Regional Accents

[FMW]

Weird topic, but I am really curious about it and thought I'd throw it out there.

My guy told me he hears a particular accent in my speaking quite a bit, one similar to what is found in South Dakota/Minnesota.  I lived in South Dakota for 2 years in the early 2000s, and the rest of my 59 years in the Lower Midwest and Upper South.  He says he rarely hears that in the way I speak.

Any ideas on why that would be?  Why certain accents stick with us and others don't?

[basil67]

It's hard for me to comment because I'm not in the US and am not familiar with the regions.  However, when it comes to accents in general, if a new accent uses parts of your mouth/throat which you weren't using before, it's it can be very difficult to unlearn the new patterns....it's like unlearning how to ride a bike.    

I'm Australian with a broad Aussie accent.  And the broad Aussie accent is lazy and fairly flat.  Now, I could learn a US accent because it would involve new vocals which I've never used before.  But it's really difficult for someone in the US to learn an Aussie accent because of all the unlearning of speech patterns you'd need to do.   As it so happens, my daughters boyfriend was experimenting with a US accent back in high school for fun, then couldn't unlearn it.  He's now got a hybrid accent where new people say "what's your accent? I can't pick it"

Edited August 19 by basil67

[MsJayne]

Interesting topic. As far as US accents go, I can tell the difference between a Southern and a Northern accent, but that's where it ends. Some Americans from the North sound like they have an Irish lilt to me, probably because many of the first settlers there were Irish and so maybe had a big impact on pronunciation. I spent the first 7 years of my life in the UK and still can understand any accent from there, (including Welsh people!), and sometimes have to translate for my partner if we're watching a British TV production with North country accents. I have a basic Aussie accent, but people sometimes ask me if I'm from the UK and say they can tell by the way I speak, and when visiting my parents or speaking to them on the 'phone I would lapse into Pommish very quickly. Your post reminded me of a trip to France. As we traipsed around the quiet streets of St Tropez, hearing only the soft and dulcet tones of Europeans, suddenly the peace was shattered when a voice shouted, "'Ay, white f' moy", and I instantly recognised the shouter as a fellow Australian, (it means, "Hey, wait for me"). 

[Gaeta]

Interesting!

I lived in many different places, 2 to 6 years each,  and l kept a little something from those places. Sometimes it's an expression, a particular way to say a word, etc. On the other end l lived 18 years in my hometown and l completely lost my home accent. Which was a very heavy and distinctive. It's funny what the brain retains or let go.

[happyhorizons]

Southern U.S accents are extremely EASY to pinpoint just like people from UP NORTH in the U.S.............

[LuckyM]

I would ask which words or phrases sound Minnesotish  His reaction is either spot on or he is just supposing and imagining this

Probably latter. I don't hear how to discern an inflection based only on 2 years living there  Do you?

Edited September 9 by LuckyM
okay

[FMW]

I think he's just referring to occasional pronunciations.  I have noticed that sometimes I use the extra long O sound when saying Dakota, Toast, etc.  When I lived in South Dakota I heard it all the time and thought it was kind of funny.  Guess that's what I get for making fun of the accent, it stuck!  But overall I don't think I have a discernible accent beyond a basic American one.