Minnesota Accent (Bloomington, Virginia, Wyoming: hotel, living, vacation)

[FJhg]

Yes it is pretty strong. I find it more pronounced in females for some reason. The sound of passive aggression, just kidding... I've never been a fan of the accent, it does not sound appealing like a southern accent might. To me 'West' people don't really have an accent, they just sound 'normal' with no real drawls. Interestingly I don't seem to hear it on my Minnesotan friend who has lived their his whole life, maybe I'm just used to the way he sounds so an accent disappears and I suppose it's possible to never develop the accent. His wife I feel like I can hear it a bit more but not super strong.

[LeTraveler]

Originally Posted by ColdLover27

It's already been touched on a little, but another question. Do Minnesotans also actually say "don'tcha know" "you betcha" "you know" "oh for cute" etc?

Never heard "you betcha" but I've heard "don'tchaknow," a couple of times from older people who were from north of the cities. The "cha" instead of "you", more generally, I hear fairly often. There are some unique words and phrases. My favorite is "spendy".

Originally Posted by FJhg

I've never been a fan of the accent, it does not sound appealing like a southern accent might.

So surprised to read this.

Coming most recently from the South I had a strong dislike for southern accents. Hearing them day in, day out was awful (no offense to any Southerners reading). To make it worse, more than a third of the time I couldn't understand them. I've never not understood someone with a Minnesotan accent. Minnesotan accents are far, far more appealing, IMO, but to each their own.

[FJhg]

Originally Posted by LeTraveler

Never heard "you betcha" but I've heard "don'tchaknow," a couple of times from older people who were from north of the cities. The "cha" instead of "you", more generally, I hear fairly often. There are some unique words and phrases. My favorite is "spendy".



So surprised to read this.

Coming most recently from the South I had a strong dislike for southern accents. Hearing them day in, day out was awful (no offense to any Southerners reading). To make it worse, more than a third of the time I couldn't understand them. I've never not understood someone with a Minnesotan accent. Minnesotan accents are far, far more appealing, IMO, but to each their own.

Well I guess I mean a mild southern accent not a super strong one. You are right as far as accents go MN ones are pretty mild and not difficult to understand. Just something about them that annoys me I guess it's a personal thing. Ironically for all I know I have a mild MN accent, I did live there for a decade.

[LeTraveler]

Originally Posted by FJhg

Well I guess I mean a mild southern accent not a super strong one.

Not to me. It's just one of those things.

Originally Posted by FJhg

You are right as far as accents go MN ones are pretty mild and not difficult to understand. Just something about them that annoys me I guess it's a personal thing. Ironically for all I know I have a mild MN accent, I did live there for a decade.

If you lived there in your formative years, maybe. Some Minnesotans have basically no accent or have managed to get rid of it. However, that long "o", (like in "go") always seems to make an appearance, especially when they are relaxed.

[Ghengis]

Originally Posted by LeTraveler

Never heard "you betcha" but I've heard "don'tchaknow," a couple of times from older people who were from north of the cities. The "cha" instead of "you", more generally, I hear fairly often. There are some unique words and phrases. My favorite is "spendy"....

I think I say that about six times a day

[ColdLover27]

Originally Posted by LeTraveler

Never heard "you betcha" but I've heard "don'tchaknow," a couple of times from older people who were from north of the cities. The "cha" instead of "you", more generally, I hear fairly often. There are some unique words and phrases. My favorite is "spendy".



So surprised to read this.

Coming most recently from the South I had a strong dislike for southern accents. Hearing them day in, day out was awful (no offense to any Southerners reading). To make it worse, more than a third of the time I couldn't understand them. I've never not understood someone with a Minnesotan accent. Minnesotan accents are far, far more appealing, IMO, but to each their own.

I've lived in the deep south my whole life and I get sick of the accent myself. I guess it doesn't sound too strong, but I just hate it. Minnesotan accents on the other hand...

[jennifat]

Originally Posted by FJhg

To me 'West' people don't really have an accent, they just sound 'normal' with no real drawls.

Yeah they do. For me it's Californians that have the most distinct accent out West, but you'll hear it to a lesser degree all the way up the West Coast, too. My relatives in Seattle have it pretty bad.

People out West say things like "bahg" or "bah-og" (bag) with a dipthong in the middle. I find that accent irritating. It's mostly how long and short 'a' sounds are pronounced.

"Dod, can you put thot letter in the mailbohx? Mohm forgoht it". If you've ever watched "Little People, Big World", all of the Roloff kids (born and raised just outside of Portland) speak exactly like that. The mom, Amy, speaks normally without an accent because she's a Michigander.

The SNL sketch "The Californians" plays off an extremely exaggerated form of the accent, which is very noticeable to Upper Midwestern ears.

[Citykid3785]

Originally Posted by jennifat

Yeah they do. For me it's Californians that have the most distinct accent out West, but you'll hear it to a lesser degree all the way up the West Coast, too. My relatives in Seattle have it pretty bad.

People out West say things like "bahg" or "bah-og" (bag) with a dipthong in the middle. I find that accent irritating. It's mostly how long and short 'a' sounds are pronounced.

"Dod, can you put thot letter in the mailbohx? Mohm forgoht it". If you've ever watched "Little People, Big World", all of the Roloff kids (born and raised just outside of Portland) speak exactly like that. The mom, Amy, speaks normally without an accent because she's a Michigander.

The SNL sketch "The Californians" plays off an extremely exaggerated form of the accent, which is very noticeable to Upper Midwestern ears.

Yes, another great place to hear the accent is on top 40 radio stations when they do those fake/posed as real relationship advice skits. All paid actors from California with thick accents. It's like, oh, Dave Ryan is suddenly talking to a lot of people from CA?

[Lodestar]

A little off topic perhaps but it's a pet peeve of mine when newcomers here who work on radio or TV don't take the time to learn to correctly pronounce place names. They just assume the accents they brought with them.

Some of the people who programmed our automatic weather robots were really guilty of this. It's difficult to tell sometimes what area they are even talking about.

An example: wa-TAHN-wahn county instead of WAHT-n-wahn county.

But this is less an issue of accent and more an issue of professional negligence. Heh.

[Glenfield]

Originally Posted by Lodestar

A little off topic perhaps but it's a pet peeve of mine when newcomers here who work on radio or TV don't take the time to learn to correctly pronounce place names. They just assume the accents they brought with them.

Some of the people who programmed our automatic weather robots were really guilty of this. It's difficult to tell sometimes what area they are even talking about.

An example: wa-TAHN-wahn county instead of WAHT-n-wahn county.

But this is less an issue of accent and more an issue of professional negligence. Heh.

I fear that when the robots can correctly pronounce Minnesota place names, they will finally be positioned to be our masters.