by slimboyfat 48 Replies latest social current
e don't say 'eh'; we end our sentences with 'right?' And i never heard the word 'hoser' before the McKenzie Bros. movie came out in theatres (Strange Brew).
My daughter has an ear for languages, and can do just about any accent, she saw the move like five times and did a "Strange Brew" thing for months after seeing it. People have actually asked her if she is English, or Australian or whatever.
The only way I can tell Canadians is the way some say "aboot" instead of about
I know how it could be sexier .... but not gonna happen. ; )
"The name is Elba, Idris Elba."
Sparrowdown, also the American South drops the g sound on the -ing ending:
Runnin'
Jumpin'
Hollerin'
Cussin'
Also, the days of the week end in an -ee sound:
Mondee
Tuesdee
Wednesdee
Thursdee
Slimboyfat, yes, race has a lot to do with different accents in America. African American Vernacular is a distinct dialect in the US. If you hear this accent on the radio, for example, or on a TV when you're in another room, you know that it's an African American speaking. There are also some telltale vocabulary and sentence structure that, if you're in tune to that sort of thing, you can tell from their writing (such as on this forum) if the writer is African American.
Here's the thing, though, most African Americans also speak the General American accent as well for formal use. Just like the local Baltimore accent (which is very working class)I wrote about earlier is often used informally, but then speakers switch over to General American for formal situations like work.
So, if you hear a race or class based pattern, you can identify it, but Americans are also really good at switching over to the General American accent ( which often sounds midwestern) that just because you don't hear it doesn't mean that the speaker is definitely not African American for example, or working class.
I can speak with an Eastern Shore twang when I'm home, but switch right over to the standardized General American accent when I'm teaching or at the grocery store or other more public place.
It's interesting that some of you say you have no accent since I was taught that everyone has an accent. Maybe you mean your accent doesn't match your birthplace? I'm born and raised in the southeast U.S. but have no prominent southern accent when I speak. Yet, every time I take one of those "What is your accent?" quizzes, they almost always place me squarely in the south, which is correct. But may be due more to my vocabulary than my pronunciation. I say "soda" instead of "pop"; "buggy" instead of "trolley"; things like that.
Witness 007 said:
Yes us aussie's have the sexiest accents...mate!
My local public tv station has started airing Annabel Langbein's cooking shows. I'd never heard of her but I guess she's famous? She has what sounds like an Aussie accent, but more posh. I think she's from New Zealand. Is her accent typical of New Zealanders? I didn't like it much which is strange because I do like most Aussie accents. I'm even surprised I picked up on the difference in Annabel's but it was just so...odd.
Yeah I find it funny when people say they have no accent too. I give them the benefit of the doubt and assume it's a joke.
Stephen Fry was good poking fun at certain Scottish types who claim they have no accent.
Thanks for the video Oubliette. But hasn't the bouba/kiki think got something to do with the shapes of the letters b and k? Maybe not since they asked Indians who use a different script. But then a lot of Indians speak English too. I don't think it's a great example.
Here are some British accents demonstrated. I think she does a fairly good job but not outstanding with most of them. The South Wales and Belfast I thought were good, Glasgow not so good, but that might just be my perspective.
