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May, 2025

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American Dialect Quiz

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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
So, NYT put out this online quiz some years ago and it's actually a pretty fun party game to play, and see where everyone's dialect really comes from.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/dialect-quiz-map.html



I consistently get pinpointed exactly where I am from. It's surprisingly accurate. Santa Rosa, Stockton, and Sacramento are all equidistant to where I was born and raised, and the hot spot around Northern California and Northern Nevada makes a ton of sense, given that's where Ive spent most of my life.




It also shows you where you're least similar. Southerners, and Philadelphians, I talk nothing like you.





Take the quiz, and screenshot your dialect.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/upshot/dialect-quiz-map.html
3 years ago
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TOAST.
Posts: 7756 - Karma: 39,766


Red area in PA checks out
3 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
TOAST.Red area in PA checks out


People in the California Central Valley sound like they're from PA anyway.
3 years ago
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oldmanski
Posts: 3620 - Karma: 27,076

I guess home is where the heart is,lol.
3 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,290
As someone with an Ottawa Valley dialect it doesn't seem to be able to put me in any single area, although the darkest red is upstate NY/Vermont which makes sense. Any Brits or Aussies here? Would be curious to see what the results are.

Most similar cities:
Honolulu
Newark (NJ)
Pembroke Pines (FL)

3 years ago
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_IRRELEVANT_
Posts: 944 - Karma: 4,427
Mine doesn’t seem to have a very broad reach and being from nh it was pretty close
3 years ago
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mountaindewgirl
Posts: 2317 - Karma: 21,132
Western as all hell


3 years ago
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mountaindewgirl
Posts: 2317 - Karma: 21,132
I am a creature of the Continental Divide.

In nature,
Powerful as an eagle!
Graceful as a swan!

Surrounded by 4 walls,
A honking, shit-covered mess.





**This post was edited on Mar 9th 2022 at 10:52:10am
3 years ago
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Abomber22
Posts: 3053 - Karma: 5,254



larilinesignI am a creature of the Continental Divide.

In nature,
Powerful as an eagle!
Graceful as a swan!

Surrounded by 4 walls,
A honking, shit-covered mess.





**This post was edited on Mar 9th 2022 at 10:52:10am
3 years ago
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HypeBeast
Posts: 10077 - Karma: 76,363

Pretty accurate considering I'm from NE Ohio.
3 years ago
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Kevinb5
Posts: 190 - Karma: 2,063


This makes total sense because I lived in Southern California/ Irvine until a couple years ago. I now live in the south and talk differently than everyone else here.
3 years ago
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Jems
Posts: 7739 - Karma: 101,241


guessed pretty good for the mpls area
3 years ago
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0sum
Posts: 185 - Karma: 1,638
coronaAs someone with an Ottawa Valley dialect it doesn't seem to be able to put me in any single area, although the darkest red is upstate NY/Vermont which makes sense. Any Brits or Aussies here? Would be curious to see what the results are.

Most similar cities:
Honolulu
Newark (NJ)
Pembroke Pines (FL)



British here just did it. Guess I got the most international places? Questions were interesting though loads of terms for things I just never thought of before. Rubbernecking, the area between pavement and road, the so many different terms for raining in the sun and weird names for roundabouts. Do people actually give the night before Halloween a name?


3 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
HypeBeast

Pretty accurate considering I'm from NE Ohio.


That Akron 'A'

'Can I get yew some Snyaks?'
3 years ago
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IHatePedophiles
Posts: 714 - Karma: -6,987
EST STOCKTON FOO OXNARD REPRESENT 🎱🎭🎭📍
3 years ago
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Sdot.
Posts: 4103 - Karma: 4,487
Well that’s very specific.
3 years ago
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Rparr
Posts: 5755 - Karma: 49,127
DingoSeanThat Akron 'A'

'Can I get yew some Snyaks?'


Holy fuck I grew up like 20 min from akron and this just clicked for me for the first time


akron is a disgusting shithole btw
3 years ago
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OregonDead
Posts: 7074 - Karma: 26,638

the rural west. I wonder what the smallest towns are that are on the list for most similar. I'm not surprised it picked Spokane and Santa Rosa over Portland or Seattle
3 years ago
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switchlip2
Posts: 2142 - Karma: 25,179
I’ve been told I don’t talk like a skier
3 years ago
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Sdot.
Posts: 4103 - Karma: 4,487
It’s worth noting I was being serious. I was born in Alaska, have lived in Anchorage most of my life, and my mom is from Napa, CA, so it makes sense. Nebraska is interesting, though.
Sdot.Well that’s very specific.
3 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
Sdot.Well that’s very specific.


It nailed you on Anchorage.
3 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
Did anyone else get the question where 'The Devil is Beating his Wife' is a legitimate answer for when the sun is out while it's raining?

Only in the fucking South would that be even remotely appropro...
3 years ago
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ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6448 - Karma: 70,207
Denver and Aurora, it's got me pretty pinned 😂
3 years ago
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X_MEMESWERVE_XX
Posts: 3945 - Karma: 33,347

never been to Arizona but all of my family are from Idaho and I lived in western CO for while so ig it balances out and makes sense
3 years ago
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swherity
Posts: 248 - Karma: 1,561
it put me in california and nevada but i live in spokane washington although most of my life has been on the coast so id say its pretty solid
3 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
SimonWherityit put me in california and nevada but i live in spokane washington although most of my life has been on the coast so id say its pretty solid


Take it again. If it gives you the 'large wild cat' question, answer 'cougar' and it will probably change you to Washington real quickly. It doesn't give you all the questions every time, there's at least a few dozen that it doesnt give in every test.
3 years ago
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Casey
Posts: 8017 - Karma: 26,918
Not sure where SLC came from but otherwise they got me pinned down
3 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
CaseyNot sure where SLC came from but otherwise they got me pinned down


My cousin from Olympia got this same thing. I think it's if you call a roly-poly a potato bug...
3 years ago
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Squirtle
Posts: 288 - Karma: 1,584
Oh, you betcha!


From Duluth, MN
3 years ago
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ModMommy
Posts: 10877 - Karma: 58,290

yeah i was born in Il, spent elementary school in WI, and then went to college in MT. Never lost my Midwest accent while living in NV and it has back stronger the longer I’ve been in MT. Apparently I sound like an Albertan these days.
3 years ago
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dognutsdogfart
Posts: 2628 - Karma: 35,156
I am Canadian but apparently i talk like pretty much all of the us
3 years ago
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Biffbarf
Posts: 7439 - Karma: 79,720
ReturnToMonkey
Denver and Aurora, it's got me pretty pinned 😂


Same, cept got some springs in there too idk how it's different lol
3 years ago
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Sdot.
Posts: 4103 - Karma: 4,487
You mean millipedes?
DingoSeanMy cousin from Olympia got this same thing. I think it's if you call a roly-poly a potato bug...
3 years ago
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PacificRimJob
Posts: 24730 - Karma: 30,008
Sdot.You mean millipedes?


Negative. Those are very different. This is what they were talking about.



3 years ago
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Casey
Posts: 8017 - Karma: 26,918
DingoSeanNegative. Those are very different. This is what they were talking about.





Kids play with potato bugs, I think millipedes are poisonous 😂
3 years ago
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ReturnToMonkey
Posts: 6448 - Karma: 70,207
Millipedes emit an irritating fluid which some people are allergic to, but it's not really poisonous. Those people get lasting rashes or blisters but it's uncommon. Basically just don't touch your face after handling one and wash your hands. Centipedes, on the other hand, have venomous bites that seem to be similar to mild-moderate spider bites
CaseyKids play with potato bugs, I think millipedes are poisonous 😂
3 years ago
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Casey
Posts: 8017 - Karma: 26,918
ReturnToMonkeyMillipedes emit an irritating fluid which some people are allergic to, but it's not really poisonous. Those people get lasting rashes or blisters but it's uncommon. Basically just don't touch your face after handling one and wash your hands. Centipedes, on the other hand, have venomous bites that seem to be similar to mild-moderate spider bites


I thought one produced cyanide in their bites. Either way they are scary AF and I don’t mess around
3 years ago
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Sdot.
Posts: 4103 - Karma: 4,487
I've never seen them up here, but I've definitely seen them in CA and NC. We have a ton of centipedes up here, which I absolutely hate.
DingoSeanNegative. Those are very different. This is what they were talking about.



3 years ago
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WoFlowz
Posts: 8096 - Karma: 64,485


Dark red in the Midwest and western NY/Pa checks out
3 years ago
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GrapeHunter
Posts: 2406 - Karma: 8,779
my map is different wtf did they just want my SSN?
3 years ago
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Abomber22
Posts: 3053 - Karma: 5,254
I'm an hour south of Buffalo... I drive through Des Moines to hunt.
So ya.
3 years ago
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r00kie
Posts: 5238 - Karma: 59,602
Had me absolutely pegged lol.
3 years ago
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johnoble
Posts: 272 - Karma: 2,627
coronaAs someone with an Ottawa Valley dialect it doesn't seem to be able to put me in any single area, although the darkest red is upstate NY/Vermont which makes sense. Any Brits or Aussies here? Would be curious to see what the results are.

Most similar cities:
Honolulu
Newark (NJ)
Pembroke Pines (FL)



As a central ontarian(peterborough), i got put solidly in arizona as my most similar cities, though lots of red in the midwest too
3 years ago
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Abomber22
Posts: 3053 - Karma: 5,254
Cuz it's English, not Canlish
johnobleAs a central ontarian(peterborough), i got put solidly in arizona as my most similar cities, though lots of red in the midwest too
3 years ago
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corona
Posts: 12845 - Karma: 33,290
DingoSeanNegative. Those are very different. This is what they were talking about.





Those are woodlice or slaters to me.
3 years ago
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asparagus
Posts: 2500 - Karma: 28,453
coronaAs someone with an Ottawa Valley dialect it doesn't seem to be able to put me in any single area, although the darkest red is upstate NY/Vermont which makes sense. Any Brits or Aussies here? Would be curious to see what the results are.

Most similar cities:
Honolulu
Newark (NJ)
Pembroke Pines (FL)



also from ottawa and got pembroke, miami and boston
3 years ago
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maaattt
Posts: 2765 - Karma: 33,663


Lived in southeast Alaska, northern Nevada, and northern California in order of time spent


Dads family is from deep Missouri

**This post was edited on Mar 10th 2022 at 2:54:24pm
3 years ago
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Slowbro
Posts: 4130 - Karma: 24,623
I'm Albertan, but apparently my dialect is 100% Florida?
3 years ago
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BrandoComando
Posts: 1486 - Karma: 18,798
Lol I spent the first 17 years of my life in Sacramento and the last 7 in Reno. It checks out
3 years ago
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