Polyglot Accents

This was sooo fun, and it got me exactly right (actually, it said Aurora, IL, which is where my husband is from...hmmmm). Even if you're not a native speaker, try this out and see where it thinks you're from - at the end you'll get a few maps showing differences between what you say and what other parts of the country say. Don't have a NY Times subscription? Pro tip: lots of libraries have access, so check through your public library if you can get online.

How Y’all, Youse and You Guys Talk What does the way you speak say about where you’re from? Answer all the questions below to see your personal dialect map.

How do you say the word "literally?" Is it "lit-ruh-lee" or "li-duh-ruh-lee?" I shared this video with a client who was saying it "lit-ruh-lee" the other day (even though technically both are correct, this is what I think of when I hear it that way):

Literally Every Time Chris Traeger Says "Literally" | Parks and Recreation Chris Traeger (Rob Lowe) says "literally" a lot. Lucky for you, we've made a video of every time he's ever said it! Enjoy!Your favorite shows, movies and mor...

Here's a helpful link for my Indian English-speaking friends! Indian English is considered its own version of English, just like American English or Australian English. Here's a table of words and sayings showing Indian English/American English side-by-side. No more "nighties" for "PJs!"

This is not to say that the Indian English phrases are wrong, they are just different than American English. This table could be just as useful for American English speakers understanding their Indian friends.

American Language, difference between Indian English and American English American Language, difference between Indian English and American English

A newer client asked me this week if there's only one American accent, so this article was perfectly timed! I myself have to tone down my Chicago accent when I'm teaching clients (it's "alley," not "ay-uh-lee") and I've noticed I've picked up California-isms (no "t" after "n," like in Sacramento).

It was a pretty valid question though, because how can you learn an "American" accent if there is more than one? I usually have two replies. The first is that obviously you should go for whichever accent is used where you live, if that applies. The second is that for a long time, broadcast journalism schools taught an accent that was based on Ohio English; so a nice Midwestern accent (without too many crazy vowels, I'm looking at you, Great Lakes) can be a good middle ground, because it tends to be the one used for news/sports programs and therefore generally accepted. (Getting people to use their regional accents in broadcasting is a whole different argument, which I fully support, but we can discuss that elsewhere!)

A Brief History of the United States' Accents and Dialects Migration patterns, cultural ties, geographic regions and class differences all shape speaking patterns