The English Accent

[winterknight]

The tower of St. Mary-at-Bow church was destroyed by a German bomb in 1941.

It was rebuilt after the war, but the bells were never replaced. Possibly for the very reason you state.

 

[trawler69]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vM_QwA2tlsE

Queens English for you

 

[winterknight]

Actually, Received Pronunciation - what you think of as the "Queen's English" - is very much an artificial construct, invented by the BBC in the 1920's and 30's, and not a "natural" accent at all.

There's considerable evidence that if you want to hear what an upper-class English accent sounded like in the seventeenth century, the best thing you can do is walk down a street in Philadelphia.

 

[sparky95]

I'm out on a limb here, but the only british accent I like is from Somerset. The rest for me are the "voice of authority" and superiority from when I was growing up!

 

[evil_danger]

Well this is my accent

Older Bristolians and those that live in areas which have had less influence from students and immigration, such as Southmead and Hartcliffe, speak a distinctive dialect of English (known colloquially as Brizzle or Bristle). Uniquely for an urban area of England, this is a rhotic dialect, in which the r in words like car is pronounced. It is perhaps this element of the dialect which has led outsiders to dub it "farmer speech".

But the Queens English (AKA Received Pronunciation, or BBC English) is very fake, not many people actually speak like that.

Heres a web page on it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Received_Pronunciation

 

[slobone]

But which English accent? Geordie, Brummie, Yorkie, Scouseie, West Countryie or Poshie?

... Mankie, estuary, county, RP, BBC...

 

[slobone]

You must have encountered a regional accent, they vary in range from barely understandable to down-right Impossible. My aunt in LA told me about this 'English' film where the American audience needed subtitles - she said it was set in some town called 'Newcastle'.

Would that have been Billy Elliot by any chance? The audience may have "needed" subtitles, but they sure didn't "get" them.

There are many -- MANY -- British films that should have English subtitles. Unfortunately very few do. I even had trouble with Prime Suspect 6, and that was mostly just ordinary London blokes and blokesses.

 

[slobone]

Correct Broadcast English, by the way, is restricted to Iowa and Nebraska, so I don't want to hear any Midwesterners getting a bug in their butts over this.

Not sure there's such a thing as "correct" English in the US, but anyway... Depends which part of Iowa. Southern Iowa sounds more like Tennessee these days.

 

[belamy]

You know, they should have warned me about the "peculiarities" of English when I started studying that language at eleven years old: it took me some years to figure out that it is in fact (particularly British English) made up of the most chaotic arrangement of mewls and crunches you can find in any language of the so-called civilized part of the world, that nationals themselves would never discern better than me.

 

[belamy]

You know, they should have warned me about the "peculiarities" of English when I started studying that language at eleven years old: it took me some years to figure out that it is in fact (particularly British English) made up of the most chaotic arrangement of mewls and crunches you can find in any language of the so-called civilized part of the world, that nationals themselves would never discern better than I do.

 

[mark1111]

Generally like em. Don't care for the attitudes of the middle aged on holiday though. (I lived in Greece for a bit) The only problem I have had not understanding was with dudes from Scotland while we were both pissed.

As for accents, what do you UKers think of the New England accent? (hint hint)

 

[The_Reaper]

Being a fan of the English, I am a fan of the accent.

Many an englishman just have an extra bonus for having this amazing accent.



Of course, that is so long as the words coming out of your mouth are audible and intelligent...

You know, Take instead of Tyke...

 

[argomac]

I've always liked the Nottingham accent for some reason.
My Irishman has been living in Scoland for about 10 years and is a little affected. His Irish gets stronger when he goes home though. They're my favourites, after Scottish of course.
And if you think Received Pronunciation is bad, you should hear the Glasgow Polite accent! It's rare, but it exists. Last time I was in London in the queue for G-A-Y a crowd of guys refused to believe I was Scottish becasue they could understand me!

 

[neruda]

Ahhhhh
NONE of you guys heard the Indian speak English
Oxbridge and everything...
It so ultimate in snob value

 

[Leidian]

I think some English accents are a huge turn on, others make me cringe. I don't know all the subdivisions, but I like the way Hugh Grant speaks.

It is the same with the US, though - sometimes a southern accent can make me melt and sometimes a Boston can make me want to pahk a cahr on your face. My region's accent has similar results depending on how thick it is.