New Englanders' accents are famously ridiculed in movies and TV shows. Now, one New England accent has risen above the rest to be named the most misunderstood outside of the U.S.
It's not the Boston accent, though — at least not quite. Rhode Island's was named the most misunderstood accent of all 50 states, followed by Maine and Alabama, according to Family Destinations Guide.
The family travel site polled 3,000 people to find out who had the most trouble communicating when traveling around the world. Their results put all the other New England states in the top half of the rankings: Connecticut came in sixth, Massachusetts ninth, Vermont was No. 16 and New Hampshire in 25th place.
What is the Rhode Island accent? It's similar to Boston's, according to the New England Historical Society.
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"Rhode Islanders say ‘Pawk the caw,’ whereas Bostonians say ‘Pahk the cah.’ In Boston you ride a hahs, but in Providence, you ride a hawse," the site says, citing a Brown University voice coach.
