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Articles on Accents

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Speech patterns. Bobboz via Getty Images

Do accents disappear?

Many people fear the disappearance of the unique way some communities speak. But accent loss is a complicated notion and embracing both language variation and change can be an important social goal.
When you imitate the speech of others, there’s a thin line between whether it’s a social asset or faux pas. Franklin McMahon/Corbis via Getty Images

What makes us subconsciously mimic the accents of others in conversation

We often imitate styles of speech we hear – what’s known as ‘linguistic convergence.’ But a researcher wanted to see if we alter our speech based on the mere expectation of how someone will sound.

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