Accents

Accents are things we are take a note of consciously. When we converse with another person, you tend to focus on the way the speak. Most times, we don't care to notice because their accent seems "normal". Normal meaning something close to yours or something you are used to listening to. But when another "unusual" accent pops us, we start wondering. For example, if I was walking around campus, I would probably run into a friend and just have a regular conversation. But, I could also run into a friend who is an International Student is in the process of learning the "normal" accent here. If you ever think about it, we would tend to pay more attention to the International friend's accent rather than the regular friend.

So answering Mahwish's question, I think accents are influenced by exposure. When I first moved to America nine years ago, I am sure I had an "Indian" accent. I moved a Southern Georgia town named Valdosta, GA. Hence, I began to pick up words such as "y'all". When I adapted these words into my vocabulary, I also adapted the way these words were prounonced; hence, changing my "accent" on those words. Moreover, after a couple of years, I lost that "Indian" accent, and I began to develop the "normal American" accent because of what I was exposed to. Hence, exposure is why some people have some accents and why others don't. For example, Atlanta, GA is a city in the South. However, you won't find many people with typical "Southern/red-neck/country" accent that the South is known for because these people have been globalized and their exposure to different accents has made their accent more of the generic normal American accent. You will, however, find a person with a Southern accent if you go to a place like LaFayette, GA because the small town lacks diversity and lack exposure to globalization. Basically, what I could think of is exposure to other accents influences whether you have an accent or not- meaning places with less exposure to diversity in the South will be more likely chance to have a prevailing Southern accent compared to places with much more exposure to diversity.

Another view on Accents is presented by the following video where a guy speaks about "Southern" accents by talking about specific phrases and the way to pronounce them.