Job Discussion Forums

johnslat · Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 12:38 pm Post subject: Mary/merry/marry

Pahk yah cah in Hahvahd Yahd.

"22 Maps That Show How Americans Speak English Totally Differently From Each Other

Everyone knows that Americans don't exactly agree on pronunciations.
Regional accents are a major part of what makes American English so interesting as a dialect.
Joshua Katz, a Ph. D student in statistics at North Carolina State University, just published a group of awesome visualizations of Professor Bert Voux's linguistic survey that looked at how Americans pronounce words. (via detsl on /r/Linguistics)
His results were first published on Abstract, the N.C. State research blog.
Joshua gave us permission to publish some of the coolest maps from his collection."

Click below to see the maps

http://www.businessinsider.com/22-maps-that-show-the-deepest-linguistic-conflicts-in-america-2013-6

Regahds, Very Happy

John

Sashadroogie · Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 12:55 pm Post subject:

Dear Johnslat

Shouldn't this be on the North American board?

Best wishes

RP Sasha

johnslat · Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 2:12 pm Post subject:

Dear Sasha,

I take it you don't see this topic as appropriate for the General Forum, huh - unlike, say, this one?

http://forums.eslcafe.com/job/viewtopic.php?t=101532

Very Happy

Regards,
John

Sashadroogie · Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:28 pm Post subject:

Dear Johnslat

But of course. RP is a global phenomenon - the model for nearly all Anglophone countries of the Empire. Class distinction also exists everywhere in the world - with the notable exception of the Workers' Paradise.

A few regional accents and idiolects, whether from Scotland or South Dakota, are not as interesting as locals may think, and have no place on a World Forum. Hurumph!

Best wishes

Sasha

johnslat · Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:41 pm Post subject:

Dear Sasha,

Ah, I see - how David Beckham's, Mick Jagger's, Prince Harry's, Maggie Thatcher's, Tony Blair's, and Geprge Osborne's accents changed/have changed has universal application. Very Happy

Class acts

Silly of me not to have seen that right off, innit? Very Happy

Regards,
John

Sashadroogie · Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 4:53 pm Post subject:

Dear Johnslat

Yes, It was. Indeed! Rather!

And the topic in my thread was a general question to all posters about whether they changed their accents. 'Tis quite prevalent in EFL classrooms.

Still, I am glad to see that you have seen the error of your ways.

Best wishes

Sasha

johnslat · Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 6:43 pm Post subject:

Ah - so all I have to do then is ask if anyone has found that his/her RP has changed due to long periods of being away from the home environment.

Consider it done Very Happy

.

Regards,
John

haleynicole14 · Joined: 20 Feb 2012 Posts: 178 Location: US

I was going to post this but you beat me to it. I find it super interesting, and definitely related to general English teaching, since it would be an interesting topic in a conversational or advanced English class.

This is the link to the actual study, with many more questions and maps.

http://spark-1590165977.us-west-2.elb.amazonaws.com/jkatz/SurveyMaps/

johnslat · Posted: Thu Jun 06, 2013 10:05 pm Post subject:

Dear haleynicole14,

Hey, glad to find a kindred spirit. But I doubt Sasha will be Russian to use your link Very Happy

Regards,
John

Sashadroogie · Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 3:53 am Post subject:

Dear all

Please remind me to post a link about the regional variation in the Welsh valleys. There's more of it than in your location. Has about as much general application, hic!

Best wishes

Sasha

sroetem · Joined: 06 Jun 2008 Posts: 33

Sashadroogie · Posted: Fri Jun 07, 2013 12:03 pm Post subject:

The states all sound the same to me. Yet, I can tell by accent alone which village any valley lass comes from...

surendra · Joined: 09 Feb 2012 Posts: 82

Sashadroogie · Posted: Tue Jun 11, 2013 11:54 am Post subject:

'Tisn't the same as a Californian Valley girl, I fer sure you.

But seriously, are posters here really trying to claim that there is more accent variety in the US than anywhere else in the anglophone world? I fear you might be in for a disappointment...have no doubts.

spiral78 · Joined: 05 Apr 2004 Posts: 11534 Location: On a Short Leash

Ah, as a 'merican who's travelled the entire country and worked with many, many EFL teachers abroad, I can vouch that there are a lot of distinguishable accents happening around the US.

However, I've worked with mostly UK/Irish teachers for over ten years, and once one's ear is tuned to their speech, it's equally varied, without a doubt.

Anecdotal, to be sure, but I would by no means think that the US holds a special record for regional accents!