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Who's cheering for it? Also, why is it "dull"? I think it sounds a heck of a lot more intelligent than several choice accents in regions of America.
Any accent can sound intelligent if the content coming out of one's mouth is intelligent. Regional accents give variety to a increasingly generic country. Maybe it's not "cheering" but it seems to be a popular subject that come up a lot. The tone sometimes seems one of exhultation. If you like a generic accent to move around from region to region, good for you. I like local accents to have some flavor to them.
Any accent can sound intelligent if the content coming out of one's mouth is intelligent. Regional accents give variety to a increasingly generic country. Maybe it's not "cheering" but it seems to be a popular subject that come up a lot. The tone sometimes seems one of exhultation. If you like a generic accent to move around from region to region, good for you. I like local accents to have some flavor to them.
I'm not against regional accents! I never stated I wanted the southern accent to die, I'm just asking if it will die.
Now, I'd be lying if I said that some accents didn't get on my nerves, but not all of them. I think having Piers Morgan on CNN is proof that even though most Americans think someone with a British accent sounds more intelligent does not always mean that they are more intelligent, same goes for other accents as well. It's still tough to bypass the stigma that most people associate with the thick southern accents.
When you ignore science and instead rely wholly on your "keen eye," you get the Dark Ages.
At no point did I say his research was infallable, I am simply stating that there is NOTHING backing up your opinion here, and unless you can link to some stats or research to back it, I'll go with one of the world's leading linguists over some hack on CD, sorry!
Do you have your own opinion on this matter, or are your thoughts exactly the same as this professor from Pennsylvania? I hope you know that hacks write books and cite data and information as well.
Last edited by JMT; 03-13-2014 at 10:03 PM..
Reason: Let's not go there.
I'm not against regional accents! I never stated I wanted the southern accent to die, I'm just asking if it will die.
Now, I'd be lying if I said that some accents didn't get on my nerves, but not all of them. I think having Piers Morgan on CNN is proof that even though most Americans think someone with a British accent sounds more intelligent does not always mean that they are more intelligent, same goes for other accents as well. It's still tough to bypass the stigma that most people associate with the thick southern accents.
Only certain British accents--most specifically, the "north" accent--are taken as "more intelligent." Others, such as the Cockney accent, are not taken as more intelligence.
Interestingly, in Britain the north accent is analogous to the plain midwestern accent of the US.
Only certain British accents--most specifically, the "north" accent--are taken as "more intelligent." Others, such as the Cockney accent, are not taken as more intelligence.
Interestingly, in Britain the north accent is analogous to the plain midwestern accent of the US.
Interesting stuff! I don't know how the British accents are labeled. I just know the very famous one, that the more high class citizens or more educated ones, or as you say the "north". I know there are other British accents, we hear them from time to time in movies that have actual English actors, there are some pretty backwater sounding accents as well, and those definitely do not inspire the thought of intelligence.
Do you have your own opinion on this matter, or are your thoughts exactly the same as this professor from Pennsylvania? I hope you know that hacks write books and cite data and information as well.
This Professor is considered one of the top linguists in the field.
My own opinion is that you started this thread under false assumptions and are completely unwilling to admit that you may in fact be wrong, even in the face of scientific study.
Interesting stuff! I don't know how the British accents are labeled. I just know the very famous one, that the more high class citizens or more educated ones, or as you say the "north". I know there are other British accents, we hear them from time to time in movies that have actual English actors, there are some pretty backwater sounding accents as well, and those definitely do not inspire the thought of intelligence.
And the British tend to be even more prejudiced about different accents. As I mentioned earlier, Vivian Brown has carried her southern accent nationwide on the Weather Channel for over 20 years. Dan Rather always had a bit of his Texas accent. I think Americans can stand hearing more southern accent than the media moguls in NYC and Hollywood think they can.
But the Brits can get downright hissy over a newscaster with anything other than a North accent. They don't just change the channel, they write nasty letters to the station.
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