How do Minnesotans pronounce bag?
Most North American English speakers pronounce the word bag with the same vowel as in the word back [æ], but many Wisconsinites pronounce bag with the same vowel as bagel [e:]. In sound clip 2, the speaker says the words ‘bagel’ and ‘bag‘ with the same vowel, and ‘back’ sounds different.
What is the right way to say bag?
Why do people pronounce bag like beg?
The “a” in “bag” is pronounced more toward the front of the mouth while the “e” in “beg” is a little farther back. As an Australian, I pronounce ‘bag‘ as ‘bag‘ and ‘beg‘ as ‘beg‘, you’re thinking of a New Zealand accent.
Why do Minnesotans say bag weird?
The reason Minnesotans pronounce bag like bayg is due to the way Norwegian and Swede immigrants spoke when they first arrived. Not everyone can produce the same sounds with their mouth, so eventually divergent pronunciations of a word arise. Scandinavians in the Upper Midwest were no different.