Accents

Lon · Post by **Lon** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:36 am

I love accents, French, Spanish, Chinese etc. and as long as the English is understandable I wish some would not work so hard at trying to loose their accent.

New Zealanders and a number of Aussies have a way of making a statement sound like a question by finishing their comment on an uptick in the inflection of their voice. This must be due to their Irish-Scottish ancestry wherein I note the same way of talking with these folks. However, there is something about this uptik thing that makes the speaker sound very unsure of what they are saying. It seems defensive and not assertive. My wife thinks this may be due to the Irish Catholic Nuns (Sisters of Mercy) or is it Merciless Sisters?

abbey · Post by **abbey** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:40 am

I find the same here in England Lon, mainly from some southern counties.

lady cop · Post by **lady cop** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:43 am

i absolutely love a high-class English accent like Bothwell's....what amazes me is he can nail down what part of England someone is from. it's a gift. i sound a little like boston, down here they think i 'talk funny'.

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:43 am

Scottish girls, English, Irish its all nice.

But my favorite is from coastal islands like Trinidad or coastal countries like French Guiana. Very beautiful coming from the lips of a woman.

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 1:15 am

lady cop wrote: i absolutely love a high-class English accent like Bothwell's....what amazes me is he can nail down what part of England someone is from. it's a gift. i sound a little like boston, down here they think i 'talk funny'.

Regional accents are so distinctive in England and you don't have to travel far to hear a change. Liverpool and Manchester are only a few miles apart, but the Scouse and Manc accents are very different. The Liverpool accent in general, is slightly higher pitched too and sounds a bit whiney.

The Brummie accent and the more extreme accent of the nearby Black Country, in my neck of the woods, is considered outside of the region to make the speaker sound like they cant do joined up thinking.

The Geordie accent from Newcastle requires sub-titles for the rest of the country though, but it does have a sound pleasing to the ear and they're a friendly bunch in my experience.

And the Cockney accent? - watch Eastenders or listen to Arnolds wav file

Nomad · Post by **Nomad** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 1:17 am

Uncle Kram wrote: Regional accents are so distinctive in England and you don't have to travel far to hear a change. Liverpool and Manchester are only a few miles apart, but the Scouse and Manc accents are very different. The Liverpool accent in general, is slightly higher pitched too and sounds a bit whiney.

The Brummie accent and the more extreme accent of the nearby Black Country, in my neck of the woods, is considered outside of the region to make the speaker sound like they cant do joined up thinking.

The Geordie accent from Newcastle requires sub-titles for the rest of the country though, but it does have a sound pleasing to the ear and they're a friendly bunch in my experience.

And the Cockney accent? - watch Eastenders or listen to Arnolds wav file

Serious question unc.

How does this occur ? Any idea ?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 6:45 am

When I was in the Air Force, stationed at RAF Greenham Common, one of my civilian bus drivers was from Oxforshire, though his name escapes me. I could never understand a word he uttered. :wah: He knew it and we were both embarrassed about it, so he pretty much avoided speaking to me altogether.

One time he really needed an answer from me. So he comes up to me and , I swear, "Oi Ginge (my nickname there), Ra wa wa wa ra ra wa, SO ra ra ra wa arra ra wa?" I felt like shite, you can imagine. I had to get another driver to "translate" for me. I brought the gent over. the guy repeats verbatim, I assume. The second guy turns to me and says, "Sorry, mate. Can't understand a word." :-2

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 6:50 am

Nomad wrote: Serious question unc.

How does this occur ? Any idea ?
Same issue in Okinawa, which is an island only 60 miles long. I'm sure that hundreds of years ago it was common to live in one spot for your whole life, without venturing out or meeting new people. Do that over several generations, and it's understandable that the accents would diverge like that. Okinawa actually has six distinctive dialects.

pantsonfire321@aol.com · Sat Mar 25, 2006 6:56 am

Us cockneys think anyone living past Watford is a carrot cruncher .

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:00 am

Nomad wrote: Serious question unc.

How does this occur ? Any idea ?

I think it's down to little movement in the population. If there is thriving industry, there is no need for migration in search of work, so those areas retain their dialect. Most Brits wear their accent like a badge. It's part of your identity. My Brummie accent isn't too strong. When I'm abroad I'm often mistaken for a Yank or Aussie :-2

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:43 am

Lon wrote: I love accents, French, Spanish, Chinese etc. and as long as the English is understandable I wish some would not work so hard at trying to loose their accent.

New Zealanders and a number of Aussies have a way of making a statement sound like a question by finishing their comment on an uptick in the inflection of their voice. This must be due to their Irish-Scottish ancestry wherein I note the same way of talking with these folks. However, there is something about this uptik thing that makes the speaker sound very unsure of what they are saying. It seems defensive and not assertive. My wife thinks this may be due to the Irish Catholic Nuns (Sisters of Mercy) or is it Merciless Sisters?

I thought the youngsters here got that 'uptick' thing from watching Neighbours etc

.....seriously though, this is something that i have only noticed in the last few years.

I have a lot of non-UK people working for me....my favourite is the Polish and eastern european guys when they speak english....and they are so polite and bow their heads when they say hello..

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 7:52 am

Uncle Kram wrote: Regional accents are so distinctive in England and you don't have to travel far to hear a change. Liverpool and Manchester are only a few miles apart, but the Scouse and Manc accents are very different. The Liverpool accent in general, is slightly higher pitched too and sounds a bit whiney.

The Brummie accent and the more extreme accent of the nearby Black Country, in my neck of the woods, is considered outside of the region to make the speaker sound like they cant do joined up thinking.

The Geordie accent from Newcastle requires sub-titles for the rest of the country though, but it does have a sound pleasing to the ear and they're a friendly bunch in my experience.

And the Cockney accent? - watch Eastenders or listen to Arnolds wav file

Geordie accents are my fave....maybe because I'm a little bit in love with Alan Shearer..

I've been accused of having a 'posh accent'....which of course is rubbish...common as muck me !

The most difficult accent to understand for me is broad Yorkshire....and they use 'alternative' words...at least the guy I work with does.mmmmm ???

Sussex used to have its own dialect, but you only hear it amongst the oldies now...I bet Betty and Theia have got a good old cornish accent....love that too.

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:01 am

My favorite is a Texas accent!:D :-4

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:03 am

Bez wrote: Geordie accents are my fave....maybe because I'm a little bit in love with Alan Shearer..

I've been accused of having a 'posh accent'....which of course is rubbish...common as muck me !

The most difficult accent to understand for me is broad Yorkshire....and they use 'alternative' words...at least the guy I work with does.mmmmm ???

Sussex used to have its own dialect, but you only hear it amongst the oldies now...I bet Betty and Theia have got a good old cornish accent....love that too.

Were you Common-as-muck Spice Bez?

Accountable · Post by **Accountable** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:04 am

sunny104 wrote: My favorite is a Texas accent!:D :-4
East or West? :wah:

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:05 am

Uncle Kram wrote: Were you Common-as-muck Spice Bez?

:yh_rotfl ....

Uncle Kram · Post by **Uncle Kram** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:16 am

JAB wrote: Being Polish myself, I've gotten so used to hearing Polish or English spoken with a Polish accent that I've never really noticed the politeness. I guess I've gotten so used to it, but you're right.

So you've got a Polish accent and Bez has got a Polished accent ?:)

sunny104 · Post by **sunny104** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:24 am

JAB wrote: Being Polish myself, I've gotten so used to hearing Polish or English spoken with a Polish accent that I've never really noticed the politeness. I guess I've gotten so used to it, but you're right.

I have an eastern european background too!:)

Bez · Post by **Bez** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 8:25 am

JAB wrote: Being Polish myself, I've gotten so used to hearing Polish or English spoken with a Polish accent that I've never really noticed the politeness. I guess I've gotten so used to it, but you're right.

The rules changed a couple of years ago that allowed europeans to come to the UK easier as part of the european union.

At this point in time we have Spanish, Portugese, Lithuanian, Polish, Vietnamese, Thai, Brazilian, African, french, Italian and Germans working for us....kinda multi national eh ?

The Polish have an incredible work ethic.

The Thai ladies are very nimble fingered and funny. Most of them are married to older english men .

cars · Post by **cars** » Sat Mar 25, 2006 12:51 pm

lady cop wrote: i absolutely love a high-class English accent like Bothwell's....what amazes me is he can nail down what part of England someone is from. it's a gift. i sound a little like boston, down here they think i 'talk funny'.

Well not suprising, you also talk funny here too!!!