chongli Posted June 4, 2009 Report Posted June 4, 2009 I'm an American whose trying to familiarize himself with different English dialects. In the US, we're really only exposed to the accents of English actors, which all seem to be pretty similar. Perhaps it's a theater (or should I say theatre?) training thing. Being a Toffee man, I'm especially concerned with picking up on Scouse, but I'm interested in them all. So, what resources would my English friends here suggest to learn to differentiate the different dialects? I've tried a lot of youtube videos, but many of them are useless. Are there movies I should see, or specific English people I should see interviewed for good examples of certain accents? Also, what are all the names for the accents? I know Scouse, Geordie, Mancunian, and Brummie. Isn't there something called Tyke? Please help me folks. Thank you. Quote
Guest efctaxi Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 (edited) London - Cockney - Think Michael Caine / Barbra Windsor , Eastenders . Smarmy accent . Haven't heard of syllables . Manchester - Manc - Think Oasis / Coronation Street . Middle of the road accent with poor pronunciation . Can't even pronounce their own City properly . Think how the letter 'o' sounds in the word 'off' , and say ' Manchesto . Liverpool - Scouser - Think The Beatles on steroids . A Manc will tell you it's the only thing that can make a woman close her bag faster than a big pink dildo on display in her purse . Birmingham - Brummy - Think Jasper Carrott , Ozzie Osbourne . Brummies tend to sound like they've only just woken up . They pronounce ' right ' like the ' roit ' in Detroit . Enough said . Newcastle - Geordie . Think Boys from the black stuff actor Jimmie Nail , Alan Shearer etc . The ' rer ' in Shearer is pronounced like the ' rar ' in .rar file . Easy on the ear accent , and goes down well . :headset: Yorkshire - Tyke . Think last of the summer wine . An accent made to make people appear drunk even when they're sober . Scotland - Scottish - I can't write any Scottish words . It's impossible Edited June 5, 2009 by efctaxi Quote
chongli Posted June 5, 2009 Author Report Posted June 5, 2009 (edited) Thank you very much for this. Any other input is welcome. With all due respect to the many Scousers here, as an American I must say, what in God's name is Carra saying? Edited June 5, 2009 by man_who_fell_to_goodison Quote
MikeO Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 Here's a lad giving a lesson in "Devonian" (where I am except I don't talk like it 'cos I'm not from here). Practice by repeating, "Oi caan't read and wroite but oi can droive a traactor (*moi luvverr)." *optional Quote
marcopaulo Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 watch green street for the cockney slang and accent mate watch peter kay for puttin t in front of vowels instead of the eg: t'internet Quote
aaron Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 Here is an insight to scouse humour and the scouse alphabet - Quote
Jimmy the blue Posted June 5, 2009 Report Posted June 5, 2009 Researchers from Oxford Uni decided some years ago that the nearest thing to an original English accent was Scouse, just think our ancestors my have understood us today. That decision was based on many things including ethnic mixture dating back to the Vikings. People seem to believe that York was the major point of Viking dominance, it wasn't, good old Isle of Man, Dublin and Wirral and Liverpool all had far larger populations in fact some keep coming back to Liverpool to this day (check the Anfield Rd end) Quote
Blue 250 Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 What!......Can't believe the most cultured accent used in England today hasn't had a mention!! NORFOLK!!...........Probably the closest thing to the Queens english! The girls who serve the tea and hotdogs at Goodison, don't understand me!.....and I don't understand them "Two cups of tea, one scouse pie and a packet of crisps".....that's all I want!.....why do I end up with a bottle of pepsi and a mars bar!!!.....I love those little Blue scouse girls, but why can't they bloody well understand me!! Quote
Guest efctaxi Posted June 6, 2009 Report Posted June 6, 2009 What!......Can't believe the most cultured accent used in England today hasn't had a mention!! NORFOLK!!...........Probably the closest thing to the Queens english! The girls who serve the tea and hotdogs at Goodison, don't understand me!.....and I don't understand them "Two cups of tea, one scouse pie and a packet of crisps".....that's all I want!.....why do I end up with a bottle of pepsi and a mars bar!!!.....I love those little Blue scouse girls, but why can't they bloody well understand me!! Norfolk in chance Quote
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