in Podcasts
January 17, 2011
What makes Americans sound like Americans?
What’s at the heart of an American accent? In this week’s show, Linguistics Professor Anne Charity-Hudley explains what our modern dialect owes to Queen Elizabeth’s court.
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Bob says:
Fascinating and informative. Question, at the time of the revolution, how distinct were the American and British accents? Northern and Southern regional accents in America?
Anne Charity-Hudley says:
Dear Bob,
Thanks for your feedback. There’s an excerpt from Wolfram and Schilling-Estes’ American English that explains more about Colonial English at this link.
There’s a video linked here that explains more about how recent some changes are.
Anne Charity-Hudley
Bob says:
Thanks Professor for providing these links. Wolfram and Schilling-Estes very much tracks with the points in your superb presentation. Of interest too is the idea that the English at Jamestown was likely closer to today’s standard American English than the current British “version.” I’ve always wondered if by the time of the revolution we (the colonists) sounded (accent and word usage) different from those sent by the King to subdue the rebels. If so, how did these differences contribute to the dynamic that led to the war, if at all. After your podcast and reading the link, it appears there were in fact differences. Thanks again. Best regards and we will look forward to more postings and podcasts.
Anne Charity-Hudley says:
Dear Bob,
You are very welcome. Thanks for your interest and your positive feedback. I look forward to sharing more with you in the future as well.
Anne Charity-Hudley
Teresa says:
My husband and I went to Williamsburg recently; loved everything, the history, buildings, food and people. However we stayed at the Williamsburg Lodge I booked through the web site. I thought the rooms would be like what I saw on the site. Not so..I was so very dissapointed in the room. For the money we paid I was expecting something very nice, everything was clean and in order but very plain nothing at all fancey. I have been in better looking rooms at Holiday Inn, Comfort Inn, etc. and cheeper too. So enjoy Williamsburg but stay at another hotel and spend that saved cash somewhere else.