What kind of accent does Pennsylvania have?

What kind of accent do I have? People say it's weird?

• I say 'phone' as 'fown', like, the o is more distinct. I say 'fire' as 'fye-er'. I say 'dawn' the same way as 'don' is pronounced, and 'caught' the same way as 'cot is pronounced. My mom's side is from New England (mainly New Jersey and Pennsylvania). My mom says you'ns a lot, so I've picked that up, as well as 'wicked'. I mean, I was born in Pennsylvania, but moved to North Carolina at age five. I've always thought I had a hicky, hillbilly accent until some of my friends said I talk funny, and that I don't sound Southern at all. Have I picked up my mother's accent? I know it's a stupid question, but I was just wondering cause I can't really tell... Thanks, xoxo

• Answer:

  Just nitpicking, but I wouldn't really consider New Jersey and Pennsylvania as being New England states; they're more Mid-Atlantic. I'm from Indiana and I think I do all the same things unless I misunderstood you. Phone rhymes with tone, fire rhymes with liar and tire, dawn rhymes with don and Shaun. So if I guessed, yeah, I'd say you have more of your mother's accent than anything else, but you didn't "pick it up"...you've had it all along, probably.