accents

[Obie]

Have you ever been told you have an accent from somewhere that you have never lived in?

I have been told I have an Amish/Pennsylvania Dutch accent even though I am not Amish. For some reason I seemed to like their culture when I was younger.

I find myself talking with a Wisconsin/Minnesota accent sometimes. I dont know why I do this. I've only been to Wisconsin like for 2 days for my cousin's wedding. I only spent time with family who are not from Wisconsin, and did not interact with the locals.

Does this happen to others. Any insight as to why I have accents from places I have never been to.

 

[Marc Ross]

Have you ever been told you have an accent from somewhere that you have never lived in?
I have been told I have an Amish/Pennsylvania Dutch accent even though I am not Amish. For some reason I seemed to like their culture when I was younger.


I find myself talking with a Wisconsin/Minnesota accent sometimes. I dont know why I do this. I've only been to Wisconsin like for 2 days for my cousin's wedding. I only spent time with family who are not from Wisconsin, and did not interact with the locals.


Does this happen to others. Any insight as to why I have accents from places I have never been to.

Good point Obie.


Another viewpoint: Can hearing accents e.g., U.S. East Coast, European accents act as triggers?

 

[larali]

My oldest daughter has always had a New Jersey accent since she started talking. We are from the South. I had considered the idea that she might have had a past life from there.


But I also think she may be my grandmother. (Who had a very Southern accent.) I dunno.

 

[Obie]

Good point Obie.
Another viewpoint: Can hearing accents e.g., U.S. East Coast, European accents act as triggers?

Yes. Being around certain accents like Southern accent, the Valley girl accent as a teenager, I pick up accents fast. When I spend time with my Kentucky friends or when I go to KY (I'm from Ohio) I see myself picking up the accent quickly.

 

[glia21]

Hi,


I´m from europe, Austria, but when I was in the US for the first time I learned that I have an accent from the middle west. I wasn´t too surprised to hear that because it fits to what I remember, but it was interesting.


Btw, my son´s a german by the way he talks, definitly


We all talk german at home but he sounds different like he was from northern germany, it´s funny sometimes.

 

[argonne1918]

Btw, my son´s a german by the way he talks, definitly
We all talk german at home but he sounds different like he was from northern germany, it´s funny sometimes.

That's interesting. People in the US assume German is German. I have hispanic friends who can tell different dialects in Spanish. Most hispanics in the southwest US are from Mexico. They say that the actors on Spanish language television here all have Cuban accents. Most of the Spanish dramatic programs here are made in Miami, Florida.

 

[glia21]

Well german spoken in germany is as different to austrian german as british to american english You understand the words (most of them that is :-D) but it´s not the same.


Even someone from the far west in austria (e.g. Vorarlberg) can speak in a dialect that I`d hardly understand and for sure couldn´t copy it.