When people in other states ask where we're from, and we say Minnesota, they immediately say, “I can tell.” We can all thank the movie 'Fargo' for that! Us locals don’t notice the average Minnesotan accent, but those out of towners sure do.
It makes me wonder, do we sound funny? Is it a likeable accent? Just how attractive is it when I say MinnesOOOta?
There was a study done by a language-learning app called Babbel, that partnered with the hospitality group Generator Hostels to find out what accent people find attractive. The 'experts' made a list of the seven most defined accents in the United States. The seven accents were Minnesotan, Deep South, New York, Bostonian, Southern Californian, Texan, and Midwestern. They polled 500 Generator Hostels staff members to find out which is the most and least liked.
The results were the Deep South accent was the most attractive with 20%, New York with 18%, Bostonian with 18%, Southern Californian with 16%, Texan with 14%, Midwestern with 10%, and Uff-Da…Minnesotan came in dead-last with 5%.
I guess the 'you betcha' and 'dontcha know' turns people off. But that's okay, because here in Minnesota, our accents are part of what makes us who we are!