America used to be colonized by Britain and Americans had British accents. What happened?

Question

Why did Americans' accents change?

Answer 1

America wasn't just colonised by the British but also the French the Dutch the Spanish and perhaps many other groups. From there the language slowly but surely evolved separately as the colonials moved on, gained a national identity and their own prominent writers.

Answer 2

lol., this is roughly the 4th time I've answered this ;) So here I go again!...





Well, every accent changes over time.



One theory is that it didn't change, but rather it is like a "snapshot" of an Elizabethan English accent. America was first settled by English speakers in the 16th century. The accent in America "froze" and the accent in England continued to change, (as well as the American accent). Some Shakespearean experts (and not just American ones) say that the language of Shakespeare works much better in an American accent, and this some proof to that theory.



So - the English, a good 400 years ago, sounded just like Americans (the typical American accent) do today. In the US, there is such a thing as a "Shakespearean" and "Elizabethan" accents -- which is theorized to believe the closest accent to what Shakespeare and Queen Elizabeth sounded like.



If you really listen to Southern Belle accents, you can really hear a mix of a Scottish and Irish (which is the base of the way all Southern accents were formed).



I live really close to Pittsburgh, PA -- and just about everyone here has a huge Irish twang to their accent. You can also hear a mix of Canadian as well. It's a really weird accent. lol.



Hope this helps! :)

Answer 3

Over time language changes.. and after independence from Britain, a lot of immigrants came here from so many different countries and it had an effect of the way we talked.



I think Irish immigrants had a huge impact on the American accent.

Answer 4

I think the british changed their accent more than the americans changed

Answer 5

no one in England ever says pip pip cheerio and its basically singers that emulate an american accessory.Then what form of yank accessory Creole massive apple Chicago they are all diverse.Ameriican slang gets into the language by way of fact of flicks yet we've lots of our very own slang its no longer considerable. i became in massive apple as quickly as and mentioned to the instruction manual in England we consume ******* and he in basic terms fell approximately. Why has Yahoo edited out the be conscious for a sausage a *** have been given.We consume it with pease pudding

Answer 6

language is always evolving. after america became independent from britian, they had less of an influence on america. slang terms because regularly used terms, and accents slightly change over time because certian people will pronounce certian words in different ways. if enough people say it like that, so will their kids. it just caught on.

Answer 7

you answered your own question... it USED to be colonized by the Brits a long time ago, it no longer is and has not been for a very very long time.

Answer 8

because most americans aren't from Britain.

Answer 9

Americans show theirs butts to the Queen. That means their create they own fantasy. Big stuff, cars, boobs, robotic human, and everything big.

Answer 10

Who CARES? Worry about some other goddamn country for once. Seriously, for ****'s sake.