UT researchers say Lone Star twang is fading (Austin, Lubbock: living, law)

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

Did he get that from the accent per se, or the politeness?

Probably some of each, plus a dash of your phrasing, which was heavily regional as well.

I once worked on a project with Robert Easton, the actor and legendary Hollywood dialect coach who died last year. He had an uncanny ability to listen to somebody talk for a few sentences, and then tell them where they grew up, where they went to school, and major areas of residence since, just on the basis of various linguistic clues in their speech from various accents acquired and lost along the way. It was uncanny, and something he got a great deal of pleasure doing as a kind of parlor trick. And he ultimately made his living coaching stars to lost their accents, or learn new ones.

In my view a big factor in flattening out the various American dialects is that the majority of television entertainment, and especially news broadcasts for the last 50 years or so, has been delivered in a more or less neutral and "accentless accent", referred to within the industry as "mid-Atlantic." Every actor and newsreader is trained in this way of speaking, which is designed to be understandable and acceptable to audiences all over the country. In Great Britain there is a similarly designed "BBC 1" accent which attempts to find an acceptable middle ground between wildly different regional accents, some of which require sub-titles in order to be understood by the general public.

Kids hear a lot of this "mid-Atlantic" while growing up and watching TV, which is when they acquire the palette of speech sounds they'll use the rest of their life.

So, it's kind of a self-feeding phenomenon, in my view, because the old regional separation and isolation which gave rise to accents in the first place is disappearing, and thus the sounds kids hear in speech is becoming more homogenized and standardized, and that's what they imitate. Although some of the colors may be getting lost, I think ultimately it serves to support better communication, so I don't think it's a bad thing.

[Two4damoney]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

LOL!! I know what you mean. It's hard to break!

I was once asked if I were from the Midwest.......

On the other hand, a guy held the door for me at the post office (southern NM, yet) one day, and I said, "Thank you kindly, much appreciated."

He looked at me and said, "What part of Texas are you from?"

Did he get that from the accent per se, or the politeness?

Propably the thankyou kindly part.

[stan4]

Dude...I have a strange Texafornia accent, y'all.

[Two4damoney]

Originally Posted by debzkidz

I had my TV on earlier this morning and caught a bit of an ad on NBC for a story they are doing on this very subject. I didn't catch which show or day it would be on though.

I don't know if I have a Texas accent or not. Maybe a little bit. While living in Midland, I was told by a man who worked in my building that from my accent, he could tell I was from the East. I told him I was. I was from Dallas. He told me he meant a lot further east, as in the east coast. I almost cried. I have, however been told that my accent really comes out when I get really angry or excited. Even some of my neighbors here in Oklahoma said they could tell I was from Texas by my accent. I found that really funny because to me, they sound just like I do.

My hubby, he's got a little bit of one, but not a strong one. My older son, yes, he does have a bit of one, but he was raised much of his life in Midland, where there's still more accent than in some of the larger cities. My younger son, no. I can't really hear much of a Texas accent. His sounds more generally Southern, but that could have to do with the fact that he goes to college in the South. He seemed to pick up that accent really quickly. Every time he's come home, I've heard not only the southern accent, but also phrases.

Yeah its surprising how fast you can pick up a bit of an accent as well as phrases when you live somewhere long enough.

[Two4damoney]

Originally Posted by stan4

Dude...I have a strange Texafornia accent, y'all.

lol Same here I think.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Probably some of each, plus a dash of your phrasing, which was heavily regional as well.

I once worked on a project with Robert Easton, the actor and legendary Hollywood dialect coach who died last year. He had an uncanny ability to listen to somebody talk for a few sentences, and then tell them where they grew up, where they went to school, and major areas of residence since, just on the basis of various linguistic clues in their speech from various accents acquired and lost along the way. It was uncanny, and something he got a great deal of pleasure doing as a kind of parlor trick. And he ultimately made his living coaching stars to lost their accents, or learn new ones.

In my view a big factor in flattening out the various American dialects is that the majority of television entertainment, and especially news broadcasts for the last 50 years or so, has been delivered in a more or less neutral and "accentless accent", referred to within the industry as "mid-Atlantic." Every actor and newsreader is trained in this way of speaking, which is designed to be understandable and acceptable to audiences all over the country. In Great Britain there is a similarly designed "BBC 1" accent which attempts to find an acceptable middle ground between wildly different regional accents, some of which require sub-titles in order to be understood by the general public.

Kids hear a lot of this "mid-Atlantic" while growing up and watching TV, which is when they acquire the palette of speech sounds they'll use the rest of their life.

So, it's kind of a self-feeding phenomenon, in my view, because the old regional separation and isolation which gave rise to accents in the first place is disappearing, and thus the sounds kids hear in speech is becoming more homogenized and standardized, and that's what they imitate. Although some of the colors may be getting lost, I think ultimately it serves to support better communication, so I don't think it's a bad thing.

That's interesting, and it would have been fascinating to watch RE in action.

The "accentless accent" IS a lot easier on the ears, and I suppose it's a type of Midwestern accent. Many of the Midwestern accents that I've heard are rather pleasing, since there is often that clear enunciation, and more of a "crisp" (for lack of a better term) sound.

The terrible drawls and running-together of words often make it very hard to understand at times. The closer you get to the Louisiana line, the worse it gets (in my experience).

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Two4damoney

Propably the thankyou kindly part.

Could be. It may be a generational thing, too. I hadn't ever thought much about that.

[Nairobi]

There is no one Texas accent, and there certainly aren't any twangs around my way.

[Two4damoney]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

Could be. It may be a generational thing, too. I hadn't ever thought much about that.

Yeah that might be it. I love the friendly attitudes here in Texas. Just yesterday I was in line at Churchs Chicken and the guy in line with me says how ya doin'? And next thing you know we're talking about the weather, etc. and he introduced me to his wife and it was like we knew each other for years. I encounter that all the time here and its great. Its home. As for the young folk here the ones that are the most polite are the ones who wear the ball caps and drive the big pickup trucks. I even had one hold the door open for me and say how are you doing sir?

[Two4damoney]

Originally Posted by Cathy4017

That's interesting, and it would have been fascinating to watch RE in action.

The "accentless accent" IS a lot easier on the ears, and I suppose it's a type of Midwestern accent. Many of the Midwestern accents that I've heard are rather pleasing, since there is often that clear enunciation, and more of a "crisp" (for lack of a better term) sound.

The terrible drawls and running-together of words often make it very hard to understand at times. The closer you get to the Louisiana line, the worse it gets (in my experience).

The Midwest accent reminds me of a news anchor man/woman.