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Location: northern Vermont - previously NM, WA, & MA
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I'd like to start a discussion on American Accents. Not just the obvious ones (NY, Southern, Boston) but get into the real nitty gritty of accents from state to state. For example the Southern accent I feel is a bit broad of a term as Texans sound fairly different than Carolinians or Louisiana.
We've heard the Minnesota accent with the pitch on the vowels accent in the movies although I'm always told Hollywood always exaggerates accents quite a bit.
New England has accents but there are subtle differences between the accents in Maine, Boston, and Rhode Island.
Is there an accent on the West Coast or say Denver?
Lastly, are regional accents fading? Are they becoming more older generation? With so many transplanted folks all over the country and new generations are American accents becoming more homogenized and neutral? Discuss....
I feel that accents are a thing of the past for the most part, you need to go deep into a city or area where the accent is most prevelant, like philly new york and boston, once you go outside of the city, you really dont hear the accent much anymore because of transplants. Thats how you know if someone is from the area because of how thick their accent is.
I'd like to start a discussion on American Accents. Not just the obvious ones (NY, Southern, Boston) but get into the real nitty gritty of accents from state to state. For example the Southern accent I feel is a bit broad of a term as Texans sound fairly different than Carolinians or Louisiana.
We've heard the Minnesota accent with the pitch on the vowels accent in the movies although I'm always told Hollywood always exaggerates accents quite a bit.
New England has accents but there are subtle differences between the accents in Maine, Boston, and Rhode Island.
Is there an accent on the West Coast or say Denver?
Lastly, are regional accents fading? Are they becoming more older generation? With so many transplanted folks all over the country and new generations are American accents becoming more homogenized and neutral? Discuss....
Interesting Thread. I have the Eastern Mass accent though its not that strong any longer. I have lived away on and off thru the decades so it has faded somewhat. I would say of all the US regional accents, the Boston area accent is the easiest to identify where someone is from. I think the accent may fade somewhat, with new generations and transplants into the area. I don't think it will completely disappear at least for some time to come. There is a subtle difference from the Mass accent to RI but it is noticeable. For instance Coventry RI is pronounced differently in RI than in Mass. Some of the RI accent actually sounds closer to the accent in Brooklyn.
West Coast Accent. Yes there is whether many here want to admit it or not. There is an accent. Though its not with everyone. I have heard some Valley Girl and Surfer type accents and language in California. Here in Oregon I have heard some of the accents of the rural south at times. Such as Motorcikle and Cement Pond, The Crick, The Root Cella and the word Roof is pronouced in a way I don't know how to describe. Its not all Oregonians. However I have heard some natives to this state, that speak with sort of a drawl and do pronounce words as I mentioned.
I feel that accents are a thing of the past for the most part, you need to go deep into a city or area where the accent is most prevelant, like philly new york and boston, once you go outside of the city, you really dont hear the accent much anymore because of transplants. Thats how you know if someone is from the area because of how thick their accent is.
You'll hear it in Mass. My relatives live 30 to 40 miles south of Boston and everyone of them has that strong accent native to Eastern Mass.
A true Ozark accent has a lot of similarities to the Appalachian accent. Sadly a lot of the Ozark accent is dying out due to the fact that so many "transplants" have moved in to the area. Both of my parents are from the rural Ozark Mountains (my Mom's family is originally from the Appalachian Mountains of Kentucky) and speak similarly to the people in the bellow video. I also have an accent that is pretty noticeable (not as strong as what you hear in the video though).
I'm native in Central CT and some think I (those outside of Conn) sound more like someone from Queens NY LOL this state is mix accent in within this northeastern region but there is such thing as Connecticut accent
Normally, Connecticut accent always drop the R and T...pretty common if you listen closely.
I hear elders around here and they sound much different than most people in this generation. I think some may sounded somewhat more Rhode Islander but a little different, which seems to be dying out... Fairfield county you start to hear a New Yorker accent even the born and raise group that arent from NY.
You'll hear it in Mass. My relatives live 30 to 40 miles south of Boston and everyone of them has that strong accent native to Eastern Mass.
Maybe its more of a philly thing. Certain words most people in that area say the same, but that thick philly accent you really only find close to the city or in the immediate suburbs, when you go to the outer burbs it for the most part disapears.
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