An honest question for British members

a reply to: nonspecific

Seen it a few times...
Horrible.

Educational, but horrible.

a reply to: Skid Mark

I cant explain it either but there is a theory that in ye olde time communication between towns was quite limited so dialects developed and were preserved.

originally posted by: Skid Mark
Is that because of how words are pronounced, slang, or both?

Let me give an example.
I was born in an area where the word "go" is locally pronounced as "goo".
My parents were teachers who came from outside the area, and I used to pride myself on not having picked up the local accent. E.g. not saying "goo".
When I got involved in a conversation about accents, in another part of the country, I was startled and a little mortified when somebody observed that I pronounced "going" as "goo-ing". And I do. It sounded so normal that I hadn't noticed.

There are strong differences between north and south, both in pronunciation and in choice of words.
"Bath" and "castle" have a long "a" in the south, a short "a" in the north.
The southerner says "sofa", the northerner says "settee". I think you would say "couch".
And the word "Aye" manages to hold its own in the north. I remember, as a young man, working at a resort in Scotland, and responding to a request with "Yes, I will". I had given myself away. The man turned to his wife and said "This lad here's from south of t'Ribble".

And this one is Norfolk;

a reply to: AugustusMasonicus

Seriously, lol.

It was hard to decipher...

In all honesty having watched Ray Winstone films since I was about 6 or 7 I always expect to hear a proper South East London accent...

When I saw The Departed I was shocked.

I just assumed Bostonian cos of where it's set.

I'll listen out for it next time I watch it.

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
I just assumed Bostonian cos of where it's set.

I'll listen out for it next time I watch it.

Southie is even more 'New England', similar to Damon and Affleck in Good Will Hunting.

a reply to: DISRAELI

Where I grew up in West London we don't pronounce our T's...
Unless it's at the beginning of a word...
Or after certain letters...

Detrimental would be detrimen'al

Certain would be cer'un
Letters would be Leh'ers
Settee would be Seh'ee
Bottle would be Boh'all

Ing's are usually pronounced without the G...

Counting would be cown'in
Atoning would be atone'in

And such...



Laaaandaaaan you shlaaaags!

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
a reply to: DISRAELI

Where I grew up in West London we don't pronounce our T's...
Unless it's at the beginning of a word...
Or after certain letters...

Detrimental would be detrimen'al

Certain would be cer'un
Letters would be Leh'ers
Settee would be Seh'ee
Bottle would be Boh'all

Ing's are usually pronounced without the G...

Counting would be cown'in
Atoning would be atone'in

And such...



Laaaandaaaan you shlaaaags!

I was raised in Nottinghamshire, pronouced nott'num.

As most do I was convinced I had no accent until I moved away and years later thought "Why does everyone speak like an arse now"

My own mother who I swear had no accent as I grew up up appears to sound like a reject from coranation street and I question my parentage, my brother(who sounds like an idiot) is a case in point.

I have a slight American accent as it is, and it varies slightly sometimes.

I grew up in Scotland never much of a Scottish accent, some family from the borders, some other influences from various places, including more than 25 years in southern England.

I sort of aim for RP and I have also studied some Shakespeare, which before the recent 'authentication' of accent was pretty much RP with a slight American accent. There are American accents that are believed to be close to English pronunciation around the 1500's.

When I try being a strict parent about pronunciation sometimes I sound more British but my natural accent is a bit more American, I guess as a mixture of all the influences. Some people think Canadian or Irish though I would say English with a hint of American.

When I try a Scottish accent it sounds Indian, and when I try an American accent, it is normally just a parody of NY / Texas.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus
Idris Elba was great in The Wire, when I met him I was blown away to find out he was from the UK. His accent was great in the television show.

That was my reaction when I saw the Andrew Lincoln interview.

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
a reply to: Skid Mark

Shrek has a Scottish accent.

Ray Winstone's accent in The Departed left a lot to be desired.

Yeah, his accent is Scottish but the guy I know doesn't seem to know the difference. I have to look The Departed up. Never heard of it.

a reply to: nonspecific

I guess it would be to a degree. In the midwest barn is pronounced as it's spelled. In Maine, it would rhyme with yawn.

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
a reply to: nonspecific

Yeah, I should have said "an attempt at a Scottish accent"...


The Departed is a great film...
Ray Winstone plays a great character...
Only with, what I assume was, a Boston accent.

Like this?

a reply to: macpdm

Trousered. I've never heard that one either. Is that like getting pissed?

originally posted by: alienscot1
a reply to: Skid Mark

I have always found an American accent difficult to do.

I could say the same for Scottish. I heard somebody say that all you have to do is act like you're drunk but I think there's more to it than that. No offence intended by that, by the way. I hope you weren't offended.

originally posted by: macpdm
a reply to: Skid Mark

I cant explain it either but there is a theory that in ye olde time communication between towns was quite limited so dialects developed and were preserved.

I wonder if linguists have done studies on it. That would be something worth a whole thread unto its self.

a reply to: Skid Mark

I'd say it depends on ther individual being a good "mimmick" or not.

I can mimmick most accents quite easily except when in a foreign tongue.

I can fool the french here with the basics sometimes but come unstuck when they realise I don't respond spontanoeusly because of my need to listen, think, translate and then reply.

A U.S. accent also depends on the state, just like an english one depends on the region.

I also drop into an australian accent after spending time with a good friend many years ago and picking up many of the "twangs".

a reply to: DISRAELI

That's funny. I guess you don't realize you have an accent unless somebody points it out.
Take the word "syrup" for instance. One of my friends pronounces it as surp. I guess that's West Virginian. Another is sear rip I've heard that in Michigan. Surrup is how I pronounce it. Or wash. My mom says warsh, so it rhymes with harsh.
I like the song, by the way. Thanks for that.

a reply to: theabsolutetruth

How did you pick up the American, if you don't mind my asking? Also, what's RP?

It's easy to do like americas can do a British accent. You pick a region you wanna mimic, use associated words with hat region and keep repeating . If you wanna do a Yorkshire accent you start of with combine harvester. Scottish start with hey big man wanna do an American accent you say " yall come back now yall hear".

a reply to: DISRAELI
Better way to describe it is southerners say "barth" northerners say "baff". Are you having a "laff" as opposed to southern "laaugh"