So, I was speculating the other day that regional accents and dialects in the US were dying out, when here comes an article on the Colorado accent [there is one?--ed Apparently.] that says they're actually getting strengthened:

One might assume that in this era of universal education and media saturation, accents throughout the country would be getting smoothed out. (On the TV show "Boston Legal," it's hard to find a character who speaks with even a hint of a Boston accent.)

But surprisingly, Labov and his associates have found the opposite is true. They report that "regional dialects are becoming increasingly differentiated from each other."

In other words, people seem to be accentuating their accents.

The reason for this, Bright suggests, may be that many Americans view the way they talk as a badge of honor.

"I think what it comes down to is a matter of regional loyalty," he says. "People are conscious of it and proud of it. New Yorkers and Bostonians don't want to sound like they're from Omaha."

This clearly resonates with Allison Myers, who has retained the soft drawl of her native Georgia even though she has lived in Colorado for 14 years.

"People ask me, 'Where are you from?' I find it intriguing," she says. "My accent is not something that defines me in all ways, but it's something unique about me."

On occasion, Myers adds, her manner of speaking has even proved to be an asset rather than a handicap, as accents often have become in the past.

"When I first came here, I worked in a restaurant, and we'd sometimes have contests to see who could sell the most bottles of wine," she recalls. "I won every time, and I do think it was because of my accent. I'd say, 'Oh, you should trah this wah-un,' and they always would."

Heh. I grew up in various places all over the US and in Europe, being an army brat. I learned to pick up the local accent in about two weeks purely out of self-preservation (the schools, particularly in New York City, were much like Lord of the Flies in their brutality to outsiders). Screw accents, I don't want one.

Honey, I (Ah) can sugar (shu-gah) up or tone down my (mah) Southern (Suh-thuhn) accent at will, courtesy of speech classes at drama school.

But Ah usually don't, since Ah live here (he-yah) in Virginia (Vuh-ginya) and sounding like Ah belong here helps. A lot.

I certainly don't want to sound like I'm from Noo Yawk. Or Joisey. Or Bahnstun. Others' mileage may vary. ;-p

Talk to a successful woman while she is at work.
Same woman at home with her family.
Same woman out with her girlfriends.
Same woman in an open social environment.
same woman in bed.

You have 5 distinctly different types of speach.

and you can apply it to anybody. I just notice it with women more easily, since I'm a man.

pssh. Yea, keep telling yourself that thing next to you in bed is a woman, wickedpinto =P

My Dad is from Chicago and my Mom is from Ft. Worth. I was born in Ft. Worth and grew up in Mesquite. Nonetheless, I've had people down here in Texas accuse me of being a northerner. Yet, then have people from up north laugh at my southernisms. I just chuckle to myself cause I know that when the end days begin they will all become my minions as I will then reveal myself to be the hidden imam.

Y'all just don't know how to talk right.

I'm from chicago, daddy's a truck driver.

I remember the first time I drove a car, which was a VERY LARGE TRUCK, and hearing my father on the CB. My dad, when he was my dad, didn't sound like my dad, when my dad was on a CB.

Also, my dad, didn't sound like my dad when he ordered food, and my dad didn't sound like my dad when he talked to other vietnam vets.

I know I do the same thing, but I saw it in my dad more easily, because I see my dad as my dad, and see his differences from who I remember as my dad.

hows that?

I think Doug Jones hit this one on the head. So many of us boomers are and were mobile we "chameleonize" our speech. I don't even know if it's conscious or not.

When I used to travel for work and after 3 trips consecutive to C-eh-N-eh-D-eh, several people thought I was from the Great White North originally. My wife and kids used to give me a fit about it.

I'd just tell them to, "...take off, eh!" Then I'd drink a beer, eat a doughnut and watch some curling on my satellite feed of OLN

I've been told that there is a Trumbull County (Ohio) accent, and I have it bad. Apparently, it's a lot like an Anglo-Canadian accent without the "Eh"s.