To somebody from Michigan, Oklahoma probably does seem similar to Mississippi. To somebody from the South, New York and Massachusetts might seem similar while they wouldn't to somebody up north.


Interestingly, the only people that I can remember ever telling me that I have much of an accent have been people from Michigan or Chicago. And not just once, but on several unrelated occasions.

Perhaps we are over debating this, because I believe there is a simple geographic explanation for this.
Look at Michigan on a map, and try to put yourself in their perspective when you see Oklahoma.

It borders Texas and Arkansas, for one... And a decent portion of the state geographically lies south of Tennessee, even.
When you're from that far up North, I could very easily see how Oklahoma could be compared or even lumped in with Southern states.

One of my wife’s grandmothers grew up on a Mississippi plantation…. She graduated from Emory University’s School of Nursing in about 1920…. She spent about 60 years in Texas… She was a high IQ prim and proper southern lady straight out of southern living magazine…. But I couldn’t understand half of what she said…..LOL…. It was like Jimmy Carter.

There is often a pretty big difference in accents in Texas between the far west and Far East…. If you have ever been places like Wink and Orange you may know what I mean. My wife grew up in far southern Texas and speaks with little to no accent…..

I tell everybody that I speak Okie… but I have been told by Texans that I talk like a midwesterner.