This is weird...

[leethet]

...because I"m California born and bred and lived-all-my-life. Which means, if there is a California accent, I don't seem to have it.

Which American accent do you have? Neutral You're not Northern, Southern, or Western, you`re just plain -American-. Your national identity is more important than your local identity, because you don`t really have a local identity. You might be from the region in that map, which is defined by this kind of accent, but you could easily not be. Or maybe you just moved around a lot growing up.

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Comments

[nsandik.livejournal.com]

I think you just have a very good ear and assimilate a lot of different voices you hear both in person and on television. TV has done an amazing job of turning more of us into national rather than regional speakers. Fear not! You are awesome!

[leethet.livejournal.com]

You know, I think you're right - TV has broadened and smoothed a lot of regional accents. But I think it's also true that the California/Western accent is kind of subtle (and of course, the way one's parents speak can affect it a great deal - my dad was born in Massachusetts and raised in England, so he didn't talk like the other California parents *G*).

And yes, I am awesome. ;-) We all are - we just all pronounce it differently.

[tgabrielle.livejournal.com]

I do think a true Californian accent is American and hard to place, not that the rest of us don't have American accents. It's just the Californian one seems quintessentially American. While I don't know what you sound like, Jane Fonda's voice would provide the template for what I would imagine to be a true Californian accent, neither this nor that. Do you agree?

[leethet.livejournal.com]

Hm ... let me "visualize" - or "auralize" - her voice for a second ...maybe. She kind of overemphasizes her Rs in a way I think of as more midwestern/Eastern. (I'm hearing her say "Pygar!" for some reason *g*). I'm trying and failing to think of a well-known person who sounds like a Californian. I do believe there probably is a California/Western states accent, but like you say, it's probably hard to place. A lot of American accents are subtle (to me, at least): I didn't fully realize a friend was from Boston until he said the name "Terri" and it came out "Tahry." That was eye-opening. :-) Nothing else distinguished his speech from mine 'til then. :-)

[akane42me.livejournal.com]

Just popping in to tell you I missed you on the mfuwss Element Challenge this time around. Hope all is well.

[leethet.livejournal.com]

:-) Thanks. I wanted to, but I just got too caught up with RL junk to be able to sit and come up with a "fire" drabble, sadly!