The British Accent - A lesson on ignorance.

[AplChild]

I'm from North Wales and have a pretty english accent despite being fluent in Welsh and having grown there. Sometimes I change my accent to try and convince people I'm from Stockholm.

 

[bobknowsall]

Well, thank you.

I would like to say the same about the Irish accent.

A Belfast accent is very different to a Cork accent.

True, but they're both rather unmistakably Irish. It's the same with British accents, really. There are many variations, but you'd still be able to tell pretty easily that the speaker is British. Pinpointing exactly where they're from, on the other hand...

 

[Cmwissy]

Well, thank you.

I would like to say the same about the Irish accent.

A Belfast accent is very different to a Cork accent.

True, but they're both rather unmistakably Irish. It's the same with British accents, really. There are many variations, but you'd still be able to tell pretty easily that the speaker is British. Pinpointing exactly where they're from, on the other hand...

....is pretty easy seeing as there are 4 countries in the UK.

 

[hardlymotivated]

Surrey represent!

I suppose I've got a "BBC" accent like the OP's, although it's been labelled as posh quite a few times in the past by others in Surrey and Hampshire, so I'm not quite sure what's up with that.

 

[ryukage_sama]

So, my foreign friends - the next time you say 'British accent' Remember 'Mummerset'

Very well. I will continue to say that a person speaks with 'a' British accent instead of 'the' British accent.

Or... you could learn what country this person is from and maybe you'll raise his liking of you by +10

When did I say that I would be ignorant of what country this person, not necessarily male mind you, is from? Whether a person grew up in London (or from the wide variety of locales with their own distinguished accents within London), Manchester, York, or Bamburgh, I would bet money that they have an accent influenced by that location, a location in Britain, hence a British accent. Follow? I wouldn't assume that someone is from any specific city as I can't specifically identify local dialects/accents, but what would be the offense in saying that his/her accent is British? I'm American, and my way of speaking has been influenced by where I learned to speak and grew up speaking (all over the Eastern seaboard). I'm not offended when someone says I have an American accent. I do have an American accent. Why should anyone be offended to be told they have an accent from their native country? If I were to say to them, "You don't sound that that guy on BBC? You must not be from anywhere in the UK!" I could understand some animosity, but short of that, I don't see why an accent should cause any problems during a conversation because it would be ridiculous to argue with someone over where that accent should have come from or what their accent should be based on where they grew up.

 

[Cmwissy]

SNIP

And what if they said 'You have a Mexican accent'.

You then replied 'What? - I'm American;

They replied to that 'Same thing'


Here's a hint - Britain =/= England.

Why should anyone be offended to be told they have an accent from their native country?

Because It's not their native country.

Britain is not a country.

 

[TheScarecrow]

-snip-

I love that show man.

On topic. I've always like the assorted British accents.

-snip-

I live in Mullingar, do not start me on the accent the scumbags have. Glegh.

 

[Zer_]

I'm from America...I have an incurably Californian accent...now...how do you think that sounds? Which stereotype do you think I fit? That, and I'm from a much larger country than my state, which is extremely varied..to which I state again, you have a British accent. We all have variations in speech, which can vary minimally or incredibly. I have an accent, you have an accent... is it so necessary to really distinguish? Isn't that what kind of leads to the useless class-based prejudice anyway?

'Sides, I had a neighbor who had an cock-sparrow accent and had better figures than the rest of us. We all slurred the same at the end of the night...so it's really all just vanity.

I wouldn't make a fool of myself by trying to copy your accent or stereotype it, if I had to guess, I would say a teenage OC accent (That being the only reliable Californian source I have)

But, Instead of thinking about it that way; Pick any four countries in the world that are close to each-other, I pick America, Cuba, Mexico and Canada; Call them all one thing so that they have back-up in a war - Auxada, then say 'You have an Auxadian accent'.

Just because these countries (British countries) are small, doesn't mean they do not have more accents than yours (Which they do 3 to 1)


Honestly, I would settle for 'English accent' - 'British accent' is just a piss take

You're just being incredibly anal when it comes to the topic. Calling it an English accent by your logic would be even worse than calling it a British accent. Calling it such would mean that those who speak English have such an accent. So by your logic there's no real way to categorize each accent and name it without doing ridiculous amounts of searching.

People generalize, it's in our very nature to categorize others. If we didn't work in such a way our minds would be infinitely more chaotic. It would be nearly impossible for our own brain to search for past memories if they weren't categorized. So honestly, get the hell over it. It's how our very mind works.

 

[Cmwissy]

I'm from America...I have an incurably Californian accent...now...how do you think that sounds? Which stereotype do you think I fit? That, and I'm from a much larger country than my state, which is extremely varied..to which I state again, you have a British accent. We all have variations in speech, which can vary minimally or incredibly. I have an accent, you have an accent... is it so necessary to really distinguish? Isn't that what kind of leads to the useless class-based prejudice anyway?

'Sides, I had a neighbor who had an cock-sparrow accent and had better figures than the rest of us. We all slurred the same at the end of the night...so it's really all just vanity.

I wouldn't make a fool of myself by trying to copy your accent or stereotype it, if I had to guess, I would say a teenage OC accent (That being the only reliable Californian source I have)

But, Instead of thinking about it that way; Pick any four countries in the world that are close to each-other, I pick America, Cuba, Mexico and Canada; Call them all one thing so that they have back-up in a war - Auxada, then say 'You have an Auxadian accent'.

Just because these countries (British countries) are small, doesn't mean they do not have more accents than yours (Which they do 3 to 1)


Honestly, I would settle for 'English accent' - 'British accent' is just a piss take

You're just being incredibly anal when it comes to the topic. Calling it an English accent by your logic would be even worse than calling it a British accent. those who speak English have such an accent. So by your logic there's no real way to categorize each accent and name it without doing ridiculous amounts of searching.

People generalize, it's in our very nature to categorize others. If we didn't work in such a way our minds would be infinitely more chaotic. It would be nearly impossible for our own brain to search for past memories if they weren't categorized. So honestly, get the hell over it. It's how our very mind works.

All right, my American friend.

Calling it an English accent by your logic would be even worse than calling it a British accent

That would actually be allot better - and I would love that.

those who speak English have such an accent. So by your logic there's no real way to categorize each accent and name it without doing ridiculous amounts of searching.

Just don't categorize someone from a completely different country into another one, my American friend.

People generalize, it's in our very nature to categorize others.

That's true, that's why all Canadians are American and All Mexicans are Spanish, also all Asians are Japanese.


Now - without any sarcasm at all, You've got four countries, these countries are very close, by logic, they're all English.

Ta-da.

 

[Zer_]

*Snipped for space*

All right, my American friend.

Indeed. Also corrected some incoherent rabble in my previous post. I tend to do that when I wake up.

 

[historybuff]

Okay?

I live about 3500 miles away from you. I am not around the English, the Welsh or the Scottish every day. So this lesson would only be helpful if you flew me to the land of dragons and let me chill with you for a few months. So calling the rest of us ignorant for not growing up around your people is sort of silly.

 

[Cmwissy]

*Snipped for space*

All right, my American friend.

Indeed. Also corrected some incoherent rabble in my previous post. I tend to do that when I wake up.

replied fully to your post. look at my edit.

 

[Cmwissy]

Okay?

I live about 3500 miles away from you. I am not around the English, the Welsh or the Scottish every day. So this lesson would only be helpful if you flew me to the land of dragons and let me chill with you for a few months. So calling the rest of us ignorant for not growing up around your people is sort of silly.

You're Canadian - I have picked the country I felt like and saw you were close to this country, therefore you're Canadian.

I live about 3500 miles away from you.

not an excuse for not knowing what a country is.

Four countries in the UK, four and yet people categorize them into one accent.

So calling the rest of us ignorant for not growing up around your people is sort of silly.

Only one of those countries are 'my people' - the rest have their own culture, people and government.

 

[Caligulove]

I'm still gonna say accents primarily based on the nationality, because that's just easier to point out... if it goes any farther than that into discussion, and I know the type of accent, of course I will mention it.

But saying right out from the beginning the technical accent they speak... just makes you look less like youre informed and more like youre trying to prove something.

When it comes down to it, Scottish, English, Irish and Welsh are the first nationality and British, European, Earthen, are sub-nationalities.

let me clarify, I meant by regions, as in countries or territories of countries, such as the separate parts that make up the UK but are generally referred to by the region (Scotland, Wales etc) and the States making up the US- but of course smaller areas have different accents and have differences in them. Even state by state in the US or the smaller areas of UK territories.

But as for example, if I notice/mention a Swedish accent, I leave it there. I won't particularly go into their Sveamål accent (or whichever) unless it goes further into that part of the discussion.

 

[bobknowsall]

Well, thank you.

I would like to say the same about the Irish accent.

A Belfast accent is very different to a Cork accent.

True, but they're both rather unmistakably Irish. It's the same with English accents, really. There are many variations, but you'd still be able to tell pretty easily that the speaker is English. Pinpointing exactly where they're from, on the other hand...

....is pretty easy seeing as there are 4 countries in the UK.

Well, now my post's been edited for the sake of clarity.

 

[Cmwissy]

I'm still gonna say accents primarily based on the nationality, because that's just easier to point out... if it goes any farther than that into discussion, and I know the type of accent, of course I will mention it.

But saying right out from the beginning the technical accent they speak... just makes you look less like youre informed and more like youre trying to prove something.

When it comes down to it, Scottish, English, Irish and Welsh are the first nationality and British, European, Earthen, are sub-nationalities.

let me clarify, I meant by regions, as in countries or territories of countries, such as the separate parts that make up the UK but are generally referred to by the region (Scotland, Wales etc) and the States making up the US- but of course smaller areas have different accents and have differences in them. Even state by state in the US or the smaller areas of UK territories.

But as for example, if I notice/mention a Swedish accent, I leave it there. I won't particularly go into their Sveamål accent (or whichever) unless it goes further into that part of the discussion.

But the difference is; Sweden and The USA are each countries of their own.

Britain is like a continent, It's a group of close countries; just a smaller version - does the phrase 'European accent' make sense to you? - I hope not.

You do know that Britain isn't a country - right?


Each country has It's own government, people, culture.

It's no different from the relationship of the USA and Canada - but we don't group them as one country - do we?

 

[Erja_Perttu]

Some of the vocabulary used is reflective of English of a bygone era, e.g. the verb "to hark" (as in "'ark a'ee"), "thee" (often abbreviated to "'ee") etc, the increased use of the infinitive form of the verb "to be" etc

- To quote Wikipedia; this is a common Somerset characteristic (One that us South-easterners do not share)

So, my foreign friends - the next time you say 'British accent' Remember 'Mummerset'

A-HA! Ignorance yourself sir, as I am myself from "Mummerset" and have never in my life uttered ark a'ee or the one I'm surprised didn't get mentioned; Gurt Lush.

Whilst the part about the accent is correct; we're not particular fans of grandiose pronunciation, I have never in my life utter the phrase 'ark a'ee, and if I've ever said 'ee, it'll be because I've missed the H off of He. He-man becomes 'E-man.

Just because we're lazy and overly fond of vowels doesn't mean we all sound like the bloody Wurzels. We do not all have Brand New Combine Harvesters!

 

[Cmwissy]

Some of the vocabulary used is reflective of English of a bygone era, e.g. the verb "to hark" (as in "'ark a'ee"), "thee" (often abbreviated to "'ee") etc, the increased use of the infinitive form of the verb "to be" etc

- To quote Wikipedia; this is a common Somerset characteristic (One that us South-easterners do not share)

So, my foreign friends - the next time you say 'British accent' Remember 'Mummerset'

A-HA! Ignorance yourself sir, as I am myself from "Mummerset" and have never in my life uttered ark a'ee or the one I'm surprised didn't get mentioned; Gurt Lush.

Whilst the part about the accent is correct; we're not particular fans of grandiose pronunciation, I have never in my life utter the phrase 'ark a'ee, and if I've ever said 'ee, it'll be because I've missed the H off of He. He-man becomes 'E-man.

Just because we're lazy and overly fond of vowels doesn't mean we all sound like the bloody Wurzels. We do not all have Brand New Combine Harvesters!

Many apologies.