I’m most bothered by the California accent, especially the disgusting (hehe) rounding of the O and U (or “-ou”):
You = yeew (or “yeh-oo”)
No = neh-oh
In my native land (Wisconsin), the vowels are hard and straight, much like they are in Spain (and other Latin-based countries, I would guess), Scandinavia, etc.:
O is O
U is U
E is E
I is I (not “ah” as it is down here)
A is A
Now it could be said that the vowels are turned into diphthongs… this could be said for the more severe practitioners of the Wisconsin accent. Be that as it may, I’d rather hear “Youuuu” than “Yeeeeew” any day. There is no “e” in “you”!
I hear the young rock-band frontmen sing something like, “I’ll be treeeew to yeeeeew” and I want to puke.
I wouldn’t say I “often have a way of ignoring questions”. As for the voice imitation, I really don’t know what to say about it. Perhaps you could tell me what you think?
The “GenAm conversation” sounds like a Northeast accent (probably New England).
The “GenAm reading” could be Ohio, I suppose. I’m not sure – the guy isn’t showing much, or is trying hard to temper his natural accent. Most Ohioans (or at least north and central ohioans) speak with a pretty accent-less accent. hehe
The “Canadian” one sounds closest (among the choices listed) to a Wisconsin/Minnesota accent.
Interesting link, Conchita. It was entertaining to listen to the guy doing the Boston accents. Though the guy approximates the some of the sounds pretty well, Bostonians would identify him as non-native in a New York minute. I was disappointed that he didn’t attempt a “Philadelphia sound”. But maybe it’s just as well he didn’t. :lol: