A Dialect Quiz
On the way to work this morning, I was listening to NPR news. This story came on, and the interviewer was wowed by its accuracy when she took the quiz.
I took the quiz, and I broke it. I got "an error has occurred, keep this url and try again later to see your results," or something similarly worded.
I suspect they didn't interview many people from/in Alaska. For one thing, they made reference to many things that don't exist here, and so my frame of reference is what they're called by people from other regions that do have them. It's somewhat difficult to place a regional dialect when your quiz is riddled with such questions.
For example: "What do you call those little bugs that coil up when you press their bellies?" (Er, not bug, don't have bellies, but whatever). I Chose "pillbug," from the multiple choice list. I don't think I've ever seen a live one.
Another: "What do you call that large cat endemic to most of North America?" I chose "Mountain Lion," from the list. Again, I've only ever seen them in zoos.
"What do you call the small insects that light up at night?" (Um, that might not be verbatim) "Fire Fly," was my answer. These I HAVE seen IRL, but only when visiting the lower 48.
There were only 25 questions total, these alone (there were others that reference phenomina not found here) would be enough to completely foul the result.
When I was listening to the story on the radio, I was curious as to how someone raised in Alaska would come out in this quiz. I was reasonably sure I wouldn't be accurately represented. I think I was right. I also started thinking of Alaskan idioms (which I don't think could be rightly called a "dialect") which I'm fairly certain aren't even on the researcher's radar. "Snowmachine" is even in Alaska regulation (register a snowmobile or ATV and see what the tag says). Sno-go probably isn't in there either. "Iron Dog?" Of course, "Sourdough," "Cheechako," etc.