Let's talk about accents and dialects.

[Lilitu]

Let's have discussions on Accents and Dialects. Not only English but any other language too.

When I was a small child, I thought that my accent was the 'neutral one' and unlike British or American accents, our accent had no defining characteristics, and was the proper one xD.

Obviously that's not true... lately I've been making some casual observations on the kiwi accent and the main conclusion is: we tend to sound monotonous yet energetic at the same time. o.o

I've grown to like the South African accent that I often hear from South African immigrants to NZ. They always sound like they're knowledgeable educated people, and I don't see how it's harsh. It sounds more rich and deep to me.

I think the accents that are most difficult to understand are some North British ones, and some Southern USA ones and their derivatives.

[pellaz]

I dont travel alot, so my reference is low but had a good straight friend from the UK and his accent was delightful. I am sure he dosnt talk like that back home so i was impressed how he managed his appearance and attitude.

[Pix]

I used to have a neighbor (in California) from Tennessee, and I guessed right away which state she was...I wasn't certain (but it was my first guess) but I thought, "Definitely South East."

She knew from my accent that I was a Texan right away.

But as for the Californians, they couldn't tell the difference, we both just had a generic southern accent that they couldn't tell apart. Interesting, that, though not surprising in retrospect.

Though one that still puzzles me to this day...I got made fun of for my Texan accent once and then to my shock they put on Janis Joplin whom they seemed to worship (they were Deadheads first but they also liked her)...and they didn't recognize her accent! I pointed it out and they didn't believe me, but I found later that yep, she grew up in Texas. (That was the first time I heard Joplin, btw, at least to recognize her.) Because of that I started telling people who gave me a hard time on my accent to leave my Joplin accent alone.

[Pix]

Another odd thing...despite that Texas and California tend to dislike each other, someone with a bit of charm can really use an accent associated to the other state to great effect. I saw a California guy get out of having the Houston PD beat the crap out of him in part because he made himself out to be an exotic tourist rather than some homeless person passing through (he did have the look to pull it off, he just conned them into thinking he partied a little too hard and couldn't wait to tell everyone back home how awesome Houston was).

And my Texas accent, while sometimes getting people to judge me harshly (it's amazing how many think I'm prejudiced while thinking themselves above that vice ) it's also made me exotic to some and I've learned to use it to my advantage in business. Most of the time that's by getting potential customers to remember me first before my competition, though I have used it in other ways before (I really conned an especially obnoxious jerk who was trying to con me and he thought I was too stupid because I sounded like a Texas redneck, and I think because I'm female that he never questioned the ways I turned the tables on him).

[Pix]

And my current relationship is in part indirectly due to my accent.

I worked with kids a lot and as a result got exposed to Hannah Montana, though I didn't pay her much attention for a long while. And then I caught an episode (coming in a few minutes into the show) where she (with her Southern accent) is given a really hard time by a couple of snooty Californians. I sympathized with her so much (and it was pretty funny) that I started watching the show and at first thought it was cute and working with kids it would be useful to know. And then I got to like it for multiple reasons.

So then when the Hannah movie came out in 2009 and I needed extra money I found a way to make money to take girls to see it so their parents and grandparents could get a break from having to see it over and over again, and I made a lot. And my current partner paid me to take her daughter (she can't stand Disney, including Hannah Montana, and loved the term "Disneytard" after I let her know about the word...never would've taught that word to her if I knew she was going to take up using it...). As a result her daughter got to like me, and her mom put my number on her phone. So when the mom got sick and the girl got desperate she started calling people and after that didn't work she found my number on her mom's phone and called me and that eventually led to us becoming partners...and a family for all practical purposes (save in name).

All because I caught the ep of Miley/Hannah getting a hard time for speaking with a Southern accent in California. Talk about the butterfly effect.

[Corsac]

I think the accents that are most difficult to understand are some North British ones, and some Southern USA ones and their derivatives.

I will agree that the further north in the UK you get, the accents can be difficult to understand, in some parts they also have their own words for various things so sometimes theres a language barrier between 2 people speaking the same language.

I've been told by people online that I have a nice British accent, I have a sort of mixed Londoner accent because I was born there and moved to another town at 13 with my parents. To be honest though I don't think much about my accent. I do love an Irish accent though and get some stick from others for that because they think its horrible. Each to their own though. :biggrin:

[Blue]

I think the accents that are most difficult to understand are some North British ones, and some Southern USA ones and their derivatives.

Ya mean y'all done gittit 'en them sutherners sowwnds liaaake dis?

(for non southern people that's "You mean you don't get it when southerners sound like this?"

Some accents are more difficult for me to understand than others. I'm fine with any of the English Speaking accents, some of the dialects throw me now and then though.

Some non English accents are very hard for me to understand, but I was raised with American English and Salishan being the only two languages I ever heard (the later only form my grandparents) so, If it isn't English speaking, and ins't the nasal like quality of Salishan, I usually have to listen carefully to understand it.

[hue]

I've lived in several states on USA's east coast from Texas to Massachusetts. each area has very distinctive accents and various people groups in the same states have their own unique accents and vocabulary. I love the Louisiana Cajun accent, the south Carolina aristocratic "old south" accent as well as the geechee accent, the old Virginia accent and west Virginia's hillbilly accent. but what always warms my heart the most is a voice from home, the soft, slow, sweet tongue of Alabama!

[Puck]

As a native of the Pacific Northwest, I've noticed that we tend to enunciate much more than other states. I know we Oregonians can get VERY pissy if one of you "outsiders" mispronounce our state's name (Its ore-ree-gen NOT ore-a-gone!!!!!) mile:

As for accents in general, I've always had a thing for European accents (English and Australian accents being particular turn-ons of mine)

As for the various American accents, a light southern drawl can be very pleasant to listen to.

[Blue]

As a native of the Pacific Northwest, I've noticed that we tend to enunciate much more than other states. I know we Oregonians can get VERY pissy if one of you "outsiders" mispronounce our state's name (Its ore-ree-gen NOT ore-a-gone!!!!!) mile:

As for accents in general, I've always had a thing for European accents (English and Australian accents being particular turn-ons of mine)

As for the various American accents, a light southern drawl can be very pleasant to listen to.

Oh I know, "Its Willamette damn it." I've been told that many time for wanting to call it
"Will-u-met." (short u there).

Same in Texas over "Pecan" people get really testy over mispronunciations.

The the whole variety of American versions of "you all" (Y'all, Yous, You'ens...)