Ask-a-linguist
Q: In today's terms and to American ears, would George Washington and his contemporaries have had "British" accents?
A: He wouldn't sound very British to modern American ears. That's because the Brits of Washington's day wouldn't sound very British to modern American ears.
Since the settlement of North America, the pronunciation of English has changed substantially on both sides of the Atlantic. But the changes have been greater in England than in the USA. Consequently, if anything, the Brits of Washington's day would sound "American" to modern British ears.
Larry Trask
larryt@sussex.ac.uk
A fantastic site - Ask A Linguist!
A: He wouldn't sound very British to modern American ears. That's because the Brits of Washington's day wouldn't sound very British to modern American ears.
Since the settlement of North America, the pronunciation of English has changed substantially on both sides of the Atlantic. But the changes have been greater in England than in the USA. Consequently, if anything, the Brits of Washington's day would sound "American" to modern British ears.
Larry Trask
larryt@sussex.ac.uk
A fantastic site - Ask A Linguist!