Most recognizable accent?

[JayhawkCO]

I don't know, I feel like I use "thee" when the following word starts with a vowel quite a bit. Now I'll have to make sure to notice, but "thuh" sounds really odd in some cases, especially if the following word starts with u.

Definitely a Northeast thing. Thuh underground is 100% acceptable in the Midwest. The vowel in the just gets a little shorter.

[Scott5114]

When I quit my job, thuh ultimate task was to return thuh uniform.

Doesn't sound weird to my ears.

[jp the roadgeek]

When I quit my job, thuh ultimate task was to return thuh uniform.

Doesn't sound weird to my ears.

I'm actually fine with the second thuh.  It's the first one that begins a phrase that needs the hard e

[7/8]

When I quit my job, thuh ultimate task was to return thuh uniform.

Doesn't sound weird to my ears.

I'm actually fine with the second thuh.

That makes sense since "uniform" begins with a consonant sound.

Though I'm with Scott in that I use thuh even before vowels. The only time I use thee is if I'm emphasizing the word "the". For example: "this is THEE place to be."

[Dirt Roads]

How about the Appalachian mountain twang that blends hard consonants at the end of the first word with the Y-sounds beginning in the next word.  For instance, if I ask "Can I get you a glass of water", it comes out "geh-choo".  But if I ask it in the plural "Can I get you'all something to drink", it goes to "geh-jew-ahll". 

[Road Hog]

The Texas twang is unique and noticeable even among Southerners.

[webny99]

thuh ultimate task was to return thuh uniform.

Now I'm laughing at how mopey I sound when I read that aloud 

I think part of it is that I find "thee" much more distinct-sounding when blended with the following word. If I tried to use "thuh [insert word starting with vowel]", it would quickly become "th'[insert word starting with vowel]" (as in "th'ultimate" or "th'apple"), otherwise it just feels like you're repeating the same or similar sound twice and that requires slowing down quite a bit (at least for me).

[JayhawkCO]

thuh ultimate task was to return thuh uniform.

Now I'm laughing at how mopey I sound when I read that aloud 

I think part of it is that I find "thee" much more distinct-sounding when blended with the following word. If I tried to use "thuh [insert word starting with vowel]", it would quickly become "th'[insert word starting with vowel]" (as in "th'ultimate" or "th'apple"), otherwise it just feels like you're repeating the same or similar sound twice and that requires slowing down quite a bit (at least for me).

Pretty sure 95% of the people on this board sound mopey then. You're the weird one. 

[webny99]

thuh ultimate task was to return thuh uniform.

Now I'm laughing at how mopey I sound when I read that aloud
...

Pretty sure 95% of the people on this board sound mopey then. You're the weird one. 

Well, the #1 reason I'm weird is because I'm on this board.. so I guess I'm OK with using "thee" being the #2 reason. 

[7/8]

thuh ultimate task was to return thuh uniform.

Now I'm laughing at how mopey I sound when I read that aloud 

I think part of it is that I find "thee" much more distinct-sounding when blended with the following word. If I tried to use "thuh [insert word starting with vowel]", it would quickly become "th'[insert word starting with vowel]" (as in "th'ultimate" or "th'apple"), otherwise it just feels like you're repeating the same or similar sound twice and that requires slowing down quite a bit (at least for me).

What about before a long e? For example: The Eagles. Would that be thuh or thee?

For "th'apple", the important part for me is that the "a" becomes longer, and therefore sounds distinct from "thapple".

A related Canadian example for me is saying "go outside". I tend to change the out to oat, so "go" and "out" blend into one long "o" sound.

[webny99]

I think part of it is that I find "thee" much more distinct-sounding when blended with the following word. If I tried to use "thuh [insert word starting with vowel]", it would quickly become "th'[insert word starting with vowel]" (as in "th'ultimate" or "th'apple"), otherwise it just feels like you're repeating the same or similar sound twice and that requires slowing down quite a bit (at least for me).

What about before a long e? For example: The Eagles. Would that be thuh or thee?

In casual conversation I wouldn't usually be speaking slow enough to distinguish (since there's going to be a long e sound in there regardless). I guess it would be kind of like "th'Eagles" with a single, perhaps slightly extended long e sound.

For "th'apple", the important part for me is that the "a" becomes longer, and therefore sounds distinct from "thapple".

For sure - I definitely don't say it like "thapple" 

I guess I read the apostrophe in "th'apple" as making kind of an e sound, so I associate that sound with the the, not the apple. But I can see it both ways.

[Flint1979]

Whenever I say the word, "the" I say it like "da" instead of the. This has been said to be a Chicago thing as well.

Interestingly, that's not all that off from how it's said around here, although here it's more "thuh" than "da". You pretty much never hear "the" with a long E sound.

It is pretty strange how it sounds vs. how it's spelled.

[1995hoo]

How about the Appalachian mountain twang that blends hard consonants at the end of the first word with the Y-sounds beginning in the next word.  For instance, if I ask "Can I get you a glass of water", it comes out "geh-choo".  But if I ask it in the plural "Can I get you'all something to drink", it goes to "geh-jew-ahll". 

Arnold Jackson says that's a Harlem accent: "Whatchu talkin' 'bout, Willis?!!!"

[wanderer2575]

Apologies if this is out of line, but I have a related story to share:  Many years ago at my previous job I first dealt with a particular Chicago-area supplier.  From her voice, I pictured her as an older woman, maybe even a grandmother, with a cigar in one hand and a fancy cocktail in the other.  We got into some small talk and I mentioned that I was in Detroit.  She got all excited at that.  "Oh, you've got that TV show there, Hardcore Porn.  My husband and I love that show; we watch it all the time.  We want to come to Detroit and see it for ourselves."  And on and on.  I was mortified; I just wanted to get my product information and get off the call.  Turns out I misheard her because of her accent.  She was talking about Hardcore Pawn, the reality-TV show about a Detroit pawn shop.