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No they wouldn't. They (people from other countries) would associate a "general American accent" with more of a Southern/Texas accent. Your accent may be "generic" or "neutral" to you or other Americans, but it wouldn't be to anyone from any other country.
No they wouldn't. They (people from other countries) would associate a "general American accent" with more of a Southern/Texas accent. Your accent may be "generic" or "neutral" to you or other Americans, but it wouldn't be to anyone from any other country.
I can live with that. All that means is that foreigners don't have a good idea of what the general American accent really is. But Americans definitely don't think of the south or Texas when they think of general America - actors and news anchors are trained to lose their New York/Southern/upper midwest accents and talk with an accent resembling the PNW when they get roles on tv or in films because Americans want to hear people who sound like they could be from anywhere in America, not a specific region.
I can live with that. All that means is that foreigners don't have a good idea of what the general American accent really is.
I'd bet there are more people (or at least about the same number) who talk with a Southern/Texas accent than talk with a California/Oregon/Washington accent. Just look at the population of Texas + Carolinas + Georgia + Alabama + Mississipi + Louisiana + Tennesee + Northern Florida, etc. So I don't see where you're coming from. Your accent (West Coast) is no more a "general American accent" than a Southern or Texas accent is. You just think of it as a "general American accent" because that's how you sound, and that's normal to you.
I'd bet there are more people (or at least about the same number) who talk with a Southern/Texas accent than talk with a California/Oregon/Washington accent. Just look at the population of Texas + Carolinas + Georgia + Alabama + Mississipi + Louisiana + Tennesee + Northern Florida, etc. So I don't see where you're coming from. Your accent (West Coast) is no more a "general American accent" than a Southern or Texas accent is. You just think of it as a "general American accent" because that's how you sound, and that's normal to you.
No, the general American accent exists and is a specific accent, it's more than just what most Americans associate with being an American accent.
If the southern accent was "general American" then that's what people in the media or those call center people in foreign countries who are trained to be able to communicate with Americans would be taught. But it's not. They are trained to talk with the accent most Americans identify with which is the one shared in certain parts of the midwest and the west coast.
I'd bet there are more people (or at least about the same number) who talk with a Southern/Texas accent than talk with a California/Oregon/Washington accent. Just look at the population of Texas + Carolinas + Georgia + Alabama + Mississipi + Louisiana + Tennesee + Northern Florida, etc. So I don't see where you're coming from. Your accent (West Coast) is no more a "general American accent" than a Southern or Texas accent is. You just think of it as a "general American accent" because that's how you sound, and that's normal to you.
Although technically their accents might have different names, people from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, and even Hawaii all pretty much sound like they're from the west coast. That is, they all pretty much speak with the general American accent.
Although technically their accents might have different names, people from Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Idaho, and even Hawaii all pretty much sound like they're from the west coast. That is, they all pretty much speak with the general American accent.
And West Coast accents are very distinguishible to people who don't live on the West Coast...
And West Coast accents are very distinguishible to people who don't live on the West Coast...
Maybe to the extent someone from Alabama or New Jersey would say "You don't sound like me", but I've never heard anyone identify me (or anyone else from any of the states I mentioned) as having a "west coast accent". When people name accents in the U.S. they think of Boston, New York, Southern, upper midwest, and New England. No one ever thinks about a "west coast accent" because it's just considered to be exactly like the normal American accent.
Maybe to the extent someone from Alabama or New Jersey would say "You don't sound like me", but I've never heard anyone identify me (or anyone else from any of the states I mentioned) as having a "west coast accent". When people name accents in the U.S. they think of Boston, New York, Southern, upper midwest, and New England. No one ever thinks about a "west coast accent" because it's just considered to be exactly like the normal American accent.
Somebody told you a LIE!, or you just made a bad assumption.
When you hear a west coast accent it's more like "so, you're from the West Coast, huh?", "Are you from California?"
When you hear a generic accent it's more like "You sound... plain" or "Where are you from again?" or "You don't have an accent."
lol @ "You don't sound like me". Everywhere you go people will think that they sound normal because that's all they hear everyday all day. Anyone not from around will sound different. Usually there will be a broad regional distinctions like.. Southern, Westcoast, Midwest, Northeast, and then there is generic(which is undistinguishable and like the people on t.v.)
Somebody told you a LIE!, or you just made a bad assumption.
When you hear a west coast accent it's more like "so, you're from the West Coast, huh?", "Are you from California?"
When you hear a generic accent it's more like "You sound... plain" or "Where are you from again?" or "You don't have an accent."
lol @ "You don't sound like me". Everywhere you go people will think that they sound normal because that's all they hear everyday all day. Anyone not from around will sound different. Usually there will be a broad regional distinctions like.. Southern, Westcoast, Midwest, Northeast, and then there is generic(which is undistinguishable and like the people on t.v.)
West Coast is not generic.
No one with a heavy southern or Boston accent would claim to have the same accent as people in the media, because they're aware how different they sound. People in the mountain west/west coast can because the accents are essentially indistinguishable from one another.
New York has the best accent!! I like the way New Yorkers say hot dog it is so funny!
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