What does a midwestern accent sound like to you?

What’re ya talkin’ aboot, eh?

When we visit my husband’s family in Wisconsin, I slip into the accent very easily. It is so far removed from my normal “non-accent” that it drives my hubby up the wall, and he complains about it.

Well, I don’t say “aboot” and “eh” at least not to my knowledge. I hope I don’t.

It sounds soothing to me. When I hear it in the movies or on the radio it sounds like people are considering what they are saying and speaking carefully.

Trust me, I am from New England. Our accents grate on people far more than yours do on us.

I don’t understand why people think Wisconsin is MidWest. It’s at the northern part of the nation, and more East than West.

@filmfann I am going off this sample to double check and it says “upper midwest”. Let me know if I am off base: http://www.accenthelp.com/products/upper-midwest-usa

@Imadethisupwithnoforethought I went to your link. It says that Alaskans have a similar accent. I think Sarah Palin’s voice is similar.

I had a plain stop in Minnesota and I specifically remember a few people, at least the stewardesses, having a different pronounciation of their o s. I really can’t describe the phonetics of it via typing, but it is almost like how a Spanish or Italian person would pronounce an o. The t s sounded like they were more pronounced as /t/ instead of /d/.
I also have heard of a Chicago accent. I first heard it from the “DA BEARS” skit on SNL with Chris Farley. He was hilarious.
@filmfann having read your post, I googled “Midwest USA” and got Wisconsin and MInnesota, etc. in all of the photos. That being said, I know someone from Kansas who “doesn’t” have an accent.

@JennyPrince Seriously, compared to the way we speak up here, it sounds very considered and sincere. I have friends in the South who worry about their accents as well and I am always surprised, because it is such a refreshing change from the way people talk on TV and in metropolitan centers.

They sound a little more nasal than the average American and they say words with ou a little differently than most Americans. Out and about. I don’t agree it is always aboot, many times it is a stress on the ou sound, an exaggeration of it. Wisconsin has some give aways like drinking from the bubbler (not all of WI uses bubbler) but that is not accent.

Other give away words regarding accent are creek and roof. Pronounced crick and ruff in some parts of the midwest.

Midwesterners also tend to not put the en suffix on words when they should (I can’t remember what part of speech that is?). For instance they will say, “I was bit by the mosquito.” Actually you were bitten.

Seems to me there are a lot of midwestern accents. Some sound more like the south. Others sound more Scandinavian. And I have no idea how to describe them all.

I also don’t know what actors you are referring to.

But overall, the midwestern accent sounds fine to me. I wouldn’t punch someone out for using it. An English accent is more fun, though. Sexier, too.

unintelligible

Sounds like they’re desperately searching for intellect, but never quite making it…sad really.

Usually it sounds normal. Unless it sounds rude. Then it’s just rude.

I think it’s great, like How I Met Your Mother, they speak with a northern accent a lot.

Since I’m from Missouri and we tend to have a little more southern accent here in my more rurual area, I’d have to say that even people here from St. Louis or the Bootheel have accents much different from mine. So embrace your Midwestern sounds, it’s interesting!