Accents

[Abby Normal]

Fascinating responses. I'm going to google all the examples like brummie and Geordie etc. LOL. Had no idea. What's really fascinating is how you can have accents only a few miles away and so many in a small area!?!?!?

For example where I'm from Maryland, no accent, Virginia next door no accent, as soon as you go into the Carolina's boom southern chicks with cute accents.
And they al have blond hair. LOL. And friendly.

Also there are too subsets of southern that I can tell. Appalachian. Aka as hillbilly. West Virginia, Tennessee mountains etc. and the Texas cowboy accent.


Expanding a bit on English accents. Worldwide. English, American, Aussie, south African, any more?

Also for you Aussies-is there a discernible new Zealand accent?

[Joshua Rogan]

Mmm, I must visit the Carolinas....I hear their biscuits are soft and sweet, too.

[Stephen Thomas]

Glad us Aussies don't have an accent.

But in New Zealand where they mostly sound Orse-try-lian there is a weird accent glitch by which the locals are unable to pronounce the letter 'e' and pronounce it a an 'i'.

Check out how they say 'negative'.

[Sam Flynn]

But in New Zealand where they mostly sound Orse-try-lian there is a weird accent glitch by which the locals are unable to pronounce the letter 'e' and pronounce it a an 'i'.

Check out how they say 'negative'.

... "nigatuv"

Could even be Hebrew

[Fleetwood Mac]

Ive always been fascinated with accents. Here in the US I can distinguish between about a half dozen:

1. Of course the Southern accent-probably most pronounced
2. NYC/Brooklyn accent
3. Boston accent-think JFK speaking
4. North/Great lakes accent-like in the movie Fargo
5. New Orleans/Cajun-if you've ever heard musician Dr. John speak
6. and then plain old American-everywhere else. west coast, mid west and mid atlantic I cant really ascertain any real accent.

British accents the ones I know for sure-Cockney, and royal and "common" English accent . Are there any others in England proper? I know the Scottish Brogue and Irish lilt, but what about wales? Is there a discernable welsh accent? any others?

Hi Abby,

If you google accounts from visitors to England, from different parts of the world, including the United States, they are amazed by the variety of accents. I think it stems from England being an extremely 'local' people in outlook.

I'm from the North East of England. Where I come from, 5 miles east and the accent is very different, 10 miles north and the accent is different again, 5 miles west and the accent is similar, 10 miles south and the accent is very different.

Up here in County Durham there are words, phrases and pronunciations that died out in other parts of England a long time back. Such as the word 'beck' that we use for a stream. It is an old Norse word. There are other words.

There is also a belief that the Vikings only got as far as the south of County Durham, and so 10 miles south their sound is akin to how the Vikings pronounced words, whereas where I come from the sound is more akin to how the Anglo-Saxons pronounced words. So, for example, we say deed for dead, which is from the Anglo-Saxon pronunciation dede (this is one theory). You can tell where the Vikings had settlements because of the place names, there are no place names suggesting a Viking settlement where I come from but there are plenty 10 miles south.

The accent here is so strong and colloquial, you would not understand what we are saying in a general pub conversation. I would guess it's the most difficult accent to understand in England because we use words and phrases in everyday conversation that simply aren't used anywhere in the English speaking world.

For me, the most difficult accent to understand is some parts of Ireland.

The most beautiful English speaking accent in the world is in some parts of Wales.

[Fleetwood Mac]

Also for you Aussies-is there a discernible new Zealand accent?

For perspective: I would say there is much more of a difference between the Kiwi and Aussie accent than there is between the Canadian and American accents.

Although I did once talk with someone who lived in the very north of Canada and that was a strange accent.

[Abby Normal]

Hi Abby,

If you google accounts from visitors to England, from different parts of the world, including the United States, they are amazed by the variety of accents. I think it stems from England being an extremely 'local' people in outlook.

I'm from the North East of England. Where I come from, 5 miles east and the accent is very different, 10 miles north and the accent is different again, 5 miles west and the accent is similar, 10 miles south and the accent is very different.

Up here in County Durham there are words, phrases and pronunciations that died out in other parts of England a long time back. Such as the word 'beck' that we use for a stream. It is an old Norse word. There are other words.

There is also a belief that the Vikings only got as far as the south of County Durham, and so 10 miles south their sound is akin to how the Vikings pronounced words, whereas where I come from the sound is more akin to how the Anglo-Saxons pronounced words. So, for example, we say deed for dead, which is from the Anglo-Saxon pronunciation dede (this is one theory). You can tell where the Vikings had settlements because of the place names, there are no place names suggesting a Viking settlement where I come from but there are plenty 10 miles south.

The accent here is so strong and colloquial, you would not understand what we are saying in a general pub conversation. I would guess it's the most difficult accent to understand in England because we use words and phrases in everyday conversation that simply aren't used anywhere in the English speaking world.

For me, the most difficult accent to understand is some parts of Ireland.

The most beautiful English speaking accent in the world is in some parts of Wales.

Fascinating. Thanks FM

[Graham]

As I once trod the boards doing, amongst other things, 'character' parts, I did develop a good ear for accents. One of the most wonderful speaking voices I have ever heard was that of the late American actor John Vernon, of 'Animal House' fame. Deep, melodious baritone, and perfect pronunciation. Just great.

Graham

[GUT]

But in New Zealand where they mostly sound Orse-try-lian there is a weird accent glitch by which the locals are unable to pronounce the letter 'e' and pronounce it a an 'i'.

Check out how they say 'negative'.

At least we don't eat Fush and Chups, and can count past five without talking about sex

[GUT]

Hi Abby,

If you google accounts from visitors to England, from different parts of the world, including the United States, they are amazed by the variety of accents. I think it stems from England being an extremely 'local' people in outlook.

I'm from the North East of England. Where I come from, 5 miles east and the accent is very different, 10 miles north and the accent is different again, 5 miles west and the accent is similar, 10 miles south and the accent is very different.

Up here in County Durham there are words, phrases and pronunciations that died out in other parts of England a long time back. Such as the word 'beck' that we use for a stream. It is an old Norse word. There are other words.

There is also a belief that the Vikings only got as far as the south of County Durham, and so 10 miles south their sound is akin to how the Vikings pronounced words, whereas where I come from the sound is more akin to how the Anglo-Saxons pronounced words. So, for example, we say deed for dead, which is from the Anglo-Saxon pronunciation dede (this is one theory). You can tell where the Vikings had settlements because of the place names, there are no place names suggesting a Viking settlement where I come from but there are plenty 10 miles south.

The accent here is so strong and colloquial, you would not understand what we are saying in a general pub conversation. I would guess it's the most difficult accent to understand in England because we use words and phrases in everyday conversation that simply aren't used anywhere in the English speaking world.

For me, the most difficult accent to understand is some parts of Ireland.

The most beautiful English speaking accent in the world is in some parts of Wales.

One thing many Aussies comment on is the "local accent" in both U.K. and USA.

While here in Aus you may have different terms you can't really tell where someone is from simply by having them read the same script.

Last week I was sitting with an international panel of judges, and one was an American, he identified where two lawyers were from by accent alone, ie Snr is from New Jersey but Jnr is Central North. At that stage all they had said was "May it please the Court, my name is..." you couldn't do that with two Aussies.

Another funny thing was that he thought the Aussies were talking too fast, I thought the Yanks were, the Dutch Judge thought everyone was.

[GUT]

Also for you Aussies-is there a discernible new Zealand accent?

Yes..

[Sam Flynn]

Yes...

... or "yis", as they say in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

[Magpie]

I'm Canadian but grew up just south of London.
My wife is Spanish but spent most of her life in Texas.

When we watch UK TV, which is frequently, I have to translate for her (especially nothern dialects like LIverpool and Manchester, as well as Ireland Scotland and Wales). Occasionally I have to help her out with Newfie and Maritimer slang. In return, she helps me with "Deep South" accents and slang, as well as any spanglish or Mexican on the US TV, as well as identifying various dialects on American shows.

[GUT]

... or "yis", as they say in the Land of the Long White Cloud.

Funny mob them Kiwis, can't order fish and chips, can't count past five without talking about sex.

[Magpie]

Hey Sam
I've been meaning to pass this on to you for ages. Seems appropriate now:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVwwEJBEs4s

It's a New Zealand band playing a piece by a Welsh composer.