How to distinguish between different English accents?

[Tom]

Hi

I have a confession to make. Although there have been interminably long and acerbic discussions on different accents on this forum, and I have been following them like an ardent fan, to date I am unable to distinguish one from the other.

Tell me friends, how can I distinguish one accent from the other?

By the way, Sean Connery has been working in both American and British movies with one accent. Which accent does he have?

James Bond should have a British accent?

Tom

[Molly]

[Ralf]

[Molly]

[prezbucky]

Yeah, he does this a lot:

s --> sh

as in:

Thanksh
Fellash (actually the "zh" phoneme there)
Mish (Miss)

etc.

[Tom]

By the way, friends, you should also read the first three lines of my message.

Tom

[Yankee]

Hi Tom

Since Molly claims to be able to recognize Sean Connery's accent in such extraordinary detail (and also believes that "most" would recognize his Scottish lilt), perhaps she will also provide you with the secret.

In the meantime, let me ask you this:
What accents can you identify? (I don't mean just English accents.)
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_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[NinaZara]

[prezbucky]

Even though he's older than dirt?

hehe

[NinaZara]

Okay, okay. You are way handsome than he is.

Are we alright now?

[Yankee]

[prezbucky]

oh come on, now I look awful

That warn't (Southernism) my intention! I only meant to draw attention to the legend's age.

hehe

besides, I look like a dog.

[Yankee]

I suppose that's better than looking like an apple.
.
_________________
Amy
.
ESL teacher, translator, and a native speaker of American English

[lost_soul]

[daemon99]

There's something I've observed about the way the English and the Americans speak. Not sure if it's correct.

The Americans speak very fast without many pauses/breaks. The British on the other hand don't speak so fast, their speech isn't continuous.

Also, some of the accents of American women sound like British (to me, at least). For example, there's this lady who reads the weather report on CNN, she sounds British.
_________________
Non-native speaker of English
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I intend to live forever - so far, so good.