The short answer is yes, everyone is born with an accent. An accent refers to the unique way people pronounce words based on influences from their native language and geographic region. From the moment we utter our first words, our accents are already being shaped.
Accents start forming at a very young age. Babies listen to their parents and others around them speaking from the time they are born. Their developing brains take note of the sounds and patterns of speech they hear most frequently. These become ingrained as the standard way of speaking.
What factors shape our natural accent?
There are a few key factors that contribute to the accent we are born with:
- Native language – The language we hear from birth has a major impact on accent.
- Geographic region – Regional dialects also shape accents.
- Family and community – Who you interact with frequently influences speech patterns.
- Physical attributes – The shape of vocal cords and mouth can affect pronunciation.
These influences are largely outside our control. They are absorbed subconsciously through everyday interactions from the time we are infants.
Does everyone speak with an accent?
Yes, technically everyone has an accent. There is no such thing as speaking without an accent. Certain accents tend to be seen as more “standard” or neutral than others though. In English, the most commonly accepted standard accents are:
- Standard American English
- Received Pronunciation (standard British English)
- General Australian English
People who grow up speaking these varieties are often perceived as having “no accent.” But in fact, they have accents just like everyone else. Theirs have just become widely accepted through history, media, etc. as the norm.
Can you have more than one accent?
It’s certainly possible for people to have features of multiple accents in their speech. Here are some scenarios where this can happen:
- Growing up bilingual – Being raised with two languages from childhood can lead to a blended accent.
- Moving between dialect regions – Spending formative years in different locations develops a mix of accents.
- Living abroad – Adopting aspects of a new accent when immersed in it.
- Family influence – Having parents who speak differently creates a hybrid accent.
Mastering a new accent fully as an adult is very difficult though. Our early accent habits become deeply rooted over time. Some components of a person’s original accent are likely to persist even after years spent immersed in a new one.
Can your accent change over time?
Our accents are formed in early childhood but continue evolving subtly over our lifetimes. Accents can change in both major and more subtle ways:
- Moving to a new region – Picking up local dialect words/phrases.
- Education and peers – Exposure to different accents at school/work.
- Aging effects on speech – Jaw structure and voice changes.
- Speech disorders – Cleft palate, hearing loss, etc.
- Surroundings – Unconsciously adapting speech patterns from environment.
As we age, our accents generally solidify and become more fixed. But some gradual shift in accent throughout life is normal. Think about how the elderly population often sounds different than younger generations – aspects of their original accent remain but it has moved in certain directions over time.
Can you permanently lose your original accent?
It is possible over an extended period to effectively adopt a new accent and “lose” your old one. Some key ways this happens include:
- Moving to a new country/region at a very young age and staying permanently.
- Being raised bilingual from birth and abandoning one language completely.
- Having a strong motivation to adapt a new accent and putting in sustained effort over years.
- Suffering neurological damage or degenerative illness impacting speech areas of the brain.
However, true full accent extinction is rare. Many residual traces of the original typically remain, especially related to rhythm and intonation. But on the surface level, effectively adopting a completely new accent is possible in the right circumstances.
Are some people accent-less?
There is a common myth that some public figures like news anchors have “no accent.” In reality, everyone has an accent of some variety. However, certain accents are perceived as more neutral or “accent-less” in a given cultural context. Some examples in English include:
- Standard American newscaster English
- BBC English in the UK
- General Australian in Australia
People who work in media/entertainment fields often learn to mimic these standard accents. Their own regional accents may fade toward a more mainstream style. But traces of their origins typically remain, and other cultural groups would still perceive them as having an accent.
Accent Reduction Training
Some people seek accent reduction training to acquire a more mainstream accent. This intensive training aims to identify and minimize speech patterns that differ from the “standard.” But even rigorous training rarely results in a complete shedding of the original accent.
Does accent determine intelligence?
Absolutely not. There is no direct correlation between having a particular accent and intelligence level. Accent is primarily determined by the linguistic environment people are exposed to growing up. Some key points:
- Many brilliant scientists, authors, etc. speak with heavy regional accents.
- Some accents are wrongly stereotyped as sounding less intelligent.
- Judging intelligence by accent has no factual basis.
- Academic success is tied to quality education, not accent.
Unfortunately, accent bias still exists today. Certain accents are unjustly perceived as sounding uneducated or less competent. In reality, any direct links drawn between accent and ability are problematic assumptions made with no empirical evidence.
Do deaf people have an accent?
Interestingly, deaf individuals who were born profoundly deaf also have accents – but in sign language rather than speech. Some key points:
- Regional sign language dialects exist just like spoken language accents.
- Early language exposure shapes accent in sign language too.
- Deaf schools and communities create distinct signing accents.
- Hand shapes, movements, and grammar form the basis of “sign accents.”
So just like hearing speakers, deaf signers’ accents give clues about where they were raised based on the unique way they communicate visually using their hands, face, and body.
Why do regional accents develop?
Variations in accent between different geographic regions arise for some key reasons:
- Physical isolation – Less interaction propagated distinct speech patterns historically.
- Local language influences – Indigenous and immigrant languages mixed with the region’s tongue.
- Cultural identity – Close-knit communities maintain unique accents.
- Economics – Wealth, education, and class differences affect language.
Modern media and mobility are making regional accents less pronounced over time. But clear localized accents survive today in many parts of the world, especially more isolated areas.
Accent Samples by Region
Here are some example accent regions and details in American English:
| Accent Region | Distinctive Features |
|---|---|
| Boston | Dropped R’s, broad A’s |
| New York | Sharp T’s, flat A’s |
| Southern | Drawled vowels, dropped G’s |
| Minnesota | Scandinavian vowels, sing-song |
How did Received Pronunciation start?
Received Pronunciation (RP), considered the standard British accent, developed from a mix of historical factors:
- Centered around London and southeast England historically as political and economic hub.
- Spoken by aristocracy and upper class, then copied by rest of population.
- Used in prestigious private schools attended by elites for centuries.
- Adopted by BBC and other national UK broadcasters as the standard.
So RP became associated with power, class, and proper grammar over hundreds of years. This cemented its status as the Queen’s English accent, though it was originally just a regional dialect like any other.
Decline of RP’s Dominance
Today, received pronunciation is less universally seen as “proper” British speech. Some factors:
- Less class division around accents in modern Britain.
- Youth adopting regional working-class accents more.
- Ethnic diversity bringing different accents into the mainstream.
- National pride in unique local accents starting to emerge.
So while RP maintains its cultural pedigree, other British accents are also becoming more accepted and celebrated in recent decades.
Why is the Mid-Atlantic accent extinct?
The Mid-Atlantic or Transatlantic accent was cultivated by American aristocracy and social elites in the early 20th century. Its disappearance arose from a few key factors:
- Seen as pretentious upper-class affectation by Americans outside social circles that used it.
- Associated with East Coast elites that fell out of favor politically and culturally.
- Never taught systematically outside select prep schools.
- Seen as inauthentic American pronunciation, a mimic of British RP.
- Disappearing prep school subculture that nurtured its use.
So this consciously learned and artificial accent faded along with the exclusive social milieu that spawned it. It lacked deep generational roots outside its insular upper-class origins. The natural regional accents of working Americans came to be embraced instead over time as more authentically American.
Linguistic Features
Some key features of the vanished Mid-Atlantic accent included:
- Ultra-precise, clipped vowels.
- Conspicuously rounded, lowered “o” sounds.
- De-emphasized r’s.
- Exact, chiseled pronunciation of consonants like t, d, l.
This accent sounded hyper-formal and posh to most ordinary American ears. So its disappearance aligned with shifting attitudes toward class and prestige in 20th century America.
Conclusion
Our accents form a core part of our identities, conveying unspoken cues about our backgrounds the moment we open our mouths. Far from being blank slates, babies are shaped by the languages and dialects that surround them from day one. While our accents can adapt and shift, their roots run deep. The flavors of our childhood speech environments season our words throughout life, no matter where our paths may lead.