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British language expert shares 7 American accents that are particularly tricky

Some of these are even challenging for other Americans to understand.

Olly Richards/YouTube

Have you ever heard these 7 unique American accents?

When you think about "American English," what comes to mind? The way we us a hard "r" compared to British English? The way we pronounce "aluminum" and "herbs"? How we say "cookies" instead of "biscuits" and "fries" instead of "chips"?

What about our different accents? While we often marvel about how many accents there are in the U.K. for its size, the U.S has a lot more diversity of accents than people might think. Most of us group American accents into large regional groupings like Northeast, Southern, Midwest, etc., and the people from each of those regions know that there are distinct accents within them (like Boston vs. New York, Tennessee vs. Mississippi). But there are even more hyper-localized accents and dialects that many of us are not exposed to, and some of them are hard even for other Americans to understand.

Language expert Olly Richards shared seven of these accents that are difficult to emulate and explained how they came to be. It's a fascinating celebration of the diversity that many of us aren't aware exists within our language.

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1. The YAT accent of New Orleans, Louisiana

Influenced by West African, German, Italian, Irish, and French immigrants who settled in Louisiana, the YAT accent is named for the way people say "Where you at?" in New Orleans. Words and phrases from this accent include "dawlin" (darling) "Mawmaw" (grandma) "prolly" (probably), "pass a good time" (have a good time), "Who dat?" (Who's that?), and "for noon" (at noon).

The YAT accent is distinct from a southern drawl or from the local Cajun English—it's more akin to a thick New York accent, which Richards says is due to the exact same immigrant groups settling there.

2. The High Tider accent of Outer Banks, North Carolina

Richards calls this an "endangered accent," as it appears to be dying out. It stems from immigration from the south of England and Ireland, but also from pirates of varying backgrounds who used the islands off the coast of North Carolina. The High Tider dialect developed in almost complete isolation for over 250 years, and is a form of archaic English that includes elements found in parts of Canadian English as well. A few words from this dialect include "quamish" (sick or nauseated), "buck" (male friend), and "dingbatter" (outsider).

miami, florida, miami english, accents, american english Miami has its own accent.Photo credit: Canva

3. The Miami English accent of Miami, Florida

Sitting at the tip of Florida, Miami has been heavily influenced by five decades of immigration from Cuba and other parts of the Caribbean as well as Central America. As a result, the English has many elements of Spanish pronunciations and rhythm. English has 20 vowel sounds, but Spanish has only five, so the Miami English accent reflects those Spanish vowel sounds.

4. The Southerner accent of the American South

Okay, this one is a bit fudgey because, as Richards points out, there are actually seven distinct southern accents. But there are some elements that Southerner accents share, one being how they speak more slowly than most of the rest of the country. Southern accent are known for their melodic nature and long, drawn-out vowels. Richards explains that wealthy British traders living in this part of the U.S. in the mid-1700s started dropping their "r" sound as a way to distinguish themselves from the lower classes. We can still hear that characteristic in southern accents today.

Yooper, U.P., upper peninsula, michigan, american accents "Yooper" refers to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, also known as the U.P.Photo credit: Canva

5. The Yooper accent of the Upper Midwest

This accent has its roots in German, Scandinavian, Cornish, French Canadian, and particularly Finnish, and is perhaps most recognized by its affinity for its use of the German-Scandinavian "ja" instead of "yes" and for ending sentences with "eh." Another feature is saying "dem/dere/dat" instead of them/there/that. The term "Yooper" comes from "U.P." or "Upper Peninsula," referring to the northern part of Michigan, but variations of this accent can be found along various parts of the Midwest near the Canadian border.

6. The Mainer accent of Maine

This accent is marked by the dropping of "r" sounds, but also adding an "r" where there shouldn't be one (similarly to the way British folks treat "r"). There also tends to be a slight gruffness in the throat when they speak. The accent is influenced by 17th century English and early French settlers, along with a bit of Scots-Irish. Words and phrases like "from away" (not from Maine), "drownded" (drown), "brung" (bring), and "chuppta" (What are you up to?) are common, and though its association with the working class caused it to dwindle, Richards says the Mainer dialect is having a bit of a renaissance.

Gullah, Georgia coast, atlantic, american accents, dialects Gullah is spoken along the coast of Georgia as well as Florida and the Carolinas.Photo credit: Canva

7. The Gullah accent of the Carolinas, Georgia, and Florida

This unique accent developed in the southern rice fields during the Atlantic slave trade. The enslaved peoples learned English, but it was heavily influenced by the various African languages they spoke, as well as the lower-class English and Irish servants they interacted with. Today, it's mostly African-Americans living along the Atlantic seaboard of North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida who use the Gullah dialect. The word "Kumbaya" comes from Gullah, which Richards describes as more than an accent or dialect—it's actually an American creole (a language that evolved from two other languages coming together).

It's easy to imagine the "standard" American English accent seen most often in Hollywood films and TV shows, which most closely aligns with the Western U.S., but in reality, American English is a mishmash of accents and dialects that are more diverse than many of us even know. What a delightful celebration of the English language in all of its colorful manifestations.

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Expert reveals the one question to ask to make a great first impression in 9 seconds

There should be one focus when you meet someone new.

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A woman talking to people she just met.

It’s essential to make a great first impression with someone, whether it's a job interview, buying someone a drink at a bar, or serving someone a meal at a restaurant. The problem is that people form a concrete judgment of someone in just seven seconds, which can be incredibly hard to shake.

“Human beings are built to size each other up quickly,” Psychology Today says. "These first impressions are influenced by a number of factors, such as facial shape, vocal inflection, attractiveness, and general emotional state. People tend to get attached to their initial impressions of others and find it very difficult to change their opinion, even when presented with lots of evidence to the contrary.”

While it can feel impossible to combat such a snap judgment, Sally Hogshead says that when we interact with people for the first time, we should only have one question on our minds: “How can I add value to this person?” Hogshead is a New York Times bestselling author, National Speakers Association Hall of Fame speaker, chief executive officer of How to Fascinate (Fascinate, Inc.), and a former advertising executive.

introduction, first imrpession, business card, networking event, handshake, eye contact A man handing a woman his business card at an event.via Canva/Photos

Ask yourself: How can I add value to this person?

It makes sense. When someone meets you for the first time, they don’t know anything about you. The other person is asking themselves the big WIIFM: What’s in it for me? It feels a little negative to suggest that everyone is out for themselves, but we only have so much time and effort to give to others. What can you bring to the table?

“You want your listener to come away from the conversation feeling good about their investment of time and energy,” Hogshead writes for Inc. “The key here is to add value to every interaction, so that you’re not just occupying conversational space.” Hogshead adds that we don’t have a lot of time to gain the other person's attention, so it’s best to start strong. “Here’s the problem with that approach: Today, the average attention span is about nine seconds. Every time you introduce yourself, you have about nine seconds to engage your listener. When it comes to first impressions, a weak start leads to a poor impression.”

drinks, attraction, first impression, smiling woman, charming man, bar A man and woman sharing a drink at a bar.via Canva/Photos

If you’re not adding value, you’re taking up space

Value will vary depending on the situation and your desired social outcome. When approaching someone for a drink, you can add value by boosting their self-esteem with a compliment. “I think you have really lovely eyes,” or “Is that an old-fashioned you’re drinking? You’ve got great taste, they make good ones here.”

At a networking event, you can introduce yourself and discuss a recent development in the industry. “Hey, I’m Lisa. Have you heard about how Acme Paper Company is using AI to learn the best trees to cut?” Or, “Hey, it’s Malcom, is your company having trouble figuring out which trees to cut? I’ve found a cool new way to save you time and labor costs.”

You can also add value to any person by allowing them to share their thoughts and experiences. When you show genuine interest in someone and let them talk about themselves, they will almost always find you likable. Research has found that asking the first question in a conversation, followed by two follow-ups, dramatically increases your likability.

- YouTube www.youtube.com

It can be disheartening to realize that people often make snap judgments about others that are difficult to overcome, but it’s great to know that, by focusing on how you can benefit another person, you can pull down that wall and give yourself a second chance to make a first impression. Everyone has something valuable to bring to the table, whether you’re inexperienced and can make your superiors feel great by asking them questions or by being able to share your experiences with others to make their lives better. Just know that everyone is open to meeting those who can make their lives better, and you can often be that person.

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'Caramel' vs. 'Carmel'—the proper pronunciation may surprise you

Car-mel or car-a-mel?

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How to properly pronounce and use the words 'caramel' and 'carmel.'

Fall is the season of sweet and crisp caramel apples, and as the treat becomes popular again, so does the longstanding debate about how to pronounces the sweet treat's delicious coating. Is it carmel (car-mel) or caramel (car-a-mel)?

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "caramel" is "a usually firm to brittle, golden-brown to dark brown substance that has a sweet, nutty, buttery, or bitter flavor, is obtained by heating sugar at high temperature, and used especially as a coloring and flavoring agent."

"Carmel" is a proper noun that denotes a town or place. As Professor Paul Brians at Washington State University and author of Common Errors in English Usage explains, "Take Highway 1 south from Monterey to reach the charming seaside town of Carmel, of which Clint Eastwood was formerly mayor. Dissolve sugar in a little water and cook it down until the sugar turns brown to create caramel."

@mythical

Cara-mel or car-mel?

So how do you properly pronounce caramel? Whichever way you pronounce it is technically right. June Casagrande, author of The Joy of Syntax: A Simple Guide to All the Grammar You Know You Should Know, writes: "The pronunciation 'carmel,' with two syllables, is every bit as acceptable as the three-syllable pronunciation. In fact, the two-syllable option comes first in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, which may indicate it’s more standard."

Different dialects across the United States have led to the difference in pronunciations in the United States. Back in 2013, Joshua Katz, then a doctoral student in linguistics at NC State University, created a map based on research from a Harvard Dialect Survey by Bert Vaux and Scott Golder that showed which regions pronounced caramel with three syllables or two syllables.

carmel, caramel, caramel pronunciation, how to say caramel, how to say carmel How people in the United States pronounce caramel.Image via Reddit/sauihdik

Regional preferences are clearly laid out. "Car-a-mel" was more commonly used along the East Coast and South, while "car-mel" dominated in the Midwest and West.

Many people online discussed the different ways they pronounce it in the Reddit thread r/words. "The letters are there for a reason," one commented. "There are three syllables. Pronounce them! :)"

caramel, caramel gif, caramel vs carmel, carmel or caramel, caramel sauce life will GIF Giphy

Others were passionate about the two-syllable caramel pronunciation. "Cahr-mel, but I’m also in the midwest. I’ve never heard a person say 'cah-rah-mel apples' or 'cah-rah-mel corn' but I have heard people say, when talking about them on their own, 'cah-rah-mels.' I admit I probably say it wrong and I don’t care, cah-rah-mel sounds stupid to me."

And some admitted to saying both, and being confused. "For me it's context dependent. CAHRmul sauce, but ice cream topped with CAR a mel. So, depends if it's in use as an adjective or a noun," one wrote. Another quipped, "I'm from the Midwest and use them both but it's context sensitive. Car-a-mels are candy, Carmel is sauce or flavoring. Why? I don't know, it just sounds right to me." Another shared, "But what about if you caramelize onions for cooking. 'Carmelized' sounds better to me than 'caramelized'. Googling seems to agree."

And one summarized the debate with a sweet story: "The debate on this is so relentless between my husband and me that it was literally included in our wedding vows. I say carmel, he says caramel," they wrote.

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Experts explain how confusing the word 'literally' is for non-English speakers

It's not the only word that has changed meaning over time, and it's literally exhausting.

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"Literally" literally doesn't mean literally anymore.

"Literally, I died. Dead. I'm dead. Literally. Omg, for real." This was overheard last week, and it wasn't said by a dead ghost. It was a very much alive 20-something woman wearing pink palazzo pants.

It's nothing new that people of all generations have their preferred vernacular. My Gen X folks often said "totally" and "like" as though they were going out of business, like ya know? People had to get used to it or we wouldn't be able to communicate.

"Literally" is one of those words that Gen Z has adopted, but they're not to blame for the fact that it's often misused. That has been going on for ages, and the complaint is almost a cliché at this point.

literally, gen z, rob lowe, language Rob Lowe in a scene from Parks And Recreation Giphy NBC Universal

First, let's trace the word back to its roots. In Latin, the word "littera" means "letter." The original meaning of "literally" was "to the letter," as in…exactly. In Pamela Rafalow Grossman's article in Reader's Digest, she writes: "This use was first recorded in 1429 in "Mirour of Mans Saluacioune", according to the Oxford English Dictionary."

Obviously, the word has been adapted over time to also mean "figuratively" as an exaggeration tool. This definition became so popular that even Merriam-Webster said uncle in 1909. Grossman continues, "The fact that literally is 'often used hyperbolically' was first mentioned in Merriam-Webster’s entry of the word in its 1909 unabridged dictionary." Their TikTok (and yes, Merriam-Webster has a TikTok page) even jokingly acknowledges it.

@merriamwebster

The “in effect; virtually” meaning of 'literally' is not a new sense. It has been in regular use since the 18th century and may be found in the writings of Mark Twain, Charlotte Brontë, James Joyce, and many others.

But imagine how confusing this might be for someone just learning English. On the BBC Learning English TikTok page, a guy named Tim simply asks, "Do you know the newer meaning of 'literally?' You may know the original meaning…" and gives an example: "I literally live right next door to my work. I go out of my door and it's right there."

He continues, "But in everyday English, 'literally' has an opposite meaning and is used to exaggerate what you're saying." He opens a refrigerator door. "I'm literally starving, I haven't eaten since breakfast. Ugh, my head is literally exploding, I've done so much studying."

@bbclearningenglish

🤩 Did you know that there are two meanings of ‘literally - and they’re opposites!? Tim explains the original meaning - and a newer meaning to use in your everyday English and on social media! Everyone is using it. Don’t miss out! ✍️ Can you try using ‘literally’ in a comment? #learnenglish #spokenenglish #speakenglish #slang #literally #informalenglish #vocab #oldwordnewmeaning @

Siobhan Wood writes in "Use and Abuse of the Word Literally – A Crisis of Language?" that these changes in definitions aren't totally uncommon and can evolve as new generations take hold. "This change, and the inclusion of new terms in the dictionary, is nothing to be afraid of; it’s been happening since the beginning of time."

Wood adds that the Internet helps to speed up these changes and make words evolve even more quickly than they once did. "The late 20th and early 21st centuries saw countless language changes: the Internet, computers, and globalization have all provided catalysts for new word meanings. The word spam is a perfect example of language change: originally a portmanteau of ‘spiced ham’ to describe a British processed meat product, its primary meaning now describes unwanted digital communications."

spam, words, language, English A can of spams is also a spam. Giphy Spam Spamming

The TikTok comments under the Merriam-Webster clip are funny, as they just roll with the new normal The video has a photo of musician Bruce Hornsby at a piano with the song "That's Just the Way It Is" playing underneath a chyron reading, "When people ask us why 'literally' has two different meanings."

One commenter writes, "I'm not letting y'all gaslight me into using literally figuratively." Another quotes a Coen Brothers comedy to share their frustration: "In the words of Edwina Ed McDunnough from Raising Arizona: that ain’t no answer."

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