There are a number of factors that affect the way you talk — age, race, class, gender and more — but perhaps the most significant is geography. Regional dialect differences in the United States are a source of endless fascination. You might ask people from other parts of the country, “How do you pronounce caramel?” or “Do you say soda or pop?” It can be fun to examine these differences, and it gives us a sense of identity and regional pride. Using some simplified versions of these variations on the English language, we’ve created an American dialect quiz to see if we can guess which region you’re from based on how you pronounce certain words and which words you use for common things.
Simply choose the answer that most closely represents what you would say in normal conversation. If you tend to alternate, choose the one you’d say most of the time. Take the American dialect quiz below!
If you want to learn more about the way Americans talk, check out our series all about the different dialects and accents from around the United States. (And if you’re confused about accents and dialects, watch the video at the top of this article.)
Note: This quiz relies on research by Bert Vaux and Scott Golder did in 2003. Americans change the way they talk all the time, so you can find out more about Vaux’s current research here.