Do californians have accents or are they able to be stereotyped?

Answer 1

The "Valley Girl" accent has been immotralized on film in movies like "Clueless", "Mean Girls" , "Bring It On" etc.

I've noticed, as an Australian holidaying in California, that people in Los Angeles sound different to people in San Francisco, Pasadena and in Sacramento.

LA people elongate the last syllable of each word, while San Franciscans round out their vowels a little more and speak a little slower.

As California is very Hispanic, they sound more Spanish, even the *white* people - especially in Van Nuys.

My FAVOURITE American accent is the BOSTONIAN accent. Love hearing people from Boston speak. They sound so refined, articulate, yet casual and friendly. I believe Boston was settled by the Irish. I loved how the "New Kids On The Block" spoke. Love Danny Wahlberg's voice and his accent.

Pasadena people sound more relaxed, a little like the way some African-Americans speak.

Watch "Bill & Ted's Excellent Journey" and that is the classic Californian *accent*.

But then again, Schwarzenegger is Governor of CA and he still speaks with an Austrian accent, despite living in Hollywood for 24 years. Go figure.

Answer 2

Everyone on earth has an accent but most Californians sound very similar to how people would perceive "Standard American English" if that's what you mean. I'm assuming you mean only people with accents (that are perceived to be different) can possibly be stereotyped. That's not technically true as most in the U.S. would perceive a person from Boston as being more different in terms of sound yet California has more stereotypes than Boston. Californians are sometimes teased as being too valley girl, surfer dude, tree hugging, hippy living types with a new age philosophy. I can't really think of any stereotypes of Boston and New England.

Answer 3

LOL that's funny because I grew up in california and when i lived in virginia my friends used to say that I had an accent.....i think the word accent is a little too much...what we have in California is a different way of pronouncing our words...for example....with Taco Bell.....we put the accent on the word Taco...and most others put it on Bell.....the word TV....we put the accent on the T where others put it on the V........Californians don't have an "accent", we just have our own way of speaking...lol

Answer 4

I am a native Californian, 4th generation, so I never noticed, but when I made friends with people from NY NY, I was informed and it was proved to me that we do, indeed, have an accent. Californian's houses have a ruff, not a roof, for instance.

Answer 5

californians do have accents.

black californians from the inner city say:
*coo-ur* when talking about a "car"
*poo-urk* when mentioning going to the "park"
*nee-ow" when saying "now"
*na'amean" when asking "do you know what i mean?" (know what i mean)

black accents from different cities in the us do share similarities...i've noticed that young black men in particular mimic the way that black hip hop stars speak. so, what sounds like an LA accent in a regular person is actually an imitaion of a musical artists's accent.

young white girls USED to say "like totally omigod" in the eighties. across the board, in all races, people in california do overuse the word "like" as a filler. white girls also say:

*tuh-ew* or "tiyoo" for "too"
*bleyew* for "blue"
*miyoov* for "move"
*yah* for "yeah"
*pyants* for "pants
*neh-oh* for "no"

it seems as though an extra "y" sound is thrown into the medial vowel so that even a one syllable word is drawn out. just think of a stereotypical "ey-ewww!" that someone says when grossed out.

the surfer and skater types speak slower than the average person, and have a bit of a drawl, like jeff spicolli on "fast times at ridgmont high." they say:

*bohng* - for "bong"
*myahn" for "man"
*skehter* for "skater" (some vowels are a little more closed)
and "dude ALMOST sounds like the word "did."

Answer 6

I somewhat have the crucial Californian accessory, that's a mix of prevalent Valley woman and many slang (dude, like, freaky are in straight forward terms some might desire to says). i'm eastern and grew to become into advised as quickly as that I sounded like the comedian Margret Cho. I word that persons react to my "accessory" while i pass to Cleveland to pass to my in-rules.

Answer 7

Only 'the natives' are Californians. The rest are invaders, tourist and wannabees.

You'll likely find a sterotype in there somewhere, but only another of them will recognise it.

Sash.

Answer 8

Like for sure! I can tell one a mile away. But I lived there.
The people in the Dakotas and Wisconsin and minnasoda.
All have a certain sound you can hear it in their voice.
In LA New Orleans they have a french cajun sound.
In the south they definitely have a sound. Ya all.
When someone comes to town yes people from California have their own sound also. So do people from New York.

Answer 9

im from california n many of my friends and I dont have accents, like do you mean EVERYONE has an accent n like WOAH im confused lol.

Answer 10

Sure do....most of 'em sound just like the Frito Bandito