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#17 (permalink) Sun Feb 04, 2007 12:18 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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It just occurred to me that when you sing, your accent becomes much less distinctive. Let's say, an American sings a song together with a Brit (as a duet). Then it's much harder for you to distinguish between both accents. _________________ Test Of English for International Communication TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary |
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Torsten Learning Coach

Joined: 25 Sep 2003 Posts: 10059 Location: EU
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#18 (permalink) Sun Feb 04, 2007 16:25 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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Hi Torsten
I did not claim if was a generic Northern Irish accent as it is accentuated (pardon the pun) for comic purposes.
It is true that a lot of singers lose their accents when they sing. However there are exceptions.
Cerys Matthews from Catatonia:
the great Tom:
the Proclaimers:
To quote but a few.
Another curiousity of mine is how many guys really understand early "The Streets", they are relatively BIG in America but are they really easy too understand for non-native speakers and non-Brit native speakers alike:
before they went more mainstream and poplike and easier to understand:
So which accents do you have problems with in English? I have problems with the rural Cornish accent or some small town American accents. _________________ Please meet Stewart Tunncilff |
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Stew.t. I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 549 Location: Leipzig, Germany
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#19 (permalink) Sun Feb 25, 2007 14:39 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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Hi all
As a follow up check this great resource for students and teachers. If you really wanna understand accents it is a must, as well as great for if you are moving to a certain area abroad.
http://web.ku.edu/idea/dialectmap.htm
Have fun with the lingo! _________________ Please meet Stewart Tunncilff |
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Stew.t. I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 549 Location: Leipzig, Germany
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#20 (permalink) Sun Feb 25, 2007 19:55 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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| stew.t. wrote: |
http://web.ku.edu/idea/dialectmap.htm
Have fun with the lingo! |
What an interesting site, Stew, thanks! I’m having fun listening my way through the archive and especially enjoyed the following accents:
Florida one, Kentucky seven, Mississippi one and three, North Carolina two, Tennessee and Virginia four (you can tell this woman’s done a lot of storytelling!).
I also learnt how to pronounce Arkansas and Missouri properly – like Chicago and Michigan before, I had them wrong! |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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Englishuser I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 806
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#22 (permalink) Sun Feb 25, 2007 20:02 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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Thanks for the link, Englishuser. Unfortunately, for some reason I'm unable to open these sound files. |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#23 (permalink) Sun Feb 25, 2007 20:08 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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Hi Conchita,
Do you have Real Player installed on your computer?
Englishuser |
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Englishuser I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 806
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#24 (permalink) Sun Feb 25, 2007 20:46 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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| Englishuser wrote: |
Hi Conchita,
Do you have Real Player installed on your computer?
Englishuser |
I didn't, but have just downloaded it and am able to listen to those files now. Thank you for the tip, EU! |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#25 (permalink) Sun Feb 25, 2007 20:49 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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Hi Conchita,
I would very much like to know what you think of the voice clips.
Englishuser |
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Englishuser I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 806
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#26 (permalink) Sun Feb 25, 2007 21:26 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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| The only accent I found somewhat affected was Lady Diana Mosley's (talking about her sister Nancy Mitford, who must have had a similar style of speech). However, I think it's more a question of voice than of pronunciation. In other words, it's the peculiar way she had of modulating her voice that made it sound so posh. The Queen's accent sounds much more natural in comparison. |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#27 (permalink) Sun Feb 25, 2007 21:39 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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| My RealPlayer refuses to open those files... |
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Yankee I'm a Communicator ;-)

Joined: 16 Apr 2006 Posts: 8265 Location: USA
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#28 (permalink) Sun Feb 25, 2007 22:06 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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Hi Conchita,
I have made pretty much the same conclusions as you have. What do you think there is in late Lady Mosley's voice that makes her sound so 'posh'? What advice would you give to a person with that voice in case they wanted to sound less affected? Also, what do you think of No?l Coward's and Gertrude Lawrence's accents?
Englishuser |
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Englishuser I'm here quite often ;-)
Joined: 06 Jun 2006 Posts: 806
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#29 (permalink) Sun Feb 25, 2007 23:47 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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| Englishuser wrote: |
| What do you think there is in late Lady Mosley's voice that makes her sound so 'posh'? |
As I said in my previous post, it's in the way she modulated her voice. The typical vowel lengthening is another important factor -- words like 'times', 'why' or 'far' become taaaimes, whaaay, faaar.
| Englishuser wrote: |
| What advice would you give to a person with that voice in case they wanted to sound less affected? |
The mere thought of me advising people on that matter is ludicrous, EU! Anyway, why would someone want to change their accent in the first place? It's part of who they are. |
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Conchita Language Coach

Joined: 26 Dec 2005 Posts: 2826 Location: Madrid, Spain
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#30 (permalink) Mon Feb 26, 2007 13:18 pm Do you understand different UK and US accents? |
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Hi Conchita
Glad you enjoyed the files. I like the East Anglian one myself as it is a great anecdote and a wonderfully broad accent.
I agree with you that no one should get rid of their accent only unless it hinders their chances for a job.
I met my cousins for the first time in 8 years last Summer and realised just how much my accent has changed due to travelling and teaching. I did not deliberately change my accent for work but it has happened naturally.
Who has noticed a change in their accent over time and why?
Maybe we should have recordings of our voices here: DO you think we should sow the seed in Torsten and the other guys heads ; ) _________________ Please meet Stewart Tunncilff |
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Stew.t. I'm here quite often ;-)

Joined: 14 Dec 2006 Posts: 549 Location: Leipzig, Germany
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| Are you influenced by or bothered about accents in your country? | Is Michael Jackson dead? |