American Accents?

Question

I've often wondered if foreigners recognize the difference in accents within the United States. For example, the people in Texas, talk totally different from the people in New York. Also, I wonder how our accents are perceived in other countries.

You all have given such INTERESTING answers. Thanks!

Answer 1

As European (Dutch) I think you hardly have any different accents in the English speaking part of North America.
The different accents change by hours of traveling if at all, and are almost the same on the different sides of the border.
In most of Europe the accents will change within a mile to something noticably different, and in many cases when people speak their local dialect they can not understand the local dialect from people living one hour travel away.
People who had a good ear for accents and trained in it, could tell you till within the mile where someone came from.
That is getting less now, with everybody watching TV and listening to the same radio, and accents from dialects not being liked when working in an office.

I hear the difference in accents in the states, but with very few exeptions, once you have learned to understand someone frome one state, you can understand everybody from that state and all the stated around it.
The few cases where that is not true are those where the locals lived isolated and had an other language than English as home language when they arrived, think about the cajun and the people on some of the coastal islands.

This is not only true for North America but also for Australia and New Zealand, and likely for other countries as well.
All these countries have not had the time to develope local dialects and therefor local accents, it takes more than a century for that to happen, and in those countries the majority of the people immigrated in the last century.

Answer 2

Yes, foreigners with sensitive ears, who have been exposed to many Americans and who have particular interest in culture and languages, whether residing abroad or in the United States, are aware of the many different American accents and can distinguish them as well. It may interest Americans to know that, considering accent, the most easily understood would be the natives of Florida.

Answer 3

My husband is Moroccan and can tell the difference between say, a Texan and a New Yorker, but often doesn't get the subtleties between say, a New Yorker and a New Englander. My husband prefers the northern accents, thank God.

I speak Arabic and can tell the difference between a Marrakshi and a Fassi (in Morocco).

I would say that any fluent English speaker who has spent time in the US can tell the difference, but a person who has never been there only could if he were obsessed with movies.

Answer 4

I can tell the difference between the accents. I think the NY accent is one of the easier ones to understand, the southern ones (Texas, especially) are a bit more difficult. Actually, the accent I have the most trouble understanding is the African-American accent.

Answer 5

Yeah that's true TX does have distinctive accented people. I think it's cool that everyone has different accents.

By the way some foreigners do here our accents, I knew an exchanged student in high school from England, always joked about my TX drawl.

To me I don't think I sound very country, but I guess to others I do.

Answer 6

I was on a Greek Cruise Ship, staffed by Filipino’s, with mainly American & French Tourists…

Okay, there was this Texas Chick and an Ausi Dude, and they fell in love ... the Greek Officers, Filipino’s, French, & American's were all giggling at the site of these two different English Accent types doing the matting game. It was unforgettable 4 sure.

Answer 7

I'm a foreigner to you I guess - I'm Australian. I'd say defintely yes, we can recognise the difference between regional accents. In particular, I'd say most can differentiate between southern and non-southern accents.

I (and many many others I assume) can differentiate between a New Yorker, a Bostonian and a southern accent. Past that, I'd be hard pressed.

I could pick out a Hawaiian too I suppose :) I'd be interested to see a list of regional accents in the US too. It's an interesting topic.

Answer 8

I live in Brazil and understand english well. I recognize the accent from south of USA, that looks very snuffling (nasal) and a little bit funny. And difficult to understand for me. And I recognize the accent from black people who live in slums, and speak with many slangs. Even more difficult to understand. But I don't recognize any other accents in USA. I recognize well also the accents from Jamaica, UK and Australia.

Answer 9

When you listen to someone peak French, can you tell what part of France or Canada or elsewhere they came from. I know I can hardly ever tell the difference. I suspect this is the way it is with most non English speakers.
Once you learn to speak English, then I would guess the ability to distinguish accents will come relatively slowly.

Answer 10

Yes foreigners can differentiate between the accents. Maybe not to the degree where they can say hey that's a wisconsin accent but the awareness is definitely there.