I think regional accents are fading. If I had to guess, it is due in part to TV, in part to ease of travel and relocation, and in part due to a huge decrease in

I think regional accents are fading. If I had to guess, it is due in part to TV, in part to ease of travel and relocation, and in part due to a huge decrease in European immigration. My accent has faded in the ~two decades I've been away from Minnesota. But if you spoke to me in person you could identify where I'm originally from inside 3 seconds unless I was very careful in my word choices. I suspect you're deaf to New England accents. I used to think people back home in the Twin Cities didn't have an accent. To me they sounded like the people on TV. It seemed like only the older folks or folks from rural areas had the Minnesotan accent. When I travel back to Minneapolis, I hear the accent. It's not "Fargo" level (although I've known people who talk like that), but it's clear and unambiguous.