Nearly 60% of Americans say the New York accent gets on their nerves–others think it sounds trustworthy, charming, and even a little sexy. But whether it makes you swoon or reach for earplugs, new research from The Word Finder suggests our signature NYC sound might be slipping out of everyday conversation.
The digital word solver, unscrambler, and dictionary platform recently surveyed more than 3,000 Americans about which regional accents seem to be fading from daily use. It’s not declaring any accent officially extinct–think of it more as a snapshot of how people naturally tweak their voices as they move, work, travel, and occasionally code switch just to blend in.
Some of the nation’s most recognizable dialects appear near the top, and we’re not exactly psyched to see New York City on the list. The good news: we ranked #12, so things could certainly be worse. The Word Finder even pointed out our accent–along with New England and Philadelphia’s–sit lower than expected in the list, likely because they’ve long been portrayed in media.
But considering linguists recognize over 30 major dialects in the United States, the thought of the New York accent being one of the top 15 that are fading makes us want to fuhgeddaboudit the survey altogether.
The ranking found that the accents most rooted in very specific geographies feel the most pressure–such as Appalachian, Southern, and Louisiana accents–which ranked first, second, and third respectively.
All are unmistakable dialects with long cultural histories, but the fact that they’re being used less in everyday language suggests that strong identity markers are what are driving people to tone down their accents when they move, switch jobs, or interact with non-locals.
Of the accents Americans still continue to use frequently, The Word Finder found that they share a common trait: speech patterns with lighter regional signatures. As in the case of Inland Northern, Pacific Northwest, Southwestern, Midland, and South Midland accents, which all found themselves at the bottom of the list, they’re less likely to be dropped simply because they draw less attention in the first place.
So whether you’re ordering a caw-fee or a coffee, one thing’s for sure: as long as there are New Yorkers around to argue about it, the accent isn’t going down without a fight.
Top 10 dialects Americans say they’re using less
1. Appalachian
2. Southern
3. Louisiana
4. Pacific Southwest
5. Hudson Valley
6. Mid-Atlantic
7. Boston Urban
8. Baltimore
9. Rocky Mountain
10. New Mexican English
See the full ranking.