"Natural" and "Acquired" Accents

[RaDragon]

If you were born elsewhere (e.g., let's say somewhere in Essex County, England), grew up there, then relocated to another county or even a different country (e.g., let's say West Texas, USA), would it be weird, after living in the USA for a while, to acquire the local accent? (It also doesn't mean that you're trying to lose your own native accent but in effect, are acquiring the local accent on top of your own...) 😕

I'm just curious if people have come across this before. Most of the people I know retain their "original" accent (WV, TX, LA) even after living elsewhere for many years (e.g., moving from Texas to California)...

So I suppose my question is-- do you believe that there is such a thing as an "acquired" accent?

 

[NFS4]

I have a Taiwanese friend who came to live in North Carolina when he was 9. He learned English from that age and he speaks with a Southern accent 😀

 

[SZLiao214]

I had a lovely friend who was born in australia, educated in singapore (traveling dad) then did high school in Texas. She had a very pleasant aussie accent, couldnt hear anything from the other 2 places.

 

[djheater]

Originally posted by: RaDragon
If you were born elsewhere (e.g., let's say somewhere in Essex County, England), grew up there, then relocated to another county or even a different country (e.g., let's say West Texas, USA), would it be weird, after living in the USA for a while, to acquire the local accent? (It also doesn't mean that you're trying to lose your own native accent but in effect, are acquiring the local accent on top of your own...) 😕

I'm just curious if people have come across this before. Most of the people I know retain their "original" accent (WV, TX, LA) even after living elsewhere for many years (e.g., moving from Texas to California)...

So I suppose my question is-- do you believe that there is such a thing as an "acquired" accent?

I lived in Louisville Ky, til I was 13 and then moved to Chicago. I don't have any trace of an accent. Both parents were from rural Ky, and definately had accents, =warsh= meant laundry, I recall.
If I meet a rural southerner or am down there for any period of time, I have no problem adopting the twang, but I also have a pretty 'clean' midwestern accent most of the time...

My aunt is from Thailand, she's lived here 30 years since her early twenties, and is still hardly understandable 🙂 I think it depends in part on the person and in part on the accent. Rural southern isn't REALLY all that far from midwesterner in the end.

 

[Whisper]

There's a phenomenon in linguistics called fossilization. Basically, if you learn another language past a certain point in your development, you're pretty much guaranteed to have the accent of your native tongue. Same principle can probably apply to regional dialects, but I would imagine not as rigidly so, since the majority of the phonemes--and the language as a whole--are shared.

But yeah, I notice that if I hang around friends of mine with certain accents, I'll start to adopt bits of it after a day or two. There's a name for that process as well (in anthropology), but I'll be da*ned if I can remember.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: NFS4
I have a Taiwanese friend who came to live in North Carolina when he was 9. He learned English from that age and he speaks with a Southern accent 😀

Yeah that makes sense (althought it'd probably sound funny)... if the majority of the English he hears is with a southern accent, then that's how he'd speak it.

At my previous job there was a guy who spoke with a very thick French accent. His wife was French and they took vacations there, but I don't think he lived there for any extensive period of time... and he grew up in the US. Nobody knew how he ended up with a French accent, or if he was faking it.

 

[BigJ]

I've lived on Lawn Guyland (Long Island) all my life. But when I went down to Maryland for school last year, I developed a partial Maryland accent within ~6 months.

EDIT Actually read the OP, and realized my post has NOTHING to do with this topic. Whoops!

 

[RaDragon]

Originally posted by: Whisper
There's a phenomenon in linguistics called fossilization. Basically, if you learn another language past a certain point in your development, you're pretty much guaranteed to have the accent of your native tongue. Same principle can probably apply to regional dialects, but I would imagine not as rigidly so, since the majority of the phonemes--and the language as a whole--are shared.

But yeah, I notice that if I hang around friends of mine with certain accents, I'll start to adopt bits of it after a day or two. There's a name for that process as well (in anthropology), but I'll be da*ned if I can remember.

Oooh... That's actually what I want to learn about 🙂

Originally posted by: mugs
At my previous job there was a guy who spoke with a very thick French accent. His wife was French and they took vacations there, but I don't think he lived there for any extensive period of time... and he grew up in the US. Nobody knew how he ended up with a French accent, or if he was faking it.

Madonna + her British/Scottish accent is what comes to mind. >_<

 

[JulesMaximus]

I have a friend who grew up in Scotland until she was in her late teens and then moved to Los Angeles. I met her after she had been living here for about 7-8 years and she had no accent that I could tell. She says she gets the accent back when she goes to visit family but otherwise it's gone.

 

[Whisper]

Originally posted by: RaDragon

Originally posted by: Whisper
There's a phenomenon in linguistics called fossilization. Basically, if you learn another language past a certain point in your development, you're pretty much guaranteed to have the accent of your native tongue. Same principle can probably apply to regional dialects, but I would imagine not as rigidly so, since the majority of the phonemes--and the language as a whole--are shared.

But yeah, I notice that if I hang around friends of mine with certain accents, I'll start to adopt bits of it after a day or two. There's a name for that process as well (in anthropology), but I'll be da*ned if I can remember.

Oooh... That's actually what I want to learn about 🙂

Which part, the linguistics or the anthropology? Linguistics I might be able to help with more, since the fossilization actually ties into neurological principles. The anthro stuff I'd have to look up, but I think I have my old textbook around here somewhere.

 

[Coquito]

My cousin moved from here in nyc down to Viginia about ten years ago. It took him less then a couple years before every other word out of his mouth was "ya'll". 😛

 

[RaDragon]

Originally posted by: Whisper

Originally posted by: RaDragon

Originally posted by: Whisper
There's a phenomenon in linguistics called fossilization. Basically, if you learn another language past a certain point in your development, you're pretty much guaranteed to have the accent of your native tongue. Same principle can probably apply to regional dialects, but I would imagine not as rigidly so, since the majority of the phonemes--and the language as a whole--are shared.

But yeah, I notice that if I hang around friends of mine with certain accents, I'll start to adopt bits of it after a day or two. There's a name for that process as well (in anthropology), but I'll be da*ned if I can remember.

Oooh... That's actually what I want to learn about 🙂

Which part, the linguistics or the anthropology? Linguistics I might be able to help with more, since the fossilization actually ties into neurological principles. The anthro stuff I'd have to look up, but I think I have my old textbook around here somewhere.

The Linguistics bit. Can you suggest some links or books, please?



BigJ -- don't worry about it. Your insight actually shed light that I'm not the only one who somehow "acquires" accents when exposed to a different environment for a certain period of time. 😉

 

[everman]

I have a relative who moved to Australia at around age 20, now about 20 years later they still don't really have the accent.

 

[RaDragon]

Originally posted by: everman
I have a relative who moved to Australia at around age 20, now about 20 years later they still don't really have the accent.

Where were they originally from?

 

[nineball9]

Whisper brings up a good point with fossilization. One example is Henry Kissinger who emigrated to the United States as a teen and retained his German accent while his brother, a few years younger, has no accent.

RaDragon - take a look at The Language Instinct by Steven Pinker. Not everyone agrees with his viewpoints though. Also, try an intro college psychology or sociology text.

 

[DivideBYZero]

My GF is Colombian and was Educated at an American School in Bogota. So she has an American Accent when she speaks English, but since she has been in England she's picking up the accent a little and says things like, 'Rubbish', 'boot' and 'trousers' 😛

 

[Powermoloch]

I'm from south east asia alright...hmmm. Came to AMereecah. 8 years ago. I got an accent back then, now, many people cannot tell whether I'm a natural ol' born US citizen or not. But I have a lil difficulty pronouncing some words (like 3-4, rarely used 'em), but hot damn. I can even try the southern accent just for fun 😀

 

[RaDragon]

nineball9 -- thanks, I'll check that out.

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
My GF is Colombian and was Educated at an American School in Bogota. So she has an American Accent when she speaks English, but since she has been in England she's picking up the accent a little and says things like, 'Rubbish', 'boot' and 'trousers' 😛

I went to an English school in Jordan and I had used those words as well (along with jumper, I was thought of a "bad" speller when I attending university. :Q)


Powermoloch -- which country? (if you don't mind me asking) I know some South East Asians that were born here, their parents speak their native language at home, and they have thick accents!

 

[nakedfrog]

My sister used to have the same non-accent as me (military parents, so we moved every three years, 9-10 of which was overseas) but after living in Alabama for as long as she has, now she's got a deep accent.

 

[DivideBYZero]

Originally posted by: RaDragon
nineball9 -- thanks, I'll check that out.

Originally posted by: DivideBYZero
My GF is Colombian and was Educated at an American School in Bogota. So she has an American Accent when she speaks English, but since she has been in England she's picking up the accent a little and says things like, 'Rubbish', 'boot' and 'trousers' 😛

I went to an English school in Jordan and I had used those words as well (along with jumper, I was thought of a "bad" speller when I attending university. :Q)


Powermoloch -- which country? (if you don't mind me asking) I know some South East Asians that were born here, their parents speak their native language at home, and they have thick accents!

She's hadd exactly that problem working for a company in the UK. A Canadian one at that!

 

[RaDragon]

What do people mean by "no accent" btw?
I thought everyone had an accent, one way or another...

 

[GreenGhost]

Originally posted by: RaDragon
What do people mean by "no accent" btw?
I thought everyone had an accent, one way or another...

Probably an accent that is perceived as neutral, like news anchors, for example. For those who do national news, it's hard to tell where they come from. Just watch a local Mississippi news guy and that's pretty obvious.

 

[Powermoloch]

Originally posted by: RaDragon


Powermoloch -- which country? (if you don't mind me asking) I know some South East Asians that were born here, their parents speak their native language at home, and they have thick accents!

Country: Brunei Darussalam (Malay Nation)

 

[RaDragon]

Originally posted by: GreenGhost

Originally posted by: RaDragon
What do people mean by "no accent" btw?
I thought everyone had an accent, one way or another...

Probably an accent that is perceived as neutral, like news anchors, for example. For those who do national news, it's hard to tell where they come from. Just watch a local Mississippi news guy and that's pretty obvious.

Ah... gotcha. ta!