Lena Torres
The English and American accents have evolved differently over the past few centuries. While American English has preserved the rhotic accent of the British in the 1600s, British English has undergone more significant changes, especially with the emergence of non-rhotic speech among the upper classes during the Industrial Revolution. As a result, some argue that the American accent today sounds more like Shakespearean English than modern British English, but this is an oversimplification as both accents have changed since the 17th century and continue to do so.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Rhotic accent | In Shakespeare's day, British people spoke with a rhotic accent, which is similar to the American accent today. |
| Pronunciation of 'R' | Americans pronounce the 'R' in words like 'card' and 'water', while British English has dropped this sound in most dialects. |
| Vowel pronunciation | Americans pronounce vowels differently from British English, with some words like 'fire' pronounced as 'fi-er' instead of 'fi-yah'. |
| Influence of upper classes | The English lower classes began mimicking the upper classes, who changed their accent to distinguish themselves, leading to a divergence between American and English accents. |
| Regional dialects | There are regional dialects in the US with different words and accents, influenced by various factors including isolation and exposure to other languages. |
| Preservation of older English | Americans generally preserve the pronunciation of English from centuries ago, while British English has undergone more changes in the last few centuries. |
| Rhyme and puns in Shakespeare | Some of Shakespeare's puns and rhyme schemes no longer work in contemporary British English but may be closer to American English. |
| Great Vowel Shift | The Great Vowel Shift ended soon after Shakespeare's time, affecting English spellings and pronunciations, and contributing to inconsistencies in British English. |
| Standardization | The 'r-less' accent became standard in England, while Americans retained the rhotic accent, preserving the older British pronunciation. |
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What You'll Learn
The English accent in Shakespeare's time
Shakespeare's English, or "Original Pronunciation" (OP), is believed to have sounded quite different from modern English accents. It likely had "flecks of nearly every regional UK English accent" and possibly some American and Australian accents as well. This is because the English language has undergone significant changes in the last few centuries, with the British accents changing more than American accents.
Linguists have attempted to reconstruct Shakespeare's accent by studying written texts from his time, as spellings were not yet standardized, and by examining how certain puns and rhyme schemes would have sounded to Elizabethan ears. For example, the words "love" and "prove" would have rhymed in the 1600s, which they do not today. Additionally, the word "knight" would have been pronounced more phonetically, in a way that made sense with its spelling.
Some linguists and actors, such as Ben Crystal and Paul Meier, have created recordings and performances of Shakespeare's works in the original pronunciation. These reconstructions suggest that Shakespeare's English may have sounded somewhat similar to modern American English, particularly in areas with prominent Irish settlement, rather than the English accents associated with his native Thames River valley in southern England. However, it is important to note that Shakespeare's accent also likely changed over time, as it was influenced by the Scottish accent when King James VI of Scotland took the English throne after Queen Elizabeth I.
Overall, while we cannot know for sure what Shakespeare's accent sounded like, we can use linguistic principles and historical context to make educated guesses and reconstruct it to the best of our abilities. These reconstructions provide valuable insights into the pronunciation and understanding of Shakespeare's works.
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The Industrial Revolution's impact on accents
The Industrial Revolution (approx. 1760–1840) had a profound impact on the linguistic landscape of England. The emergence of new manufacturing technologies and industries led to large-scale migration from rural areas to the growing industrial towns and cities of northern England, such as Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds, and Liverpool. This mixing of people from diverse geographical backgrounds, including Ireland, resulted in the development of new accents and dialects. For example, the accent of Liverpool, known as Scouse, emerged through the process of koineization, exhibiting influences from surrounding Lancashire dialects as well as Irish pronunciation. Similarly, Urban West Yorkshire English (UWYE) expanded significantly as individuals moved from rural areas to cities in search of industrial employment.
The Industrial Revolution also influenced the standardisation and spread of certain accents. Received Pronunciation (RP), also known as Public School English or BBC English, became standardised and was taught by pronunciation tutors to those who wanted to speak fashionably. RP, associated with the upper and upper-middle classes, spread across England and the British Empire through various institutions, including the armed forces and the BBC. This standardisation of RP contrasted with the diverse array of local dialects that existed in England prior to the Industrial Revolution, some of which dated back to Anglo-Saxon times.
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Rhotic and non-rhotic accents
The English language has two types of accents: rhotic and non-rhotic. The main difference between the two is the pronunciation of the "r" sound. Rhotic accents pronounce the "r" sound in words like "large" and "park", while non-rhotic accents generally do not. Non-rhotic accents are also known as "r-dropping" accents.
Historically, the British accent was rhotic, and it remained so until the Industrial Revolution (1760-1820). During this period, the British accent started to change, with the upper classes adopting a non-rhotic accent to distinguish themselves from the lower classes. This change was influenced by the loss of postvocalic "r" in the British prestige standard in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The non-rhotic accent became popular and fashionable, with many people taking elocution lessons to perfect their speech. The armed forces and BBC broadcasts helped spread this new accent across the country.
On the other hand, American English has preserved the rhotic accent that the British used to have. Most Americans today still pronounce their "r" sounds, similar to how the British pronounced them centuries ago. This preservation of the rhotic accent in American English can be attributed to the influence of early colonists, who brought their accents with them when they immigrated to the United States.
It is important to note that not all American accents are rhotic. Some regions, such as eastern New England, New York City, and the former plantation region of the South, have traditionally been non-rhotic. However, non-rhoticity has been declining in these areas since the mid-20th century. Additionally, certain dialects, such as African-American Vernacular English, are largely non-rhotic due to the influence of the historical plantation region.
In summary, the distinction between rhotic and non-rhotic accents is a significant aspect of the English language. While American English has largely preserved the rhotic accent, British English has undergone changes, with the non-rhotic accent becoming the standard in many regions. These differences in accent development have led to variations in pronunciation and speech patterns between the two varieties of English.
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How British English changed in the 19th century
It is important to note that British English has been evolving over the centuries, and the accents of the 19th century are not the same as modern-day British accents. In fact, British accents have undergone more change in the last few centuries than American accents.
In the 19th century, the standard British accent, known as Received Pronunciation (RP), emerged in southern England during the Industrial Revolution. This accent was influenced by the growing influence of London and the movement of people from lower social classes into higher ones. Orthoepists and teachers of elocution in London decided upon correct pronunciations, compiled pronouncing dictionaries, and offered private and expensive tutoring sessions in fashionable articulation. This led to the development of RP, which is still considered the standard British accent today.
During the 19th century, the British Empire was at its height, and British colonization was expanding worldwide. This expansion contributed to the linguistic isolation of British English from American English, which was also evolving due to the expansion of the United States westward and the influence of migration and settlement patterns.
While there is no single mainstream American accent, most American English accents fall under the umbrella of General American, which is a spectrum of accents that Americans do not associate with a particular region, ethnicity, or socioeconomic group. General American is used most often in formal contexts or by highly educated speakers.
In the 19th century, the accents of the East Coast of the United States, including Boston and New York City, were influenced by the then-trendy R-less accent of the English upper class. This was in contrast to the vocalic R that was associated with the British accent at the time and is still a prominent feature of American English today.
Overall, the 19th century was a period of significant change and evolution for both British and American English, with the expansion of colonization and industrialization influencing the development of new accents and dialects on both sides of the Atlantic.
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American English and its influences
The English language has evolved differently in the United States and the United Kingdom since their separation, with American English retaining certain features of older forms of British English. This is due in part to the relative isolation of the American colonies from the United Kingdom, as well as the influence of other languages in the United States, including Native American languages, and other European languages such as Dutch, Swedish, French, and Spanish.
In the 19th century, British English began to change while American English remained largely the same. One of the most significant changes was the development of a non-rhotic accent in the UK, where the 'r' sound is dropped from words like "card" and "water". This change was driven by the upper classes as a way to distinguish themselves and was spread throughout the country by institutions like the armed forces and the BBC. While some parts of the UK, like Scotland, Ireland, and certain English regions, retained their rhotic accents, the change contributed to a divergence between British and American English.
American English accents are often considered more similar to older forms of British English, such as the English of Shakespeare's time. This is because American English has retained certain features that have been lost in most modern British English accents, such as the rhotic 'r' sound. However, it is important to note that there is no single "American accent" or "British accent," and both have undergone significant changes and variations over time.
The notion that Americans preserved the ""original"" British accent is an oversimplification. While American English has retained certain features, it has also innovated in other areas, such as vowel sounds, which have changed considerably in American English and now differ markedly from UK dialects. Additionally, both varieties of English have been influenced by each other, with Americanisms entering UK English and Britishisms making their way into American English.
In conclusion, while American English has preserved certain aspects of older British English, it has also been influenced by a variety of other factors and has evolved in its own unique ways. The influence of isolation, contact with other languages, and social and cultural factors have all played a role in shaping the distinct features of American English and its various regional dialects.
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Frequently asked questions
Shakespearean English sounded much like American English does today. In Shakespeare's time, British English was rhotic, meaning people pronounced all their Rs, just like modern-day Americans. However, British accents have changed more in the last few centuries than American accents have.
The British upper classes developed a non-rhotic accent in the 19th century to distinguish themselves from the lower classes. The lower classes then began mimicking the upper classes, which created a meaningful divergence between British and American accents.
Yes, the early colonists had British accents. However, within a generation, people back in England noticed that Americans were speaking English in new and quirky ways. Over time, these changes led to a new dialect, influenced by other languages like Native American languages, Indian English pidgin, Dutch, Swedish, French, and Spanish.
Yes, Americans pronounce some words more like Shakespeare than Brits do. For example, in Shakespeare's time, "love" and "prove" rhymed, which is similar to American English today. However, British English pronunciations have changed so much since the era of Queen Elizabeth I that we've lost touch with what Early Modern English sounded like.
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