Barack Obamer ???

[daisax]

I wanted to note that my niece told me once that the Massachusetts accent is the ONLY one that gets more pronounced in the UPPER class. Most get worse in the lower class! I did not know that!

I've lived here my whole life and I would disagree, though I suppose it depends on what you mean by "upper class." What I think of as upper class (Yankees, Brahmins) may drop some Rs but they have a pretty measured way of speaking. The strongest accents are, in fact, much more pronounced in the "lower class" (i.e. poor) neighborhoods/towns.

John Kerry has a New England accent, but he doesn't sound like one of the SNL Boston characters (who do sound like that).

 

[blu3d3vil]

Found it

http://www.pbs.org/speak/

 

[ckay87]

No flames, but... EVERYBODY has an accent. No kidding. You just don't notice the features of pronunciation that are typical of your own accent.

Which accent do you identify as the "correct" one? And why does that particular accent get its special status as the "correct" accent?

Seriously...

Everyone has an accent. If you are reading this, then I'm talking to you....you have an accent. And it is no more correct than Ted Kennedy's or anyone else's. If you think you don't have an accent (really it's a "dialect"), take it up with the British. Otherwise realize that this is the nature of language.

 

[shasess]

Besides being a reginonal thing, I would think that Sen. Kennedy had more important things to "work on" - like dealing with his health.

I thought he looked amazing yesterday.

ITA

 

[Muushka]

No flames, but... EVERYBODY has an accent. No kidding. You just don't notice the features of pronunciation that are typical of your own accent.

Which accent do you identify as the "correct" one? And why does that particular accent get its special status as the "correct" accent?

Why, mine of course!

My accent has a strange origin. Lived in Rochester NY for first 12 years of life. Very hard "R" and "A"s. Moved to RI. No "R" and soft "A". So I sort of combined the 2 and viola! My accent, the one where people cannot guess where I am from and don't usually ask. But put me in NY and that accent will come out.

Seriously, a correct accent is no accent. You know, watch the broadcasters, that is what I consider no accent. And yes, I know that there are some that do have an accent. I'm talking about the majority of them.