American native English speakers: do you have an accent?

[celebritea]

I'm from the south, but I've been told I have "no" accent, somehow. American accents have always been intriguing to me and the history/influence behind them. I recently moved from Georgia (where the basic "southern drawl" is common) to coastal South Carolina. Natives from this area have a very interesting accent, that almost sounds Caribbean. I believe it's called a "Gullah" accent. It's fascinating to me.

What's you accent/dialect? Where are you from?

[Rosa]

You will find that every little area of a few hundred people being natives living together in one place will bear the same accent. I am from the Caribbean yet I find that even Caribbean countries do each have their individual accent and each region within these countries also have different accent too. I realize that we all have accents and it is also easy for those with different accents to adapt that of others accents.

[sidney]

Of course everyone has an accent depending on where they live. I don't live in the US, but the most distinguishable accent for me are the southern accents. All the rest seem to sound the same.

[sillylucy]

I live in Los Angeles and some people might say that I have a "Valley Girl" accent. I don't hear it, but some of my friends do. Others just say that I sound neutral like a newscaster.

[Kaffi]

I try not to have one,  but depending on mood and location I can sound like a typical Scandinavian descendant from North Dakota or Wisconsin, have a southern take from Texas or Oklahoma and sometimes like a New York-er.

I tend to pick up accents easily and can also sport a heavy Swedish accent, a Russian accent and a Hungarian at times. As I have friends from these places and stick me with them for more than 4 hrs and I am slanting towards their speech pattern and accent.

There are several accents in LA area, it was quite entertaining to move from location to location and hear the differences.

[nikolic993]

What kind of a question is that? Everyone has an accent.

[petesede]

I am from Pa and Ohio, and I still recognize a few sounds I make that aren´t correct, but I wouldn´t call it an accent because it is very limited.

The funny thing is I live in central america now, and after only a couple years there are some people where I can tell where they are from.  Mexico vs Central America vs South America... and of course Spain is like an entire different ´spanish´..

[Baburra]

I have an American friend and he has some accent but not really any of the ones that is more prominent like a. Boston or Southern accent, and I always joke that I wish he did have one of those accents just because I find those strong accents amusing and it would be a hoot to hear it in person.

[petrushka]

I have also been told that I don't have an accent when speaking English.

Except I'm not a native speaker and the people who told me so are from the same nationality as me.

Accents are really interesting because we consider our own way of speaking as the "default" so anyone who speaks differently is the one with an accent. Everyone has one, though, even when speaking in their native tongue. You can hear it clearer when you're aware that the way you speak comes across as vastly different to those with their own way of saying things.

[czarina84]

Mine is kind of muddled.  I spent the first two years of my life in NC, USA.  I had a lot of exposure to Southern accents when I was learning to talk.  I guess that carried over.  Some words I use have a Southern accent.  I used to have a very heavy accent when I was young.  I got made fun of so I kind of phased it out for the most part.  When I get angry or tired, my accent comes out full force.  This also happens when I'm around someone else with a Southern accent, regardless of what part of the South it is.  It could be someone from Texas.  My accent then comes out.  

[宇崎ちゃん]

I'm no American, but each language spoken comes with an accent.
If you really wouldn't have an accent, it would only mean your voice is muted.

I therefore agree with Nikolic993 (even though he's not around here any more).

[BWL]

Apologies for bumping this thread. Here's the eternal question: How many different accents are there in the United States?

Apparently, more than 15 of them!

[Teira Eri]

Oddly, I've never been told I have an American accent, even though I'm from South Jersey, where everyone apparently pronounces 'coffee' as 'cawwww-fee.'  No, everyone asks me if I'm from Britain or France...which I kind of don't get.

But when I took a Linguistics course last year, I was amazed to learn the subtle differences people have throughout the regions.  Like 'pin' and 'pen.'  To some people, the words sound/are pronounced the same.  To others, they're not at all similar.
 

[SoManyLanguages]

I have a small, almost unnoticeable, southern accent due to living in the south. It becomes more pronounced when I'm angry or when I'm with other people with more pronounced southern accents. It's most apparent with my use of the word "y'all" and the ridiculous word "y'all'dve." On occasion, I'll draw out my words like other southerners, but that's much rarer. One time, I stayed with some really southern cousins and family members, and came back home with a ridiculously heavy southern accent. It's kind of a strange accent, I think.

[CosmicSeven]

Yep! I live in the Texas of California, so I have somewhere between a northern and southern California accent with a bit of folky in there. For example, I can say "dude" and "howdy" in the same sentence. 

[reverserewind]

The word "accent" has multiple meanings.

1. A carryover of elements from one language to another

2. A manner of speech and its particular elements

So, we all have an accent, even If we speak our native language. In one part of the country people speak differently compared to another. That's totally normal.

[hades_leae]

I have an accent, but when I'm around other people who sound like me, I don't have it any more. Hispanic women love the way I sound, they say my words are really clear, and I sound perfect to them. I'm from Texas, but I don't have the country accent like others do. My voice is really clear, and my words are perfectly spoken. 

We all have accents when we are around other people who have accents.

[Rooks57]

I lived in Nebraska for the majority of my childhood so I what is considered the 'cleanest' English accent.  While I'll say y'all occasionally when I'm mad or annoyed with a friend, I speak without any other accent and rarely use slang used by specific regions.  Kind of wish I did though, I think the Texan or Southern accent sounds like honey in the ears.  I just sound boring in comparison.