Will language continue to evolve?

[DPDarkPrimus]

Isn't it true that 'dawg' is in the dictionary now?

If it is, it's not something to smile about.

[Surlethe]

I've always thought it odd that since easily half of all Australian TV is from America, everybody (that I know) can speak with an American accent if they want to. Hell, it's used almost unconsciously whenever there's a need to emphasise that a phrase is being recounted/acted/quoted.

That's actually incredibly fascinating. I wonder if, since a midwestern accent has been adopted as the "official" media voice, other Americans can switch from their regional accent to a midwestern accent? I can't try this, since I've been blessed to grow up in Indiana.

It's also interesting to note that the variety of regional dialects decreases dramatically beyond the Mississippi, and especially beyond the Appalachians; there's as much distinction in accent between, say, Boston and New York, IIRC, as there is between Wichita and Indianapolis.

[DPDarkPrimus]

I've always thought it odd that since easily half of all Australian TV is from America, everybody (that I know) can speak with an American accent if they want to. Hell, it's used almost unconsciously whenever there's a need to emphasise that a phrase is being recounted/acted/quoted.

That's actually incredibly fascinating. I wonder if, since a midwestern accent has been adopted as the "official" media voice, other Americans can switch from their regional accent to a midwestern accent? I can't try this, since I've been blessed to grow up in Indiana.

My voice and diction teacher is originally from New York, and even after living more than twenty years in Iowa, people can still tell that he's originally from there due to subtle nuances in pronounciation.

[RedImperator]

I've always thought it odd that since easily half of all Australian TV is from America, everybody (that I know) can speak with an American accent if they want to. Hell, it's used almost unconsciously whenever there's a need to emphasise that a phrase is being recounted/acted/quoted.

That's actually incredibly fascinating. I wonder if, since a midwestern accent has been adopted as the "official" media voice, other Americans can switch from their regional accent to a midwestern accent? I can't try this, since I've been blessed to grow up in Indiana.

I can't, and I doubt many people who grew up around Philadelphia can. There's no way you'd mistake my accent for Midwestern.

[Spin Echo]

My voice and diction teacher is originally from New York, and even after living more than twenty years in Iowa, people can still tell that he's originally from there due to subtle nuances in pronounciation.

Strange. I haven't been out of the country that long, but yet when I return people tell me that I've acquired an accent. They can't tell me what type of accent i.e. British or Aussie or what have you, but simply that I sound different. Just today in the town that's the closest thing I have to a home town, a chap seemed to think I was from out of country.

Outside of the US, from what I can tell, about half of people nail where I'm from. The other half make guesses that aren't even remotely close. Ireland is the most common guess, but I suspect that has something to do with the red hair and green eyes. Other guesses include Scotland, Poland and my own personal favourite, Palmerston North.

[Gandalf]

I've always thought it odd that since easily half of all Australian TV is from America, everybody (that I know) can speak with an American accent if they want to. Hell, it's used almost unconsciously whenever there's a need to emphasise that a phrase is being recounted/acted/quoted.

It gets worse for some people. I've met some younglings who speak with a pronounced accent, like the one on Sesame Street. It's an odd phenomenon. They seem to grow out of it, but it's still damn amusing.

As an example, my sister has the usual Australian accent, except when she pronounces the word "here". Then it sounds like that stereotypical "valley girl" accent. Though for some fun, her pronounciation of "hear" remains within the Australian accent.

I speak with an odd accent myself. Many think it's "intellectual" or British. I have no idea as to where it originated.

[Xon]

Nonsense. How would technology halt linguistic evolution now, when technology failed to halt it in the past?

Untill very recently, the ability to accurately record and mass distribute audio recordings of language was imposible.

[LadyTevar]

A bit OT.

I learned a new definition for a word today:

Enumerate/enumerated
(Jargon?)-- To assign a (USA) social security number to a newborn child.

[The Vodka Vindicator]

Yes. Language changes over time. This especially applies to the english language which has a long history of stealing words and phrases from other languages(either just taking them or mutating them into a new form.) As for likely future evolutions? MY guess is that we'll see more hindi/spanish/chinese words sneaking into english.(we already have the words kowtow, hurricane and others so there's a precedent)