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Comment by azinman2 | Hacker News Reader

It’s amazing to me to hear the shift in American accents over time. I’ve very recently listened to some home videos of my mother talking in the early 80s and her accent is similarly different in the way that they all were then. To me when I hear it everyone sounds like they’re from a Woody Allen movie in their speech patterns. It’s not just word pronunciation, but also the cadence that has changed. I’d love to know how/why that happens.

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How much of it is accent shift and how much of it is the response to being recorded? Being on TV or Radio was a Really Big Deal, and people also were taught diction and public speaking in school.

It's not just the US, BTW, I find it even more pronounced here in Canada. Listening to Canadian radio broadcasts from the 60s ... it's almost like they're from the UK. Different cadence and quite a bit more British Isles going on.

As I said, I notice this in home movies, so I know for my own family this is the case. Because it's consistent with actual movies and TV programs, and it's ubiquitous across all of them, I cannot see how it could be something non-natural.

We know accents change over time. Just listen to radio from the 30s or 50s to hear changes between then and the 70s or 80s. Then again to now. This is a human phenomena, and not one that would be isolated to just the US. However, for both Canada and the US immigrants should have an outsized impact on accent shifts compared to populations that are more stable.

I'm curious to know the impetus for the change over time.

When I listen to current tech podcasts and interviews, I notice a lot of manufactured excitement and rapid fire interjection. There is more use of words like "Listen..", "Look...", "Absolutely..." etc. Perhaps this is a phenomena that is a result of an attempt to create entertainment and improve the marketing of the individual or brand. I am sure Susan wasn't thinking about creating content or marketing buzz. She was just thoughtfully discussing a project that she had great interest and passion in.

Again, this isn't specific to marketing or any one individual. For whatever reason, I hear it most when I listen to women.

Go watch a Woody Allen movie from the 80s and you'll hear the same speech patterns.

I hear it in this video too. Both the presenter Susan Kare and the 2 interviewers speak at like 75% of the rate I expect people to, today.

I speculate the fact video is used differently today than in 1984 is the culprit. Video today needs to be entertaining and compelling. It must keep ones interest. In 1984 there were fewer (video) resources and so they could take their time, and allow the viewer to experience and interpret the material on their own, without the worry or risk that the viewer would "change the channel."

There were certainly fast “shouty” shows back then, like The McLaughlin Group. Computer Chronicles was a lot more laid back. That may have just been how Cheifet and Kildall actually we’re all the time, or they might have been extra mellow to fit the PBS vibe. I don’t know.

I worked with Susan at three different companies and never really noticed an accent. Perhaps I am too familiar with her voice? What I do hear is a highly educated and thoughtful person who carefully articulates her thoughts.

We all have an accent, and when I listen to this it sounds very period-specific to me.

I hear no accent - only cadence, being more methodical than today's "impress me with many words" approach to communication.

The pressure of time or rather its constant absence, changes perception and our language. Now requires more and more information in less and less of time and not only from our personal digital devices(where is no problem with that) but from surrounding people too.

Agreed, it is as fascinating as it is ineffable. Glad to see someone else finds it interesting.

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