American and Brit accents merge in history
 

Seeing as how a bunch of British people moved to America, it's not like they suddenly lost their accent. Here is the actual way to speak the language, about halfway between us.

How do they know?

It's not like there were tape recorders back then.

I would argue that Canadian English is the halfway point between the two accents.

Sorry.

For being a crackhead?

This thread is Barmy. :p:

Tangier Island in Chesapeake bay was settled by emigrants from Cornwall in SW England in the 17th Century and the Cornish accent has survived to a certain degree to this day.
You might not want to view the entire video, but have a listen from 13.00m to Dorsey Crockett...





And then compare with the Cornish accent as spoken today...



To my ear, Mr Crockett's accent has more in common with the Eastern coastal counties of Norfolk and Suffolk than with Cornwall, but after three or four centuries they have probably diverged somewhat.
Of course, it's entirely possible that Mr Crockett's accent is the genuine and original article!

Been there, heard that. :thumb:

Maps that trace the evolution of the English language.

Ringo Starr is English right? The people who live in Portland, Maine to me sounds like him.

tarheel

Yeah, we know you're sorry, but we like you anyway.

tarheel

Glad to see your up to speed. :D

I was thinking (it happens) that all of us are typing English and all understand each other. Sometimes I have to reread some posts, especially if someone is traveling somewhere. Half my ancestors are from the old country. Anyone's last name Perry? Then y'all talk funny. Do you watch documentaries about America with sub titles? Many shown on Discovery even BBC programing have sub titles for the American mind . An example is the word aluminum. Why put so much effort into one word?

tarheel

You won't find sub-titles on US produced documentaries except in the rarest of circumstances.
Perhaps if a contributor has a very rural accent from, say, the Deep South then a sub-title might make a fleeting appearance, but that's about all.

Aluminum v. Aluminium.

I assume that we go in for 'Aluminium' to comply with scientific convention, other substances being named in a similar fashion. E.g: Sodium, Potassium, Thallium etc.