What kind of accent did Christopher Colombus and/or the pilgrims have?

Question

Does it sound southernish, Euro-ish, or what??

Answer 1

Chanel,

This is an amazingly difficult question to answer because:
1. It was so long ago.
2. There were no actual recordings of the speech of these people.
3.There is an incredible mix of languages involved.

For all intents and purposes, it is guessed that Christopher Columbus spoke the local dialect of Genova plus the standard Italian of the time (probably the Italian from Tuscany, since that was the influential language spread during the Renaissance). Being in maritime functions, he also spoke Portuguese and Spanish. He probably also studied Greek and Latin. I'm guessing that you want to know what he would sound like right now if he spoke English, well, he would probably have the typical propensity to pronounce the vowels as native speakers of Romance languages do. "Did" would probably sound like "Deed," etc. He might also naturally want to end and connect his words with a vowel sound rather than a consonant. (An example is the "They-a want-a go-a" speech pattern that many non-native speakers adopt while first learning English.) He also might "fill in" words he does not know in English with the words that he does from his own native language. (Chanel, do you like vino?) Most of all, he would probably give you a warm smile, point to an object and say, "How do you say in English?" But for all intents and purposes, I don't think he spoke English.

As for the pilgrims, that is another language mix. They spoke the typical English from that time (the 1600's) but even in Elizabethan English, there were many variations due to geography, education, and other influences. (One example is their use of "ye" and "aye" for you and yes.) One of the other influences was that most of the Mayflower Pilgrims as we know them had already settled in Holland for 10 years. Anyone who spends 10 years in another country is going to have a change in their speech. Keep in mind that everyone really speaks in his or her own way, whatever the influence. Also, the children would speak differently than the adults. This would be especially evident in the pre-teens and teenagers, who have a way of creating their own slang and idioms, separate from the adults. (This was usually annoying for the adults and amusing for the teens, as parents of teens throughout the ages have noticed.)

This is a very good question- we can only surmise on what we know today...

Antonio

Answer 2

What do you mean? I think I'm a little confused because I'm unsure of the context in which you are placing Columbus. Most people believe he was born in Italy, so he would have spoken Italian.
When you ask what kind of accent he had, do you mean when he was speaking English? Because I'm not sure he would have had much occasion to speak English...most of the sailors who sailed with him probably spoke Italian or Spanish.

As for the pilgrims, I assume you are talking about the pilgrims who supposedly landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620 (because there have been lots of pilgrims throughout the history of the world.) They were led by William Bradford and came from England, so they probably spoke English. With an English accent.

Answer 3

Technically, Chris didn't have an accent at all. He spoke his native language, and just as you don't think you have an accent because you speak the same as everyone around you, he didn't think he had an accent either - until he got to Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand's court. Then he likely spoke Spanish with an Italian accent.
The pilgrims were Quakers, a breakaway sect from the English Puritans, and spoke plain English - that is, language without all the hifalutin' gobbledegook that was common in the language of the day.

Answer 4

Christopher Columbus was from Genoa, Italy so presumably spoke Italian with a northern accent.
The Pilgrims were originally from central/eastern England, then migrated to Holland. They probably spoke English with Elizabethan grammar and accents associated with that area of England. The children were more likely to have been influenced by their Dutch friends and may have had a Dutch accent.

Answer 5

Columbus spoke several languages, but his native language would be the Genoese dialect of the Ligurian language (a Romance language, but NOT Italian). The region of Liguria borders on France, and its language is in many ways simliar to France. Thus he likely spoke with something close to a French accent (though you'd have to investigate the details, and what they sounded like 400 years ago.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Genoese_dialect
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligurian_language_%28Romance%29
http://latinamericanhistory.suite101.com/article.cfm/christopher_columbus_early_years


The Pilgrims, and other Puritan settlers who came shortly after them, came from various parts of England, but by far the largest group was that of EAST ANGLIA -- an eastern peninsula of England, just above London. Hence the East Anglian cutlure and dialect was dominant in New England.

map of East Anglian counties
http://www.fire.gov.uk/images/maps/E-Fire%20Regional%20Map%20East%20Anglia.gif

map of East Anglia in relationship to the rest of Great Britian
http://www.gardens-guide.com/maps/map.jpg

For more on the East Anglian dialect of these immigrants see
http://pandora.cii.wwu.edu/vajda/ling201/test3materials/AmericanDialects.htm

And for this particular migration and the culture it developed --

Answer 6

I believe portugeese and Italian is what he spoke in 1492
in 1642 the pilgrams spoke english with a Brooklyn accent
so Columbus must of had a Russian accent .....hows that answer almost as good as the question

Answer 7

is there anyone still alive who heard it?
if not, I think your question should be: Did it sound .....

and how would anyone here know.

he was a genoese italian, who lived in spain and traveled on his voyages with spainards; and portuguese sailors

chances are he had a dialect unlike anything heard today.