Mason Blake
People from different countries perceive American accents differently. Some describe it as upbeat and positive, while others liken it to a song due to the exaggerated up and down in pitch. Many non-native English speakers learn the language from American media, making American English sound like the default accent to them. Differences in pronunciation, such as the /æ/ vowel (as in cat) and the /ə/ (as in up), also stand out to people from other countries.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Pleasantness | American English is described as "pleasant for the ear" and beautiful |
| Default accent | The standard American accent is considered the "default way to speak English" due to its prevalence in media |
| Upbeat | American accents are described as "upbeat and positive" |
| Intrusive | Some find American accents "chatty and intrusive" |
| Nasal | The American accent is described as "nasal" |
| Regional variation | There are distinct regional accents, such as the Boston accent and Southern accent |
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What You'll Learn
American English as the 'default' accent
American English has become the most influential form of English worldwide. It is the default accent for many English learners due to the dominance of American media and entertainment. American English is also perceived as the lingua franca of international business.
General American English, or GenAm, is the umbrella accent of American English used by a majority of Americans. It is a spectrum or continuum of accents rather than a single unified accent. It is often perceived by Americans themselves as lacking any distinct regional, ethnic, or socioeconomic characteristics. However, Americans with a high level of education or from the North Midland, Western New England, and Western regions are the most likely to be perceived as using General American speech.
General American English is characterised by full rhoticity, or "R-fulness", in which the "/r/" sound is pronounced in all historical environments spelled with the letter "r", including in syllable-final position or before a consonant (e.g. "car" and "fort"). This is in contrast to non-rhotic accents, such as those of Eastern New England, New York City, and the South, which are often perceived as sounding especially ethnic, regional, or antiquated.
The precise definition and usefulness of the term "General American" are still debated among scholars, who use it as a convenient basis for comparison rather than exactness. Some scholars prefer other terms, such as Standard American English. Standard Canadian English accents may also be considered a part of General American English, especially in opposition to the United Kingdom's Received Pronunciation.
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Regional accents in America
The United States is a large country with a diverse range of regional accents and dialects. While it can be challenging to categorise accents into discrete regions, some well-known and distinctive American accents include:
The Southern Accent: This accent is quite diverse, with about seven distinct variations. It is characterised by the dropping of the 'g' sound at the end of words ending in '-ing', resulting in phrases like "I'm goin'", "I'm eatin'", or "I'm listenin'". Another feature is the elongation of vowels. The Southern accent has gained prominence and is often associated with a strong, unique twang.
The Boston Accent: Boston, a city in Massachusetts, is known for its distinct accent. The Boston accent shares similarities with the older Southern accent, including the dropping of the 'r' sound, known as non-rhoticity. This accent has a reputation for being working-class and is considered quite charming by some.
The New York Accent: The New York accent, made famous by Hollywood films, is another well-known American accent. Like the Boston accent, it is characterised by the dropping of the 'r' sound, but with an ''h' sound often taking its place. This accent has been described as a "knockoff" of British English by a sociolinguistics professor.
The Valley Girl Accent: This accent, though not specific to a region, is an exaggerated version of certain American quirks. It is often described as upbeat, positive, and sometimes intrusive.
It is worth noting that the perception of accents can vary depending on an individual's familiarity with the language and their cultural background. While some may find certain American accents intriguing or charming, others may find them challenging to understand due to their thickness or unique characteristics.
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How Americans sound to the British
The American accent has a distinct sound to British ears, often described as a "'buzzing' quality", with a mush of consonants and lacking hard edges. This is due to Americans speaking from their upper throat, whereas the British accent is articulated more at the front lips and teeth.
The American accent is also known for its use of vowel sounds, with some sources claiming that General American uses more vowel sounds than most other US accents, and certainly more than British accents. For example, the words "marry" and "merry" are distinguished in New York, but not in most of the US.
The way Americans pronounce the word "can't" can also be a point of confusion for British people, as the vowel sound is often reduced in quick speech, making it sound like "cahn't" to British ears.
Some British people also perceive the American accent as lacking sophistication, with one source stating that the American accent sounds "lazy" in its articulation compared to the British accent, which can sound "hoity-toity" to Americans.
Finally, volume is a notable aspect of the American accent to British people. One source commented that Americans seem to lack a "volume control" button, always sounding loud in comparison.
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How Americans sound to non-English speakers
For non-English speakers, American English can be challenging to differentiate from other accents initially. As one learner describes, all English accents sounded the same to them at the beginning of their English learning journey; they couldn't tell Americans, Australians, and British people apart. However, as their fluency improved, they could distinguish between various accents, including those from the north, central, and south of the USA.
American English is known for its broad vowels and rhotic /r/. To non-English speakers, English in general may sound slurred or garbled, and American English, in particular, can sound quite nasal. A Spanish speaker from Spain describes how the same person speaking English will use a lower pitch than when speaking Spanish, Italian, or French. They also note that the mouth is opened differently when speaking English, almost as if one had their mouth filled with food.
Some non-English speakers find American English more musical and upbeat compared to British English, which may be perceived as harsher or more neutral. The exposure to American English through media, movies, shows, and video games also influences how non-English speakers perceive American English. For example, one person from Spain noted that they learned English primarily through consuming American media, and as a result, American English felt like the "default" way to speak the language.
Additionally, the way American English sounds to non-English speakers can vary depending on their native language. For instance, Adriano Celentano, an Italian singer, recorded a song with lyrics that sounded like American-English syllables but were deliberately unintelligible gibberish to Italian listeners, mimicking how Italian speakers might perceive American English.
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The 'Valley Girl' accent
The Valley Girl accent, also known as "ValSpeak" or "Valspeak", is a California English social dialect associated with young, upper-middle-class women from the Los Angeles commuter communities of the San Fernando Valley. The accent is characterised by a rising intonation at the end of sentences, also known as "uptalk" or "upspeak", which can make declarative statements sound like questions to unfamiliar listeners. Other features of the Valley Girl accent include a nasal sound, breathiness, and vocal fry.
The Valley Girl accent and associated stereotypes gained prominence in the 1980s and 1990s through popular media. The 1982 song "Valley Girl" by Frank Zappa, featuring his 14-year-old daughter Moon, brought wider attention to the accent and popularised phrases such as "grody to the max" and "gag me with a spoon". The 1995 film "Clueless", starring Alicia Silverstone as Cher Horowitz, is also considered a caricature of 1990s Valley Girls, with iconic phrases like "as if" and "totally".
The Valley Girl accent has been criticised and associated with inferior speech patterns, particularly when used by women. Research suggests that the use of vocal fry by young women can lead to negative perceptions of competence, education, and trustworthiness, potentially impacting socioeconomic and job opportunities. However, the accent is not limited to a specific demographic group, and people from various backgrounds, including men, may exhibit similar speech patterns.
While the Valley Girl accent is strongly associated with Southern California, it has also influenced and been influenced by other speaking styles. For example, the accent has been linked to the California vowel shift, where vowels are pronounced differently compared to other states. Additionally, some have suggested that the accent is surfer or skater-adjacent, with similarities to Chicano English.
Despite some criticism, the Valley Girl accent has persisted and evolved over time, with some reporting that it has become more watered down or distilled in recent years. It is worth noting that accent and language patterns are influenced by the people around us, and in a culturally diverse place like California, multiple speaking styles can blend and influence each other.
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Frequently asked questions
To non-Americans, American accents can sound very different from their own native accents and dialects. Some people from outside the US have described American accents as "intrusive", "chatty", "nasal", "upbeat", and "positive". Some have also compared American accents to a "song", due to the up and down in pitch.
Yes, Americans have different accents depending on the region. For example, the Boston accent and the "Valley Girl" accent are very distinct.
The "standard" American accent is said to be fairly neutral and is often associated with media such as movies, TV shows, and news. This accent is sometimes considered the default way to speak English by people learning the language.
Compared to other accents, the American accent may be perceived as softer and more flowing, lacking the hard-pronounced letters found in some other languages. It is described by some as "pleasant for the ear".
People tend to notice the differences between their native language and American English, such as the pronunciation of certain vowels and the "th" sound. These differences can make the American accent challenging to understand for those who are learning English or are unfamiliar with its unique sounds and intonations.
