# When did the American accent become dominant? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 3, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-american-accent-become-dominant/803449 "2017-12-03T15:42:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-american-accent-become-dominant/803449/41 "2017-12-05T02:08:20Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > As many have said “The” American accent does not exist. > > Here’s an example of [New Hampshire, where my Dad grew up.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=selUoq-poTM) > > Here’s one from [Georgia, where my Mom grew up.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk-7CMpT38E) > > But if you really want to get interested, there are remnants of [Edwardian and even Elizabethan English](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NxVOIj7mvWI)in some more isolated communities. I knew even before clicking on your link that your example of “Elizabethan English” was going to be the Banker “Hoi Toide” accent. I have once or twice encountered this accent in the wild, while vacationing on Hatteras or Ocracoke, and I was glad to see it’s not completely died out. I question, though, just on grounds of human nature, how authentically “Elizabethan” or “Jacobean” it is, any more. All languages change, and I can’t imagine the Bankers of today, even the ones who retain the brogue, speak precisely as their great-grandparents did. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-american-accent-become-dominant/803449/42 "2017-12-05T02:27:41Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > I question, though, just on grounds of human nature, how authentically “Elizabethan” or “Jacobean” it is, any more. All languages change, and I can’t imagine the Bankers of today, even the ones who retain the brogue, speak precisely as their great-grandparents did. I agree with you, but I believe you need some more “greats” in there for Jacobean and Elizabethan. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-american-accent-become-dominant/803449/43 "2017-12-05T02:38:57Z")
> [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](#): > > I question, though, just on grounds of human nature, how authentically “Elizabethan” or “Jacobean” it is, any more. All languages change, and I can’t imagine the Bankers of today, even the ones who retain the brogue, speak precisely as their great-grandparents did. **TruCelt** said “remnants.” Of course these dialects are not identical to ones from four centuries ago. However, they may retain some elements from them that have been lost in other American dialects. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2017, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-american-accent-become-dominant/803449/44 "2017-12-05T17:31:04Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > That’s because the [“General American”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_American) accent is mostly based on the speech of the Midwest and West. It’s originally a regional speech that is now regarded as not being specifically regional. I remember in the Right Stuff there was an explanation of how the voice of the pilot needs to be midwestern. It had to do with passenger confidence. But this implies that they could tell the difference. I’m sure johnny was very conscious of accent though and worked hard on it. That’s the way it worked for tv. Do you have any examples of johnny’s speech which deviate from california or connecticut phonemes? You can say “Aw shucks” with a neutral accent too, but it might be a signifier, as opposed to an accent. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-did-the-american-accent-become-dominant/803449.md?page=2)