Can my accent change over time?

Question

I used to live in Baltimore, MD and I had no accent whatsoever. I spoke very correct American English. But 4 years ago I moved to Georgia and now I attend UGA and when I go back to Baltimore to see family and friends they say I have a southern accent. It's not that I'm intentionally doing it but apparantly I have a Georgia accent now lol.

It's kind of annoying and I'm trying to fix it but I didn't even realize that it had happened.

So is this possible for someone to develop an accent all of a sudden?

Answer 1

Of course it does. We’re naturally inclined to emulate all of those around us.

I actually have problem with this. I can hear someone with a different accent and pick it up almost immediately, but completely unintentionally. I sometimes have to fight it off so the person doesn’t think I’m mocking them or something.  

You always had an accent, it was just based on where you lived.

Answer 2

Yes...and after you're home a while, you'll slip right back into that proper Baltimore accent.  

I live in the midwest, just two hours north of where the southern accent starts creeping in, so I see a lot of people who either develop the drawl or lose it, or do both when travelling back and forth just a few hours.

One of our friends is from a heavily accented area, but transplanted to this area a few years back.  We always teased him about his southern accent, and when he went home for the weekends, they teased him about sounding like a northerner.  He moved back home and two years later, he has no trace of an accent (to them) and a full accent (to us) now.

Answer 3

What you are really saying is that when you lived in Baltimore, your accent was the same as the other Baltimorians around you.  Now, you have a  Georgia southern accent.  Of course you have.  We tend to speak the way we hear words pronounced.

It didn't happen suddenly, but over a little bit of time.

Answer 4

Yes

Answer 5

yes ma'am it is lol and so what be you it makes u different.  eventually you will lose it a bit when u leave  georgia