Which region of the US has the most 'neutral' sounding accent?
Neutral American English
Supposedly the midwest, as long as it's not the part with the sing-song Scandinavian "Fargo" accent.
<<Which region of the US has the most 'neutral' sounding accent?>>
The western United States.
The western United States.
According to this Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_American the area with the most "neutral" accent (the accent most closely approximating General American) is a belt running from northwestern Illinois to eastern Nebraska, encompassing most of Iowa.
I think the Western Canadian accent (with the aboots and the sohrees taken out) sounds like the most neutral 'US' accent.
<<I think the Western Canadian accent (with the aboots and the sohrees taken out) sounds like the most neutral 'US' accent.>>
Ok. I'll put in my two cents, tho. My relatives are from BC and they have Canadian Raising (so the diphthong in their "about" is the typical Canadian Raised [@U]) as well as [sor\i] or [sOr\i] for their "sorry." They all do this, and except for my aunt, who grew up in Toronto, they've always lived in western Canada.
Ok. I'll put in my two cents, tho. My relatives are from BC and they have Canadian Raising (so the diphthong in their "about" is the typical Canadian Raised [@U]) as well as [sor\i] or [sOr\i] for their "sorry." They all do this, and except for my aunt, who grew up in Toronto, they've always lived in western Canada.
>>Ok. I'll put in my two cents, tho. My relatives are from BC and they have Canadian Raising (so the diphthong in their "about" is the typical Canadian Raised [@U]) as well as [sor\i] or [sOr\i] for their "sorry." They all do this, and except for my aunt, who grew up in Toronto, they've always lived in western Canada.<<
But if they removed those features, would you say that it would sound like a very neutral US accent? Or would it sound like it came from somewhere in particular in the US?
But if they removed those features, would you say that it would sound like a very neutral US accent? Or would it sound like it came from somewhere in particular in the US?
<<But if they removed those features, would you say that it would sound like a very neutral US accent? Or would it sound like it came from somewhere in particular in the US?>>
Well, those aren't the only features that distinguish them from General American. Amongst other things, they also have the tendency to have /{/ in many words where Americans have /A/, such as "pasta," "garage" "lava" etc. I don't spend a lot of time with them since they're far away but I see them usually once every year or two. They also use words which are typically considered Canadian, such as "washroom" and the like. So, no, just getting rid of their Canadian Raising and "sorry" pronunciation wouldn't necessarily bring them to what people consider a "neutral" US accent either.
Well, those aren't the only features that distinguish them from General American. Amongst other things, they also have the tendency to have /{/ in many words where Americans have /A/, such as "pasta," "garage" "lava" etc. I don't spend a lot of time with them since they're far away but I see them usually once every year or two. They also use words which are typically considered Canadian, such as "washroom" and the like. So, no, just getting rid of their Canadian Raising and "sorry" pronunciation wouldn't necessarily bring them to what people consider a "neutral" US accent either.
Long live Canadian Raising and sOrry!!!!
soh-ree...but that's just funny thinking of those as Canadian...the question, though...I agree with the IL to NE area.
soh-ree...but that's just funny thinking of those as Canadian...the question, though...I agree with the IL to NE area.
>>I agree with the IL to NE area.<<
I've listened to recordings from that area, and they sure sound accented to me. I think that Maine has the most neutral sounding English--it doesn't sound Northeastern, and doesn't have the peculiar midwestern features.
I've listened to recordings from that area, and they sure sound accented to me. I think that Maine has the most neutral sounding English--it doesn't sound Northeastern, and doesn't have the peculiar midwestern features.
Maine? Yeah, those down-easterners sure have no accent whatsoever...why does this question even matter, anyway? To me, most people from both Iowa and Maine have accents. Even people here in SE MN have accents. I was playing the game Sorry with some people yesterday...they all kept saying 'sari' (as compared to 'soh-ree')...it got kind of hysterically annoying after a while. To everyone, every English speaker has an accent except those from where they live.
Most Americans outside the southern States and a few metropolitan areas have very little regional accent—little enough that Americans routinely ask each other where they are from, since accent alone isn't enough to locate anyone, even on those rare occasions when it is noticeable.
It's nothing like England, where accents vary significantly even from one side of a town to another. In every case, regional accents are strongest in areas that are relatively isolated with respect to their population (small villages, some major cities), and weakest in areas where the population is mobile and in regular communication with the rest of the nation. The English are apparently more insular in their towns and less mobile than Americans, and so they have more marked regional accents.
It's nothing like England, where accents vary significantly even from one side of a town to another. In every case, regional accents are strongest in areas that are relatively isolated with respect to their population (small villages, some major cities), and weakest in areas where the population is mobile and in regular communication with the rest of the nation. The English are apparently more insular in their towns and less mobile than Americans, and so they have more marked regional accents.
MAINE? You have got to be kidding. There's nothing neutral about a Maine accent!