A question for all you Brits out there

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lunaloo
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29 Sep 2011, 7:41 pm

Are you all as enamored with the American accent as we Americans are with a British accent? I was reading a post by someone from the UK and I could just hear her accent in the words she used and it made me smile. :)



IdahoRose
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29 Sep 2011, 7:52 pm

I'm not British (I'm actually American too), but this question was asked on another website I frequent (IsItNormal.com) and I read through the answers. Apparently British people think that everyday Americans sound differently than Americans on TV or in movies. Also, quite a few of them think our accents are grating and annoying.

But there was at least one British person in the thread who really liked American accents the way that most Americans really like British ones. Speaking of which, there used to be a poster on this website who was from England but was completely obsessed with American culture. She was actually in love with American flag and the Statue of Liberty and knew a lot of patriotic songs by heart. She was a really nice girl and I sometimes wonder what happened to her and how she's doing nowadays.



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29 Sep 2011, 7:53 pm

I hate to say this but I think most Brits find an american accent quite grating.

Irish accents are fab though. :)



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29 Sep 2011, 11:00 pm

I've never much liked British accent (no offense intended to people with British accent).
I do rather like Russian, German, Irish, Finish and Spanish accents.


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29 Sep 2011, 11:10 pm

I find American accents very grating. I find American grammar even more grating. It drives me crazy to hear everybody talking to each other like they're Valley Girls, whether they're female or not. I ignore people or talk to them in a very formal manner when they talk to me like that. I also apologize to the Americans who are going to read this. I love you guys. It's the people offline that I'm talking about.


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Henbane
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30 Sep 2011, 2:36 am

There are lots of different accents in the UK, some of which I love, and some of which make me feel like my brain is being tortured with a cheese grater.

I think it's similar in the USA. There seems to be a lot of diversity of accent out there. I'm not a great fan of the more drawly generic accents. But I quite like some of the more interesting ones, like those in New England and some of the southern states. But I imagine most British folk don't know a lot of the accents in the US as we get exposed to just a few on the teevee.

One thing I can't stand though is British people speaking with an American accent. Hugh Laurie for example, in House. I know he's acting, but his accent annoys the hell out of me.



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30 Sep 2011, 3:14 am

My American partner thinks that I sound like one of the Beatles.
I was born and raised about 15 miles from Liverpool. Lol



Tequila
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30 Sep 2011, 3:42 am

Henbane wrote:
There are lots of different accents in the UK, some of which I love, and some of which make me feel like my brain is being tortured with a cheese grater.


This bit is very true.

As for American accents: depends on the accent.



Simonono
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30 Sep 2011, 3:49 am

Tequila wrote:
Henbane wrote:
There are lots of different accents in the UK, some of which I love, and some of which make me feel like my brain is being tortured with a cheese grater.


This bit is very true.


+1

There are more British accents I hate than there are American ones.



MXH
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30 Sep 2011, 4:04 am

hmm, i just spent an hour on youtube looking at british accents. For a country that loves tea so much ya'll really hate the letter T. Or should i say, for a coun'ry 'hat loves Tea so much you all really ha'e 'he le''er T



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30 Sep 2011, 4:08 am

^ people in my locaity drop letters all over the show. H's are aso a popular one- "i 'ad sum wa'er in the 'ouse"



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30 Sep 2011, 4:11 am

OneStepBeyond wrote:
^ people in my locaity drop letters all over the show. H's are aso a popular one- "i 'ad sum wa'er in the 'ouse"

just like that L in locality you dropped?

also i cant believe i went to london and almost left without hearing someone say bloody hell.



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30 Sep 2011, 4:16 am

xactly

actually, even when we say 'H' we pronounce it without a H:/



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30 Sep 2011, 4:19 am

OneStepBeyond wrote:
xactly

actually, even when we say 'H' we pronounce it without a H:/


hmm, might want to try spanish then. Sounds right up your alley



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30 Sep 2011, 4:21 am

ok mx



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30 Sep 2011, 7:21 am

Tequila wrote:
Henbane wrote:
There are lots of different accents in the UK, some of which I love, and some of which make me feel like my brain is being tortured with a cheese grater.


This bit is very true.

As for American accents: depends on the accent.


I quite like New Jersey accent, makes me think of the Sorpanos.

also, whichever accent they spoke in in True Grit was awesome, sounded almost like singing.


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