A common topic I remember coming up in my communications classes was people being afraid of regional accents/dialects disappearing when radio started taking hold in the Twenties. It wasn’t just an American concern, other nations worried too. Seems this might be coming true albeit late as per this NPR story.
Somara says she used to have this twang and worked really hard to be rid of it. I’ve lived with her for over a decade, I probably wouldn’t notice unless I concentrated. I did have a speech teacher 30 years ago named Mr. Hicks (no relation to the comedian) whose diction was impeccable yet he admitted that he could never shake the short I trap; short I sounds like a long I or an A with a Y; Mr. Hicks said he tripped up on crime, time, prime, etc. Say it in your head because I doubt Bartleby or Webster express the sounds easily.
Being a Midwesterner at birth, we’re allegedly guilty of having no accent while being bland, dull speakers. The Midwest in this instance would be Central Illinois and Indiana though, Wisconsin and Minnesota have some distinguishing quirks amplified by the Coen Brothers’ crappy movie Fargo. Now there is one part of Illinois with colorful speakers, the Southsiders (South Chicago). My former roommate Paul hailed from this region and his manner of speaking was distinct from the rest of the state. If you need an example, watch the Superfans bit from SNL. It’s exaggerated for comic purposes except for the irrational fanaticism for Chicago sports teams.
I’ve lived in Austin for practically 20 years, I wonder how much twang I have accumulated as per the professor in the article. At least when it comes out of my mouth, the twang is natural and not forced unlike a fake Texan hiding in Dallas, hoping everyone forgets him being the worst president in recent history.