What blows my mind is people (as the poster above) who know they speak with an accent & go on doing so wilfully. I suppose one would say it’s a case of situational accents, neither accent more correct per se, but it would feel strange to me always alternating my speech patterns.
It’s not possible to speak without an accent. Given that basic fact, why should anyone attempt the impossible?
I’m pretty sure Ellis Aponte Jr. realises that - and probably meant to say something to the effect: ‘speaks with an affected accent in addition to their own’
The poster he refers to doesn’t seem to be adopting an affected accent in addition to his own. All he mentions is having the ability, when necessary, to affect a more mainstream accent, other than his own natural one, or perhaps equally natural to him now.
If Ellis Aponte Jr. is referring to me, I (often unconsciously, sometimes not) drop or lessen my accent in certain situations because I know that non-Southerners think it makes me sound ignorant or uneducated. I know that because they tell me. I’m endeavoring lately not to drop it, but its an ingrained habit and one that’s difficult to unlearn.
Yeah, I know everybody has an accent. Being conscious of your own enough to turn it off & back on is… interesting. Not being critical here. I know a similar thing happens with African-Americans who are used to speaking “ebonics,” but then “standardize” their speech for more formal situations.
But the notion that you can “turn off” your accent is mistaken. There is no “correct” accent. Some are more widely accepted than others at some times, that’s all. You can modify your speech so that it is closer to what is currently the more prestigious dialect, sure.
Excuse me?
I’m from nearby Oxford and I can understand most accents fairly well - but I love them all. I gave up asking for orange juice in the US (ar’n juice) because I couldn’t make myself understood - Maine & South Florida - I tried to get the accent on it but just couldn’t - I had to make do with OJ! Forget asking for “war-ter” I had to learn wadder to slake my thirst. Not saying I wasn’t understood eventually and my accent is pretty mild.
Aytside nye - brilliant!
Which probably shows you’re ten miles away from Aytside…
I don’t assume words - especially place names - will be spelt how they look, and found myself interpreting in Norlins (New Orleans) for my friend from Ohio!
Did it anywhere? I saw it in the theater when it first came out in the US, and it had subtitles for only one scene, which took place in a loud bar. I think the subtitles were only because the dialogue was inaudible, not because the accents were incomprehensible.
BTW I understood everything everyone said in all of the clips people have posted. I ARE GENIUS!
Actually, I think a lot of Americans are totally unaware of this fact. We watch American TV shows in America, so we tend to assume that people in Britain watch their own TV shows, people in Argentina watch Argentinian TV show, etc.
I was just discussing this with a classmate, who’s French. She told me how when she first got to the US (she did a study abroad program in the US a few years ago), she thought it would be very easy to adjust to American culture because she thought she knew all about it was TV and movies. She was quite surprised to find out that pop culture isn’t a necessarily a very accurate picture of real life in America. This is because American producers are making shows and movies and music for, in large part, for an American audience, and don’t always consider the effect they might be having on a worldwide audience. The result is somewhat amusing; things we, as Americans know are exaggerated for entertainment value, are sometimes taken seriously by a global audience. (My students in Bulgaria were heartbroken to find out that my life in California did not much resemble The OC.) A British friend has figured this out and now sometimes asks us Americans (via LiveJournal) what sorts of things she sees in TV shows and movies are accurate, and what’s just made up. (I specifically remember her asking about whether high school girls actually campaign for Homecoming Queen, a la an episode of Buffy. The answer: no. It only happens on TV shows.)
You were speaking nonsense and you were called out on it. (Perhaps the best response was Mangetout’s). You can take offense, if you want, but it would be even better if you take the opportunity to learn from those who are simply trying to help fight ignorance.
Similar experience here. My wife is American and often has problems with British films or TV programs (or the members of my family with the broad Yorkshire accent). I have never come across an American accent I could not understand, but have significant problems with some Geordies and Glaswegians.
Oim from Osstraya so oim keepen roit outta this shit foit. 
Did you happen to miss where wotnot, a real live Brit said “what you’ve transcribed looks like a credible impression of a London accent, to me”? In any case thanks junior mod but I didn’t ask you and I don’t think Mississippienne wants or needs you speaking for her. No one in this thread has been half as rude as you and neither you nor I know what Mississippene meant by her comment, which is why I asked. Don’t pretend to be “fighting ignorance” just so you can act like a jerk. There are plenty of helpful, contributing posters in this thread and you’re not one of them. Move along.
Except for specific (and heavy) Southern accents, and possibly a few isolated Northeastern accents- rural New Hampshireans spring to mind- no, you’re easy to understand.
There’s just as much American stuff on TV in Britain as there is British stuff. That’s why British actors generally have little difficulty impersonating Americans (House, anyone?), while American actors are really, really bad at doing a generic British accent, let along a regional one.
The nonsense was the idea that the American accent couldn’t also be written in just such “eye dialect” a manner to one whose ears were not used to it, as, say, wotnot themself proceeded to do, in the exact same post.
My apologies for the rudeness I have apparently displayed. However, I do not believe I have engaged in any junior modding, as I understand that term to be used.
That took like 10 minutes to post, destroying my ability to edit it. My apologies for the clunkiness of the writing of the first sentence. (Draft, proofread, and then post, dammit!)
What is a “soft r” and how does it differ from a “hard r”?