Agree Even though most of America is made up of immigrants What accent do you think they came up with?

American accent Its rise actually offers an interesting perspective on how language developed in America!

The origins of the evolutionary process date back to 1607, when English colonists established their first permanent settlement at Jamestown, Virginia.

The first American immigrants spoke the same way they had come from England; but over the course of nearly three centuries, this accent evolved away from its European origins. English accents spoken in both England and the colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries were generally rhotic, that is: The “r” sound in words like “hard” was prominently pronounced.

But American Revolution Thereafter, rhotic accents gradually disappeared among the upper classes in England. The non-rhotic accent known as “Received Pronunciation” (RP) became common in southern England, especially among the upper and upper middle classes.

This accent is social indicator of status and prestige It was widely spread by specially trained teachers for those who wanted to learn to speak in this way.

The RP accent was considered a prestigious and easily understood accent throughout England and the British Empire.

In America, the situation was a little different. Many former colonists had trade and cultural ties with England and began to adopt the RP accent. The effects of this accent were visible in port cities such as Boston, Charleston, Savannah, and Richmond. RP accent of the Southeast Coast, with its rich plantation culture It spread to other parts of the south.

But in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the American political and economic center became industrialized. Shifted to the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest regionsCities such as New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago and Detroit came to prominence during this period.

In these regions The influence of the British elite has declined and the accents of their inhabitants were often influenced by settlers of Scots-Irish descent.

In these regions, Rotic English was still spoken, meaning the “r” sounds were pronounced.

Among the self-made elites of the industrial age The status of the RP accent began to decline and this accent lost its influence in America. The accent spoken in these industrial regions, known as the Rust Belt, became known as the General American (GenAm) accent and began to spread throughout the country.

But over time New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Chicago Cities like these have developed their own unique accents. For this reason, the General American accent is now generally associated with certain parts of the Midwest.

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