Re: accents

From: Peter T. Daniels (grammatim_at_worldnet.att.net)
Date: 03/18/05 

Date: Fri, 18 Mar 2005 13:10:13 GMT

Ruud Harmsen wrote:
>
> 18 Mar 2005 03:33:15 -0600:
> galaxym812000@yahoo-dot-com.no-spam.invalid (brennus): in sci.lang:
>
> >There is some evidence that accents in human languages can still
> >change without external influences.
>
> Whyever would they not?
>
> >For example, Icelandic, as
> >conservative as it is, has changed a little bit in acccent and
> >pronunciation from that of Old Norse.
>
> Not just a little bit, but considerably.
>
> >Yet, Icelandic society was
> >almost completely isolated from the rest of northern Europe after the
> >middle of the 12th century.
>
> So?
>
> >Linguists have also noticed changes in the accents of Black American
> >speakers. Just a century ago, Black American accents were nearly
> >identical to those of White American Southerners. Recordings of them
> >were made as late as the 1940's. By comparing the speech of 21st
> >century American Blacks with these, we know that their accents have
> >undergone some changes.
> They moved from the south to New York, Chicago etc.? Which Black
> accent are we talking about, from which parts of the US?
>
> >However, I can't think of any external
> >influences that would really cause their accents to change.
>
> Why should external influences have anything to do with accents?
>
> >The
> >majority of them still live in the South or have until the last 15 to
> >25 years.
>
> Is that so? Aren't black people now all over the country?
>
> >Even, outside the South, they have little interaction with
> >Northern Whites or Hispanics.
>
> ???

Don't worry. "Brennus" knows as much about US sociology as s/he does
about Icelandic. 

-- 
Peter T. Daniels                       grammatim@att.net

Relevant Pages

  • Re: accents
    ... Black American accents were nearly ... >identical to those of White American Southerners. ... Why should external influences have anything to do with accents? ...
    (sci.lang)
  • Re: Does Accent Change Intrinsically?
    ... >>change without external influences. ... >> American accents were nearly identical to those of White ... >>Northern Whites or Hispanics. ...
    (sci.lang)
  • accents
    ... change without external influences. ... Linguists have also noticed changes in the accents of Black American ... identical to those of White American Southerners. ...
    (sci.lang)
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