[General] My American Accent

[GeorgePal]

Hello!


I'm new to this forum! I've posted this thread so as to receive some feedback on my American accent.
I've included the recording of myself speak in an American accent below. I'd like you to rate it and let me know what kind of American accent it is (e.g. Californian, Midland, Southern etc.). Where would you think I'm from if you met me in the street? Please be sure to mention where you come from.


Recording: https://soundcloud.com/georgepal/voicerecording-accent/s-jhYpE


Thanks a million for your time! Please let me know, don't ignore this thread.

 

[Barb_D]

You sound European. The volume on the recording was so low that even with my sound turned all the way up, it was hard to hear you. What I heard was completely understandable - your accent did not affect my ability to understand you (what I could hear, anyway).

Just saying words in a list doesn't give anyone a sense of your American accent. Some of those words, like "pecan" probably has 14 pronunciations. (It was the topic of a thing on the radio the other day.)

Saying things like "I can't remember where I parked the car" or "You'll find it on the forth floor" or "I live on thirty-third street" as well as "I caught a cold, so I'm sleeping on a cot" and "I wished Mary a Merry Christmas" would tell us a lot more than "oil" "salmon" etc. in a row.

Anyway, if you're 13 and your English is this clear, you're doing a good job.

 

[N Senbei]

Hello GeorgePal,

I’m a non-native speaker (I’m Japanese) and just a learner, so I don’t feel qualified to answer your question, but let me say one thing I have noticed in your pronunciation.
Your /s/ sound is fairly retracted in comparison with a standard English /s/. In other words, your /s/ is somewhat similar to a /ʃ/ (sh) sound.
I surmise that one of the reasons why Barb_D found your pronunciation European is that a retracted /s/ is not common in an American accent but some Europeans use that sound in their languages, including some speakers of Modern Greek.