My roots are showing...

[gnomi]

Your Linguistic Profile:

55% Yankee

30% General American English

10% Dixie

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

***

Problem is, there were a number of questions for which my idiolect was not represented (I grew up calling what they had water fountain/drinking fountain for a "bubbler," for example). And to me, "icing" and "frosting" both go on cakes, but they're different from one another (frosting is thicker, for one thing). And traditionalists (such as my father) in this area call soda/pop/carbonated beverages "tonic." So I feel underrepresented by the test. Of course, they probably don't expect people like me to be taking the test.

and cars have "blinkers," darnit!

Comments

[xiphias.livejournal.com]

But of course, nobody knows what "blinkers" are for. I suspect that "blinkers" were put on cars to make people comfortable when they switched from horses, which also had blinkers. Some people claim that blinkers are to show when you're about to turn the car, but that's just stupid. I mean, can't people figure OUT that the car turned?

[zsero.livejournal.com]

Where I come from they're 'indicators'. I don't think horses had those.

[dianora2.livejournal.com]

And to me, "icing" and "frosting" both go on cakes, but they're different from one another (frosting is thicker, for one thing)

Yes, exactly!

[neilfein.livejournal.com]

Nor I. Wouldn't you need electricity for those? When was this?

[angwantibo.livejournal.com]

There were a few tough questions. Having lived in Texas for 3 yrs gave me a 15% Dixie. Being married to a Brit for 10 yrs taught me the difference between icing and frosting - they are very different.

Other issues:
I use both cellar and basement in different situations.
I grew up with mischief night but switched to devil's night after moving from CA to CT.
I call sweet carbonated drinks as cola sometimes instead of soda.
I know what a cruller is, but don't use it since I don't eat them.
I used to say catty corner, but changed over the years as diagonal is more precise.
I don't work out in sneakers or tennis shoes. I have cleats, racquetball shoes, running shoes, cross-trainers and martial arts slippers.
I pronounce Route differently based on context. Route 66 rhymes with boot, but the route I take rhymes with out.

Very confusing.

[doeeyedbunny.livejournal.com]

My mom also calls it a "bubbler" except she doesn;t pronounce the "r". She's from Rhode Island and her New England accent comes and goes, often reappearing at the strangest times - like in the middle of last year's seder.

[vettecat.livejournal.com]

I did find some of the questions limiting, but it was interesting nonetheless...

Your Linguistic Profile:

50% General American English

40% Yankee

5% Dixie

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

[epj.livejournal.com]

Cars *do* have blinkers! I also found some questions limiting--for example, when I say "route", it rhymes with "foot". (I'm very strange.)