Why is the American accent different than the British accent if Americans come from the same place?

Answer by  apple (447)

While most people think that Americans changed their accent, I recently heard that Americans speak more like 17th century Englishmen than present day Englishmen do. That is, the English accent has changed, not the American.

Answer by  falka (80)

Before the dawn of powered travel, going between the Americas and Europe took several months. This resulted in decreased exposure to evolving British, and the colonists further inland were exposed to even less of the language. After generations with far decreased exposure and greater exposure to foreign accents, the American accent was formed.

Answer by  tamarawilhite (17883)

Britain has had the same population and culture for hundreds of years. Americans have a strong British heritage, but even their early population includes Germans (Hessians), Dutch, French, Jews and blacks from Africa. This varied mixture of population and languages altered the American accent from that of the original British.

Answer by  Rose (6804)

It has been many years since Americans came over on the mayflower to be find America, over time our accents have changed due to influences from other countries and a lax in how formal things were in Great Britain. Do to the influence of other cultures, languages and nations our accents have changed.