What does an upper state New York accent sound like?

An Upper State New York accent is rhotic, meaning the letter "r" is pronounced in all positions, including at the end of words and before consonants. This contrasts with non-rhotic accents, such as those found in New York City and Boston, where the "r" is often dropped in these positions.

In addition to being rhotic, the Upper State New York accent is also characterized by the following features:

- A fronted "a" sound, which means the "a" sound is pronounced with the tongue further forward in the mouth. This is similar to the "a" sound in the word "cat".

- A raised "o" sound, which means the "o" sound is pronounced with the tongue higher up in the mouth. This is similar to the "o" sound in the word "boat".

- A lack of the "aw" sound, which means the "aw" sound is replaced with an "ah" sound. This is similar to the "ah" sound in the word "father".

- A glottal stop, which is a sound made by closing the vocal cords and then suddenly releasing them. This sound is often used in place of the "t" sound at the end of words or before consonants.

Here are some examples of how words are pronounced in an Upper State New York accent:

- Cat: Pronounced "caht"

- Boat: Pronounced "boht"

- Father: Pronounced "fahther"

- Water: Pronounced "watah"

- Button: Pronounced "but'n"

The Upper State New York accent is spoken by people from all walks of life in upstate New York, from farmers and factory workers to lawyers and doctors. It is a unique accent that reflects the history and culture of the region.