East of the Rockies. No North/South came along with it, but I presume it is everything north of Texas and Louisiana which should restrict things to the "Plains" states.
As for "accents", I remember one of my elementary school teachers commenting that the Michigan accent, in particular, was characterized by the most accurate phonetic pronunciation of words.
-P
Yes, I agree Michigan to be a "disputed state" in terms of being in the midwest. One opinion I heard was that which states you think are in the midwest depends on where you live. I guess that is true.
If you think that midwest accent is "characterized by the most accurate phonetic pronunciation of words." that would imply that there is no accent at all. I disagree with that, I have to say.
There are at least two words Ann consistently mispronounces (and most people in Michigan do too, I think) and that is "aunt" and "route". She says ant and rowte.
I shouldn't talk, though because tomorrow when I am hanging with my family I will start talking all Boston-ish (at least Ann says that happens to me)!
KC
Yeah, the "a" sound is a key indicator. That and mass consumption of casseroles, but I digress... For all I know Casseroles are also an East Coast thing too.
-P
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