There seems to be a lot of interest around here about different accents and dialects so I've decided to start a thread specifically for the purpose of discussing them. Continued from the discussion found here. To add in my two cents, being from Florida I have a pretty straight accent. However, half my family is from Kentucky so I learned early to drawl with the best of them :lol: It's kind of interesting being able to switch between dialects like that.
I have been here in Charleston, WV, for 35 years, but sometimes people notice a bit of my New York accent (Bronx area) coming through.
I have to say...about British accents. That the ones who live in Birmingham have totally weird way of speaking. I was once trying to talk with one on the phone and I ended because I didn't understand a damn thing. It's one strange accent.
A thick brummie (Birmingham) accent is often unintelligble! Like sometimes a thick Scouse (Liverpool) or Geordie (Newcastle) accent is too. I come from Nottingham in the East Midlands - there doesn't seem to be much of an accent around here, mainly just bizzare phrases that get passed down throughout the region. So the older generation can be heard saying things like "Aye Up, me duck." which means something like "Hello sweetie." (!!) Personally, my favourite is one my Dad overheard on the bus - a little boy pointing out the window saying "Them's bobboes, intum?" which translates as "Those are horses, aren't they?" I didn't even notice I had a northern accent until I lived in London for a bit. Then I became a bit aware of the fact that I said 'flat' vowels, like I'd say BATH instead of BARTH (which is how southerners say it). When I moved back to Nottingham I kept having people ask where I came from because I had such a non-descript accent! I guess I should be flattered....
Then I had one online friend, Scottish, inchatroom I always asked could he speak in voicechat so I could hear scottish accent *blush* too cute. I just like all British accents (what I can understand) more than americans. It'sjust...something...better. (sorry, no offense) Like I said in other thread, my way of speaking Finnish amuses many. It either ends up "...Excuse me? What you said? Explain that word." or everyone just laughs. I was afraid that I'll lost my accent and start to use the one what they use in more north (I live in southern parts of Northern Finland) but no, I'm glad I stick with my own accent
my friends dad is scottish its soo hard to understand him. but shes okay to understand. apparently i have a canadian accent. i certatinly dont hear it! the accent that i would really want would be a new york one. like danny's kinda, but you know sounding like a girl lol. and i wouldn't mind a scottish one just so i could have a scottish terrier (like pres. bush's dog)
Nuh-huh. I was having a one to one lesson with my english teacher...her scottish accent is *so* weird. She said Taylor as "Teelor" American accent isnt so nice either. Its so nasal for meeeeeee....
Since I moved to Stockholm I've lost most of my accent (I'm from the west of sweden, and now I live on the east) but sometimes I use it, but I usually don't think so much about it unless people stare at me och start giggling because they think I sound funny. so sometimes I actually avoid some words that I now I can't say like they do. and when I first moved here (I was 6) no one wanted to play with me because of my accent. and I must agree, it's not a very charming accent. and since my family is originally from the north, I use some of the words they do, so no one understands me. and a little bit from the south too since I've got family there too. haha, me talking = a mess. :lol: :lol: And when it comes to english accents.. I just LOVE the british, irish and scottish. they sound so nice
Well people would probably say that I have a typical English accent since I live in London & some people I know seem to think its quite posh (although I don't think so ) When my friend gets annoyed she comes out in a yorkshire accent even though she has never lived there!! You can't really write it down but words like bath & graph I say 'barth' & 'grarph' but she says 'bath' & 'graph' & stuff like that. It's quite funny when she tries to stress that she doesn't have an accent because it comes out even stronger lol :lol:
noo, it was more north.. from Dalarna. not a very cool place to come from :lol: But people in Göteborg they.. oh well. I don't like them
You know I say "Graph" and "Barth"...I think its a mixture of accent from somerset and Devon. Damn, I wish I had a lovelicious pure devonian accent. *sighs*
I'm just sitting here, smiling. I can't begin to imagine what those accents must sound like, but I know what I'd sound like to all of you. Anyone besides me have an MP3 encoder on their computer? I'd love to hear ya'. In the thread on CSI quizzes, I had to ask who had a Texas accent that was refered to in some of the questions. This is what I had to say in responce, but never posted it, because I decided it was too off-topic. It's exactly on topic for this thread. Yes, I do know what I sound like. Making fun of other people's accents and my own is a favorite past time. http://www.geocities.com/strongheart_7/Nick.htm Edit: By the way, I don't normally say "awl" like that. But, I figure it's still a fair sample, because I don't always get "accent" into two sylables either. *L*
^:lol: :lol: Oh...btw...My accent when I speakr English. It is so darn Finnish... Well, not as bad as Mika Häkkinen -english but :lol: too funny.