American accent

[Brookfield]

THE AMERICAN ACCENT

As most of you know, I am English, & I have always been interested in accents, the main one that interests me the most, are the American accents.
I know that in such a vast country, there must be many many accents due to the countless millions of immigrants, that settled in the States, over hundreds of years, from all over the world.

I have started this thread, for the sole purpose of trying to find the origins of one specific accent, that of the so termed American English, many Americans say they learn & speak English, what I am trying to find out is, how was the spoken word in the U.S., changed from the spoken original English of the settlers, into today's accented English, one obvious source are the many accents in Britain;- English, Scottish, Welsh, & Irish, plus regional variations of all of these, would the members agree that is a valid reason.

I fully realise that the many other accents of immigrants from the other countries, have done, & still do influence the spoken English, of course they do, it's what makes America such a vibrant, colourful country, but, as I said, only the affect of accent, or accents on the original English interests me, for the purpose of the subject of this forum.

Would members care to comment on this?

Maurice

 

[ChuNalt787]

I have noticed that they talk really fast in New york and the further into the city you go the faster they talk. Its like that here in texas but not like in New York. Mabye its cause of the fast paced lifestyle that forces them to always be moving and makes them feel like they dont have time to stand around and talk.

 

[dyserq]

I've been abit puzzled by this too lol
I've seem American movies and thats about the only way that i've actually heard of an American accent, can someone tell me if this is the real American accent or just another stereotype ?

 

[Mental Liberator]

Uhm, this has always bothered me, but it's kind of hard sometimes for Americans to understand a british accent or english accent even though it's the same words and stuff. Do the people over in U.K. also find American English hard to understand at times?

There's a bunch of accents

There's southern talk which they kind of... can't really explain it, then there's New York style where it's all fast and add in like 2 other words that they use a lot, and I don't know.. there's too many.

 

[setishock]

There's southern talk which they kind of... can't really explain it, then there's New York style where it's all fast and add in like 2 other words that they use a lot, and I don't know.. there's too many

Well looky here it's one of them thar yankees. Down here in the true south we talk in a manner caled a southern drawl. It's slower and some times confusing to even those of us born and raised here. We have this habit of taking an entire sentence and making it one big word. Like>>>
You want to? comes out>>> Younto. LOL When I get way out in the country I get accused of not being from the south as my accent is more the city southern. And it doesn't help mom's side of the family is english living in New York while dad's side is german and live in the Ohio vallry.

 

[ENH729]

As an American, I can help you out with out being too stereotypical of the different regions here in the US. Our Urban centers New York, LA, Chicago, etc. do have a tendency to speak a generally faster paced version of our English. Southerners speak rather "slower" and tend to drag on suffixs. The Midwest, and Northwest speak at a "normal" rate. The reason for this variety of speeds is a result of lifestyle, you guys got that one. Clearly you don't want to spend 5 minutes on a busy NY sidewalk while waiting for a cab, thus compacting and combinding words. Southerners have more of a relaxed lifestyle, the Sunbelt region of the US also, has the highest percentage of highschool drop outs... My parents are actually from Wimbledon, so I have an English accent as well. Accent has a lot to do with the demographics of a given region. That's just my spin'.

 

[Natalya1]

the american accent is rather high pitched compared to any other accent when it comes to english. can give one a headache rather quickly... no offence to anyone.

the australian accent is apparently the slower version of the irish/scottish accent put in one.

hmmm i wonder what the american one is? the high pitched faster version?! makes sense kinda.. almost... lol

 

[catalyst1]

The United States accent is affected by pretty much every major European country. In particular: England, Spain, Germany, Italy, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands.

 

[ChuNalt787]

Dont watch any schwarzenager movies and look for american accents. Thats all I can tell u. Which ones have u seen. I mite be able to help u pick out what a real accent was.

 

[Mental Liberator]

Real latin accent = hot.