PS Poll #1 - What's your favorite foreign accent?
Since I was a wee lad, growing up in the melting pot of Northern Virginia, just outside of DC, I have always been a studier of accents. As mentioned previously, I am a movie fan, and I have catalogued some 3500 movies I've seen in my lifetime, and the list is not complete (and never will be finished). I love trying to figure out where someone is from when I first encounter them.
My favorites areAussy Australian and New Zealand, Cockney, Irish, Welsh, Scottish, South African, and Mexican (which, when spoken properly, is a gorgeous language, and English spoken by a Mexican can be lyrical). I am fond of Russians speaking English and subtleties of Canadien English. I get stuck on the varieties of Spanish spoken in Central and South America, as well as the many African accents. There are also a number of middle-Asia accents I love, but I am not certain where they are from.
So I ask the 14 or 15 of you who look at this blog, please respond and tell me what accents and dialects you like to hear. I want to hear especially from those of you who either live outside the US or were not born here.
Thanks!
My favorites are
So I ask the 14 or 15 of you who look at this blog, please respond and tell me what accents and dialects you like to hear. I want to hear especially from those of you who either live outside the US or were not born here.
Thanks!
Aussie and Scottish--love em both, then Irish and Welsh.
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Copycat. (;>
Thanks for responding, Betsy! Are you from the US or somewhere else?
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As one of your foreigners (a Scottish one), I'd have to vote for English spoken by a French person - honourable mentions go to Antipodeans and Candians, eh.
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Iain T -
The question was based on where ever you live. You are not a foreigner in Scotland, so what foreign accents (for YOU) do you like.
I believe that you answer indicated your vote, though.
Thanks!
P.S. - how is "Iain" pronounced?
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Same as "Ian", as in Ian McKellan - I guess E-in would be a good way to express it (but there's no pause at the dash).
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Thanks for setting me straight! And thanks for reading!
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I'll vote for the French-accented English.
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Funny -- I too like English spoken by the French. I am also completely vexed by the Scottish accent. But if I could add, I am fascinated by actors of different nationalities that have to hide their accents in American movies. I think Heath Ledger was fabulous!
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That includes Rachel Griffiths (Six Feet Under and Brothers and Sisters) and Hugh Laurie (House, MD), among many, many others.
As you know, actors are often required to learn other accents for their roles. However, as Americans, we tend to not think of our accent as an accent at all, unless it's Southern or Mid-Western, or Valley Girl. (I suppose most people, no matter where they are from, see it that way from their perspective - their "accent" isn't an accent.) So what those actors are doing is learning a different accent (American + whatever region needed for the role) from their own. When you think of it that way, it's just part of what actors do for their craft.
MBH and I have watched a number of British period pieces lately, and many of the British actors speak with Irish, Scottish, or Welsh accents. Same thing!
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Irish, South African, Scots, in that order, would be this Canadian's choice.
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Thanks for sharing, Richard D. I'm really enjoying this dialogue with everyone. If not a face, it puts a voice to all of you unseen folks out there who are, for some strange reason, interested in some of the things I have to say.
Thanks for your interest!
How's the weather up there?
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My first language is Danish and I've found that most foreign accents leave same "ring" in both Danish and English. So based on that I'd say French and Spanish accents sounds charming in both Danish and English.
The English Yorkshire dialect have a nice soft sound to it, but just a bit further north the Scottish dialect can be completely incomprehensible (I suspect they can "switch" it off, but refuse to, just to annoy the perplexed English).
Australian accent makes me long for my adopted country (currently living in the UK, I'm an ex-expat
Of course I should say that English sounds good when spoken with a Danish accent, but to be honest, most of the time it just makes my toes curl.
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As an Australian I like the southern American accent/drawl but not being an American I cannot be anymore specific than that in tying down the location. I have to also admit that when I am returning from America and hear the Australian accent at LAX for the first time in a few weeks it really grates on me and I cringe to think I sound like that. One problem I have in America is spelling my last name which has lots of "a"s in it because Americans always interpret my "a" as an "i" and I just can't seem to say "a" properly by American standards.
As an Australian I (and other Australians) always pick a New Zealander by the way they pronounce the number "six" as they invariably say "sux" to our ears.
I would also comment that for some unknown reason I don't like being called an Aussie and prefer being called an Australian. I don't know if it just me or if other Australians feel the same way as I have never asked them.
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Thanks, Dick L, And I will do my best to change my verbiage.
I have known a few Austrailians to call themselves "Aussies", but it is ALWAYS OK to call them (and you) "Australians", so I'll use that term from now on.
The American Southern accent comes in many flavors, as I'm sure Australian does. Some of them are
"chaming""chahming" to me, and some are just abrasive. I know some Englanders feel the same about different dialects from their island. I wonder if (actually, I suppose that) most countries have that distinction (good or bad). Now that I think about it, many Africans look down at people with certain Afrikaans accents. Hmmm.Thanks for chiming in!
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I have just shown my post and your reply to my wife and now I am in trouble for saying I don't like the term "Aussie" - she says she likes it so from now on (as I have been told) I do too.
Now that she has left the room I have to say I still prefer "Australian". I must go I can hear her coming back.
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Tell you what, Dick L, I will use the word "Aussie" when she's around, and "Australian" when she's not. That way I don't get you into trouble and I don't turn you off to reading my blog.
Does that work for you?
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Sid, what a great series of responses to a fun poll!
As the daughter of a career military man I've traveled a lot and heard a lot of different accents. As a voice actor, I can do a lot of different accents.
My favorite to hear is English spoken by a Swede or a Dane...so soft and lyrical. My favorite to do is any of the many southern accents...some very "chahming" as you pointed out, and some very annoying, but all fun.
The flat midwestern American accent is, to me, the most difficult to try to emulate. Just can't get that flat "o" to come out right!!
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Sandy -
Thanks for the compliment and for the input. I agree about the American midwest accent, and I admire the actors that can pull it off effectively, like in Fargo.
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Sandy -
Thanks for the compliment and for the input. I agree about the American midwest accent, and I admire the actors that can pull it off effectively, like in Fargo.
COMMERCIAL BREAK
If any of you reading this need voice work, Sandy is great. You don't need to live in the Atlanta area to use her services, so check her out.
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I have just read your correspondence with my husband (Dick L) and your suggestion WILL suit him fine.
Of course we are both getting a laugh out of this and he does tell me that he finds your blog entertaining and informative. What is more, he tells me you are influencing him towards a MAC computer over a Microsoft based one.
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Apparently I AM making a difference in the world!
Excuse me, but I must go out and buy another 1000 shares of Apple stock.
See you later!
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I'm a late arrival to this party, but here's my input:
A jaywalking Australian, in New York, almost gets himself run over.
A policeman grabs him by the arm and says: "Did you come here to die?!"
The Australian replied: "No, mate, I came here yesterday."
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Sounds more like it should be a Kiwi in Australia
A Kiwi friend gave me this link yesterday:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdVHZwI8pcA
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As an Australian I can say that is just what we sound like after not hearing the Australian accent for a few weeks.
I must say that the accent of actors either in movies or on TV when they try to put on an accent that is not their natural accent, that is American, British or Australian, invariably sounds terrible to me.
A strange thing is that when I am watching an American movie or TV show I am totally unaware of any accent different to mine.
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I don't know about the rest of you, but to me the most sexiest female accent is Scottish, followed by the French female accent.
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As a Mexican, I find the Scottish and Australian accents really cool. I would like to learn how to pronounce the English as they do. Too darn difficult tho... =/
Ah, by the way, Happy birthday!
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Thanks, Mytho!
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I am Welsh, but can I still vote for the South Walian accent anyway, since I live in North Wales?
I quite like English spoken in a Swedish - it's kind of endearing.
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Sam -
This is a non-denominational, non-sectarian, no-smoking, and non-judgmental site. Your opinions are yours, and none can say differently.
I must admit, I didn't know there were more than one Welsh accent. One day I hope to hear both side by side!
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Living in Scotland, I'll point out that there is more than one 'Scottish' accent (just as there's more than one Welsh accent). Where I live in the Borders, the accent is a soft, pleasant 'burr'; up in Glasgow, the dialect is practically incomprehensible, with a really hard, harsh accent (you can hear an example on this Youtube video); in Edinburgh, you'll hear Miss Jean Brodie's 'cut-glass' accent. And so on - every area of the country has its distinctive accent. I can't decide which Scottish accent is my favourite, so I'll go with Sam in agree that Swedish-accented English is very pleasant on the ears.
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Being a Finnish Australian (I think that's right, Born Finland now an Aussie-sorry Australian).I like the Scottish,Mexican,Kiwi (sorry NZlander),Canadian and all the different US accents.Don't ask me why but I might be a bit like you.Anyway this always gives me a smile:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7j-jS9Vuec
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I was raised in Northern Utah and now live in Spokane(pron. Spoke Ann; not Spocaine)so English is my second language. My favorite American accents are Cajun(dialect, actually) and upper midwestern as in "Fargo" and "Prairie Home Companion." BTW, my family and friends in Minnesota were apalled at Fargo. "We don't talk like that-no not at all," they would say sounding like members of the cast of Fargo.
For foreign accents, I love hearing County Cork Irish, Ontario "Canajan," and Scottish Borderer (kind of like a blend of Yorkshire and Scottish).
When I was in college, I had a roommate, Jan(pron. Yon) from Sweden. His accent was almost infectious. After two semesters in the same dorm room, we sounded alike.
The entire dorm floor would watch "The Muppet Show" and laugh extra hard when one of the Swedish Chef skits came on, because he sounded so much like Jan. If Jan was watching, it became even funnier, because he could not see what was so funny.
Oh, and Happy Birthday!
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hm you know Amy Macdonald who sings the ear-warming "This is the life"?
When I hear her sing, I think she's Croatian or something. ;p
(yug'oh-slayvian ing-lishh")
But no, she's Scottish!
That's Dolores O'Riordan's advantage: although their voices sometimes sound alike, the latter is Irish and does not sound like a foreigner when speaking or singing!
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Very much a late subscriber on this one. Being of Irish decent, with family still in Ireland, I am always comforted by the Irish tones. The accent always takes me back to the traditions that I was taught in my grandparents' kitchen many years ago! I have never been able to imitate the accent and do it justice mind you but then again, why would I want to imitate something that I can't do justice to?
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Heh. That never stopped Paris Hilton.
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