"vincent p. norris" wrote in message
...
A mere 13 questions. Interesting how little it takes to pin (rhymes with
gin) someone down to a particular geographical region.

Many years ago, probably during the '60s, Garry Moore (remember him?)
had a linguist as a guest on his show. The linguist had a blackboard
with about 20 lines of words on it.

He asked a lady volunteer from the audience to pronouce the first
line: greasy."

Then she pronounced the second line: Mary, marry, merry.

The linguist said, "You grew up in St. Louis."

The lady shrieked and said "You're right!"

Took only four words.

I remember the show, but not that episode. At any rate, the trick was
already VERY old by then.*

But I don't think much of this test. I grew up in SW PA. My accent
is very different from that of an aunt who grew up in southern
Indiana and that of a cousin who grew up in Ohio. Those areas can't
be lumped together.

One shouldn't think much of this test, beyond "it's cute" or "it's kinda
fun"......that sort of thing. However, it does contain the germ of some
very important and powerful ideas. But then, you already knew that.

Wolfgang
*can anybody here say "shibboleth"?