What is the difference between a northern Ohio and a California accent?

Question

Please give some examples (some words both pronounce differently, or some terminology) to illustrate the difference. As I understand it, Drew Carey has the perfect Ohio accent; and a lot of northern Californians have the perfect Californian accent. But to my ear (of a native of NJ), I do not notice ANYTHING different between the accents. They both sound like the standard American accent.

Answer 1

Favorite Answer

about 9 years ago I visited LA for a week. Just being a touist. In the 5 days I was there I had 3 people say "You're from Ohio aren't you" When I asked them how they knew, they all told me it was by my accent. I didn't realize then and still don't realize we have an accent. Maybe down in Southern Ohio, but not up here in NE Ohio. But I guess I was / am wrong. I don't really hear any difference betwen me, a Pittsburgh guy, or Buffalo guy or Ft. Wayne guy, ect, but at least 3 people in LA could tell I was from Ohio.

Answer 2

Soda vs. Pop, it's slight differences in phrases. Ohio and California don't have much in the way of differences in accent. Most of us require differences as noticable as Minnesota and Louisiana to hear. I however have had the ability to live all over this country and can hear the differences in them.

Answer 3

Ohio is the Stone Age, and California is more like 1972...

Answer 4

I didn't know there was a difference!

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