Results 1 to 2 of 2

Thread: When Did Americans Lose Their British Accents ?

  1. #1
    Stats Committee
    2nd Lieutenant
    United States

    Join Date
    Oct 2017
    Location
    New York
    Log Entries
    745
    Name
    Bill

    Default When Did Americans Lose Their British Accents ?

    Although my family came to the Hudson River Valley prior to the American Revolution from England -- ( we had a charter for what the documents call a "significant" amount of land from King George III -- which they managed to lose by siding with the crown in the Revolution) -- I can assure you that I do not have a British accent....so when did it disappear in my family and other England transplants? Please see story:

    https://getpocket.com/explore/item/w...=pocket-newtab

  2. #2
    Admiral of the Fleet.
    Baron
    England

    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Notts
    Log Entries
    22,272
    Blog Entries
    22
    Name
    Rob

    Default

    Very interesting.
    When re-enacting we try to look at Shakespearian English. The rhyme in his and other poets of that era are a clue to how words sounded. Alot of English throughout the 17th Cent was based on this and in King James bible you can also pick out the speech patterns themselves with thou and thee etc. It is widely believed that if you can combine Yorkshire accents with Welsh and Cornish you would have a good appreoximation of how the layperson spoke by the English Civil War period. A Far remove from the Middle ages with Chauser's English.
    When I was in Williamsburg, I did not feel at all out of place in the American Revolutionary period town speaking in my Nottingham dialect.
    Great article Bill.
    Rob.
    The Business of the commander-in-chief is first to bring an enemy fleet to battle on the most advantageous terms to himself, (I mean that of laying his ships close on board the enemy, as expeditiously as possible); and secondly to continue them there until the business is decided.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •