Americans speak proper English

[Tommy Tainant]

How Americans preserved British English

It makes for a great story: when settlers moved from England to the Americas from the 17th Century, their speech patterns stuck in place. That was particularly true in more isolated parts of the US, such as on islands and in mountains. As a result, the theory goes, some Americans speak English with an accent more akin to Shakespeare’s than to modern-day Brits.

Fascinating stuff. Modern American is closer to "proper English" than what Brits speak.

 

[Meathead]

Everybody has know that for years. New England accents are far more similar to the speech of 16th century Englishmen than their accent of today.

 

[xyz]

New England sounds different from the rest of the US, sounds more British but different than real British.

I haven't read this anywhere, but do the people in Northern England have archaisms in their pronunciation?

 

[Tijn Von Ingersleben]

Well of course we do. No one has done more to destroy English THAN the English. From Scouse to Mancunian, all hideous, clipped, terse, pigeon dialects. Geordie's speak as if they are gargling water.


Just listen to that. A backwoods West Virginia shine runner is more easily understandable than these two.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

New England sounds different from the rest of the US, sounds more British but different than real British.

I haven't read this anywhere, but do the people in Northern England have archaisms in their pronunciation?

There are variations but they are gradually dying out. I live near Wexham and 5 miles away my friends in Oswestry speak a different language in a different accent.
The US is huge and many communities are isolated. I think this allows speech patterns to continue.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

Well of course we do. No one has done more to destroy English THAN the English. From Scouse to Mancunian, all hideous, clipped, terse, pigeon dialects. Geordie's speak as if they are gargling water.


Just listen to that. A backwoods West Virginia shine runner is more easily understandable than these two.

Which bit did you struggle with ?

 

[koshergrl]

How Americans preserved British English

It makes for a great story: when settlers moved from England to the Americas from the 17th Century, their speech patterns stuck in place. That was particularly true in more isolated parts of the US, such as on islands and in mountains. As a result, the theory goes, some Americans speak English with an accent more akin to Shakespeare’s than to modern-day Brits.

Fascinating stuff. Modern American is closer to "proper English" than what Brits speak.

Yup. This isn't news to Americans who can read and write.

 

[Tijn Von Ingersleben]

Well of course we do. No one has done more to destroy English THAN the English. From Scouse to Mancunian, all hideous, clipped, terse, pigeon dialects. Geordie's speak as if they are gargling water.


Just listen to that. A backwoods West Virginia shine runner is more easily understandable than these two.

Which bit did you struggle with ?

You know the part just before he started speaking? Yeah, from then on.
I know this is derailing the topic a bit because it's kinda not 'English', but I was in Glasgow once...I might as well have been in Vladivostok...not a sentence. The English I can get for the most part. Glaswegian is...holy shit.

 

[Tommy Tainant]

How Americans preserved British English

It makes for a great story: when settlers moved from England to the Americas from the 17th Century, their speech patterns stuck in place. That was particularly true in more isolated parts of the US, such as on islands and in mountains. As a result, the theory goes, some Americans speak English with an accent more akin to Shakespeare’s than to modern-day Brits.

Fascinating stuff. Modern American is closer to "proper English" than what Brits speak.

Yup. This isn't news to Americans who can read and write.

Well of course we do. No one has done more to destroy English THAN the English. From Scouse to Mancunian, all hideous, clipped, terse, pigeon dialects. Geordie's speak as if they are gargling water.


Just listen to that. A backwoods West Virginia shine runner is more easily understandable than these two.

Which bit did you struggle with ?

You know the part just before he started speaking? Yeah, from then on.
I know this is derailing the topic a bit because it's kinda not 'English', but I was in Glasgow once...I might as well have been in Vladivostok...not a sentence. The English I can get for the most part. Glaswegian is...holy shit.

He is trying to reconnect with his son. Its small talk..

 

[jwoodie]

Standard American English is phonetically correct. Other versions are merely dialects.

 

[whitehall]

It's true. In areas of the Shenandoah Valley (and probably a hundred other places in today's South) which was relatively isolated until the interstate system was created during the 50's and 60's, experts say you could identify Elizibethian English phrases and dialect. It's fading away but if you have an ear for it you can still pick up old English even in the 21st century.