Can we talk about all the different English accents?

[A home for their hearts]

I think it's an interesting topic. I love comparing accents and trying to figure out the differences between them. I think my favorite accent is Australian. It just seems to have a beautiful flow to it. So what is your favorite accents, if you are not from the US what do you think of our accents? and what are some of the differences between accents.

[nmoira]

Piling on...

 

Are there markedly different Australian accents from region to region? I'm a bit embarrassed to say I have no idea.

[Dandelion]

I love Irish accents. Everything just sounds better to me if it's said with an Irish accent. Especially if Colin Farrell is doing the talking. :tongue_smilie:

 

On the other hand, some accents really grate on my ears. It's interesting how we develop an affinity for certain accents over others. Definitely a fascinating topic!

[Laura Corin]

What I find interesting is what accents mean. I get the impression - correct me if I'm wrong - that with a few exceptions accents in the US are not loaded with a value: they just show where you are from or where your parents were from. Accents in the UK can show social class on top of that.

 

In Scotland, for example, almost everyone has the local accent except the very posh. If you hear a person using Scottish dialect words but in an English accent, then you can be fairly sure that they come from the aristocracy.

 

Laura

[Chelli]

I love Irish accents as well! I also live when Italians speak English. They bring some of the musicality from their language to English. It's very nice!

[Dandelion]

I love Irish accents as well! I also live when Italians speak English. They bring some of the musicality from their language to English. It's very nice!

 

That's so interesting! In addition to the Irish accent, I also love hearing Italians and French people speaking English, because of what their language of origin brings to it. Sounds like we have a similar ear for accents. :001_smile:

[mytwomonkeys]

british accents are lovely.

[Belacqua]

I'm a sucker for somebody with just a trace of an accent. If you live or work with the person you might not even notice it, but somebody meeting him or her for the first time will ask, "Where are you from?"

[Parrothead]

I like Scottish accents. And Irish is nice. Actually, I prefer most any other accented English to any of the American accents.

[elegantlion]

I like Scottish accents. And Irish is nice. Actually, I prefer most any other accented English to any of the American accents.

 

 

I have a fascination with accents as well.

 

I read everything aloud with a British accent. A real Brit would probably faint from my butchering of the various mixing I do.

 

The accent that makes me swoon is a South African accent. One of my dearest friends in high school was an exchange student from South Africa. I could listen to him talk for hours.

[lailasmum]

I always wonder if Americans can hear the nuances of different regional British accents because there are just so many of them and most of them aren't represented on TV. Over time I have learnt to hear differences in some American accents but not necessarily 100% accurately. I am quite bad with understanding Scottish accents though. I can't phone the Student Loans company because it is based in Scotland and I never have the faintest idea what they are saying over the phone. I really like Canadian accents, I have had lots of Canadian friends though so I guess associate it with them.

[Mom in High Heels]

I love all accents from the UK and Ireland, well, maybe not Cockney, but still. I like to hear Italians and French speak English. Their voices are very lilting. Germans speaking English are very guttural (like German itself), but still, I kind of like it, probably because I'm used to it. We were at a restaurant recently and I ordered in German. The server asked me where I was from and told me my accent was "cute." The funny thing is, it never occurred to me that *I* would have an accent when speaking another language.

[Parrothead]

I always wonder if Americans can hear the nuances of different regional British accents because there are just so many of them and most of them aren't represented on TV. Over time I have learnt to hear differences in some American accents but not necessarily 100% accurately. I am quite bad with understanding Scottish accents though. I can't phone the Student Loans company because it is based in Scotland and I never have the faintest idea what they are saying over the phone. I really like Canadian accents, I have had lots of Canadian friends though so I guess associate it with them.

 

If one interacts with a number of Brits one can learn to hear different British accents. I've watched enough BBC that I can pick them out. I don't know where they come from, just that they are different. The last 3 Doctors have all had different accents. When British celebs come on Top Gear to be interviewed I can hear a variety of different accents.

 

I watch a lot of BBC America.

[OrganicAnn]

Oh the best accent is a Welsh accent. So pretty. I think the Essex accent is hilarious sort of like a British Valley Girl.

 

To answer the question about American accents and class, it is true that Americans don't attribute class based on accent as much as they do in England. But there are some accents that do some general positive or negative associations. The Midwestern accent is considered the most "normal American". I've heard that people with strong Southern accents are judged to be less educated (in some study I read about but can't quote it). I'm sure New York, Boston and east coast accents have certain positive/negative associations (maybe depending on where you are from).

[Lady Florida.]

I love Irish accents. Everything just sounds better to me if it's said with an Irish accent.

 

While I think an Irish accent is one of the most musical of all English accents, I had a harder time understanding English in Ireland than I did in England, Scotland, or Wales.

[Farrar]

I always wonder if Americans can hear the nuances of different regional British accents because there are just so many of them and most of them aren't represented on TV. Over time I have learnt to hear differences in some American accents but not necessarily 100% accurately. I am quite bad with understanding Scottish accents though. I can't phone the Student Loans company because it is based in Scotland and I never have the faintest idea what they are saying over the phone. I really like Canadian accents, I have had lots of Canadian friends though so I guess associate it with them.

 

I couldn't pick out all the various British accents by a long shot, but I think any American who watches a lot of BBC would be able to pick out a few. And I'm certainly aware of how British accents often speak to class much more than American ones, which are much more straightforwardly about region.

 

However, it's definitely true that the more heavy your accent from many regions, the more likely people are to judge you for it or assume you're less educated. I think this has lessened over time - even just twenty years ago, I feel like southern accents were much more ridiculed than they are now.

 

I have a pretty mild southern accent, especially for having grown up in the south. If found that people on the west coast are by far the least tolerant of my accent. I've been mocked when traveling in California far more than any other place. When I went away to college in New England, I was worried about experiencing something similar and instead discovered that New Englanders were much more tolerant of different accents - and that there are just as many thick New England accents as southern ones.

 

For accents that sound nice to my ears... I'm going with Welsh and Kiwi.

[lailasmum]

This as an example of the local accent in our area. I don't talk like this. It can be a bit hard to understand. I have read it sounds like it does because there is a strong influences from old french and from pre anglo saxon languages. I thinks It's really interesting how accents form. I think in this area it's such a strong accent because there hasn't been much reason for people to move into the area so it hasn't got diluted.

[Cassy]

As an English person I always love how light, energetic and fresh American accents sound, even those rare few that also sound a bit comical.

[Parrothead]

As an English person I always love how light, energetic and fresh American accents sound, even those rare few that also sound a bit comical.

 

This is refreshing. I've often read that as a group we sound flat and nasally.

[nmoira]

As an English person I always love how light, energetic and fresh American accents sound, even those rare few that also sound a bit comical.

 

 

I'm Canadian, my dad was from Yorkshire and I've lived in the US (PNW) for just over 15 years. The first time I heard Rich Fulcher (Snuff Box, The Mighty Boosh, etc.), I thought he had the worst fake American accent I'd ever heard... only to learn that he's American. So much for my ear.

[Cassy]

This is refreshing. I've often read that as a group we sound flat and nasally.

 

 

Nope, not at all. Talking about flat and nasally, have you ever heard an English Brummy accent (from Birmingham in the Midlands)? I'll look to see if Top Gear has ever had any Brummy guests ;).

[armymomma]

I am partial to a New York accent....just makes me smile. Really. My grandparents spoke with Irish accents. My father had a wonderful NY accent. Mom too. My dh says he used to hate them (the accents, not my parents) being from the west coast, but now is fond of them as well. I think it can really depend on people you have known with the particular accent.

 

 

 

[Rosie_0801]

Piling on...

 

Are there markedly different Australian accents from region to region? I'm a bit embarrassed to say I have no idea.

 

 

There are three accents, Broad, General and Cultivated. Broad is more likely out bush, most people use general and cultivated has elements of both class and location. Everyone seems to come home from Adelaide with a slightly English accent, then we sound like pretentious snobs because we're not *from* Adelaide.

[Jeannie in NJ]

We just watched LOTR again and I really like Billy Boyd's accent. I don't know if that is his normal accent or just as Pippin. Maybe Scottish? Not sure.

[nmoira]

There are three accents, Broad, General and Cultivated. Broad is more likely out bush, most people use general and cultivated has elements of both class and location. Everyone seems to come home from Adelaide with a slightly English accent, then we sound like pretentious snobs because we're not *from* Adelaide.

 

 

Thanks! I was hoping you'd chime in.

[Rosie_0801]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5aqOgbKuUM

[Cassy]

I'm Canadian, my dad was from Yorkshire and I've lived in the US (PNW) for just over 15 years. The first time I heard Rich Fulcher (Snuff Box, The Mighty Boosh, etc.), I thought he had the worst fake American accent I'd ever heard... only to learn that he's American. So much for my ear.

 

We're in North Yorkshire :001_smile:. Where about is your dad from? I'm originally from near Liverpool, the Scouse accent is another one I'm not at all keen on. I adore North Yorkshire :thumbup:.

[nmoira]

 

 

We're in North Yorkshire :001_smile:. Where about is your dad from? I'm originally from near Liverpool, the Scouse accent is another one I'm not at all keen on. I adore North Yorkshire :thumbup:.

 

Hull, but his family had to move during the War. They were near Sherwood Forest for awhile, then Scotland, then eventually back to Hull. He emigrated to Canada in his early 20's. He'd largely lost his accent (not exactly Yorkshire, but hints; his father was a minister and not native to Yorkshire) until after his stroke. What a difference!

[Lady Florida.]

I am partial to a New York accent....just makes me smile. Really. My grandparents spoke with Irish accents. My father had a wonderful NY accent. Mom too. My dh says he used to hate them (the accents, not my parents) being from the west coast, but now is fond of them as well. I think it can really depend on people you have known with the particular accent.

 

My maternal grandparents were both 1st generation Americans whose parents came from Italy. They sounded *just* like Archie and Edith Bunker (and almost had their personalities too). My grandmother especially had a strong working class NYC accent. She said things like berl for boil (berl the wawtah for the raviolis), and winder for window. My mother and aunts were raised mostly in Staten Island and then N.E. New Jersey, so they didn't have those accents. My grandparents could have been the poster couple for the stereotypical NY accent of days gone by. :)

[MommaOfalotta]

As an English person I always love how light, energetic and fresh American accents sound, even those rare few that also sound a bit comical.

 

This is great! I always wonder what we sound like to people from other countries. My husband and I were just talking about this the other day. I love accents.

 

Oh and my favorite is Australian.. as in.. Hugh Jackman ;) And English accents as well... but then theres also Italian.

 

I love accents in general.

[Faithr]

My father in law's new lady friend is from Georgia. My kids love to hear her talk. She's got the warmest, softest drawl. After they visit, the kids walk around trying to talk in her accent.

[mumto2]

One of the things that amazes me about the accents in our area of England is the difference a few miles can make. We laugh that we can't mov to one village that is all of 3 miles away because we have no idea what the locals are saying! I had thought it was my American family until British friends told us they don't shop there for the exact same reason!

[Laura Corin]

One of the things that amazes me about the accents in our area of England is the difference a few miles can make. We laugh that we can't mov to one village that is all of 3 miles away because we have no idea what the locals are saying! I had thought it was my American family until British friends told us they don't shop there for the exact same reason!

 

There was a programme on Radio 4 recently about forensic linguistics. They gave the example of the hoax tape that was sent to the police during the Yorkshire Ripper investigation. The forensic linguist identified the particular suburb that the man came from using the fine detail of his accent. When he was later caught (by DNA on the envelope) he did indeed come from that suburb.

 

I worked with someone from the south of Fife and couldn't understand a word he said. I'm fine here in north east Fife though.

 

Laura

[PachiSusan]

I can sit and hear an Aussie or a NZ-er talk for hours!!!!!

[twoxcell]

I love all English accents, but if I'm forced to pick my favorite accent from all the common wealths it would have to be New Zealand. This video for example. I could just listen to their sweet voices all day. :)

 

[Greenmama2]

There are slight regional differences within the general Australian accent. My husband who grew up in another state laughs at me because apparently I say "bell-cony" instead of "bahl-cony". Conversely I once had a flute student called Ellen; when I once had to fetch her from class the teacher was adamant that she didn't have such a student. As far as I was concerned I was pronouncing it the same way the Ellen Degeneres does. Eventually it was sorted out when she said; "Oh, Ehh-llen!".

[Pod's mum]

There's a Melbourne (Victoria, Eastern State) enclave that have a recognised accent thing where they pronounce 'e' as 'a' so celery and salary are the same word.

And we would hear Malbourne, not Melbourne from them. My children's father is from there so 'mispronounces' one of our dd's names.

There is generally a recognised 'nasal' eastern coast accent (think Neighbours), and an eastern group that says the pool, tool etc words...well, funny.

My mum is from Adelaide and my dad a bushy, and we used to be called Pommy (British) because Mum made us "annunciate" our words correctly.

(I'm serious, this is a word we and my kids knew early.)

 

I also love Scottish and Irish accents. I can sometimes understand Glascow accents, but I do find it is the hardest to understand.

 

I think it's funny when US things put subtitles on all Aussie or UK interviews, so the US audience can understand!

 

Viva la difference!

[Rosie_0801]

Yeah! What is with that 'a' and 'e' thing? We learned about that in linguistics class and I'd never even noticed it before because I pronounce them differently. They also said there's a Melbourne thing where people say "Yeah, no." And they do too! My ex said it all the time and so does my brother!

[Pod's mum]

Yeah, no, then there's that Queenslander thing but.

 

Where they end sentences in ...but.

[Hannah]

They also said there's a Melbourne thing where people say "Yeah, no." And they do too! My ex said it all the time and so does my brother!

 

 

South Africans say 'Ja well no fine' : Expressing ridicule, indifference or ambivalence (wiktionary)

[Greenmama2]

Or hey. It's hot hey? Yeah no...good weather for a swim but.

I'd never ever noticed the a/e thing before DH pointed it out to me. Now when I visit home I can hear it in certain words, but celery/salary are still exactly the same to me.

[Pod's mum]

Or hey. It's hot hey? Yeah no...good weather for a swim but.

I'd never ever noticed the a/e thing before DH pointed it out to me. Now when I visit home I can hear it in certain words, but celery/salary are still exactly the same to me.

 

 

Yep, you am one!

 

http://blogs.crikey.com.au/fullysic/2010/11/23/walcome-to-malbourne/

[mumto2]

 

I worked with someone from the south of Fife and couldn't understand a word he said. I'm fine here in north east Fife though.

 

Laura

 

 

MIL was from Fife. I always had to work hard to understand her relatives. It probably made the move here much easier. Dh never had to "work" to understand his family so he struggles with the different accents.

[Heather in Neverland]

I work with a guy from New Zealand... His accent is beautiful!!

[Isabella]

I LOVE the South African English accent. Sounds so upperclass!! They all sound like such gentlemen and ladies!

I'm Aussie, but don't have a broad accent...in fact, I'm ashamed to say, sometimes I'm embarrassed by it....but I'll try not to be seeing lots of people like it!

Sometimes I wonder what I sound like, because even aussies have asked me on occasion which country I am from! My dad's family was dutch, but he didn't speak with an accent, being only 10 when they emigrated. My aunts and grandparents did though, so maybe we picked up a less 'Aussie' accent because of it.

[Wildcat]

I like Scottish accents. And Irish is nice. Actually, I prefer most any other accented English to any of the American accents.

 

  I don't care for any of the American accents.

[Wildcat]

I also love Scottish and Irish accents. I can sometimes understand Glascow accents, but I do find it is the hardest to understand.

 

I think it's funny when US things put subtitles on all Aussie or UK interviews, so the US audience can understand!

 

Viva la difference!

 

The subtitles thing is so arbitrary! Dh and I have *no trouble* understanding shows w/Aussie or UK accents and look at each other funny when subtitles appear. 

[Firefly]

I'm a Yank but really dislike most American regional accents. My favorite accent is Scottish. Richard Hammond's accent on Top Gear (another who watches a lot of BBC America :)) is beautiful, but I'm not sure exactly where it's from. I lived in the U.K. for a few years and can detect several different English accents, but there are some I still have no clue about.

[Parrothead]

 

 

I just had to laugh at this. My grandmother was from Glasgow! As a very young child, I couldn't understand her when she spoke, so if she laughed, I laughed! I figured she must have said something funny! :lol: As I got a litle older, though, I could understand her better. I was *always* fascinated by her accent!!

 

The subtitles thing is so arbitrary! Dh and I have *no trouble* understanding shows w/Aussie or UK accents and look at each other funny when subtitles appear. Yet, when the news interviews some locals, we can never understand what they're saying and wished they would subtitle! (we're in the deep south!) I have lived here for nearly 30 years and I *still* don't understand the folks they find to interview!! :blink:

 

 

All these subtitle comments remind me of an episode of Richard Hammond's Crash Course on BBCA. There was on episode where RH was in the Deep South (I dot know why I can't stop this being capitalized) learning to drive a piece of heavy equipment. The guy giving the lesson had such a thick southern-Cajun-black accent there were subtitles. If I didn't look at the TV I could understand the guy teaching. But if I tried watching his mouth move orbthe subtitles I couldn't understand a word he said.

 

[Cassy]

I couldn't place Richard Hammond's accent at all, it's very neutral, but I do know that he went to school here in our little town, at the very same school my older two attend. Cool, eh?