# What do these English accents say about these people?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [March 5, 2008, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134 "2008-03-05T02:45:20Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/21 "2008-03-05T20:29:13Z")
I would suggest that there are minute south Yorkshire twinges in Clarkson’s voice, particularly in his moments of indignation, but no, not enough to confidentely locate him without prior knowledge.
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### Author:  [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/22 "2008-03-05T21:20:54Z")
[QUOTE=bryanmaguire]
In ireland at least “lads” can be used in a gender neutral way when addressing a group of people informally.
[/QUOTE]
Aye, but one female lad would be a “lass”.
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### Author:  [@Saltire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saltire)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/23 "2008-03-05T21:38:15Z")
[QUOTE=Small Clanger]
For _ordinary_ read _common_ (working class). I’ve wondered about this. Is Spike (in Buffy) supposed to be posh? When to a Brit it sounds like he’s from a London punk band? Does Michael Caine sound classy to Americans?
[/QUOTE]
The interesting thing (to me, at least) is that James Marsters (an American) was trying his best to mimic the actual accent of Anthony Stuart Head, while Head, for his part as Rupert Giles, was using a different, Oxbridge-ish professorial accent.
Spike was indeed a rich dilletante in the nineteenth century when he was made into a vampire. After he became undead, he intentionally tried to toughen his image by using the yob accent and slang.
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### Author:  [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/24 "2008-03-05T22:11:40Z")
Does anyone else have other people we can learn something about via their accents? Particularly ones that Americans probably have missed?
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### Author:  [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/25 "2008-03-05T23:01:57Z")
[QUOTE=Cardinal]
Does anyone else have other people we can learn something about via their accents? Particularly ones that Americans probably have missed?
[/QUOTE]
It’s easier with actors than singers, because you hear more speech from actors. But it’s interesting to me to pick out the Bimingham roots in the speech of guys like Robert Plant and Ozzy Osbourne. However, Ozzy’s speech these days has some overlying issues above and beyond his upbringing.
Thinking of some of the guys from _The Full Monty_ … what are Robert Carlyle’s and Mark Addy’s native accents? Addy is interesting in the American sit-com _Still Standing_ – you can still pick up the “English” in his speech very easily, but a lot of times he makes it work as kind of a whine (which well sets the tone for the character).
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### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/26 "2008-03-05T23:22:29Z")
Robert Carlyle’s a Glaswegian - his ability to adopt accents such as _The Full Monty_ impresses and sometimes deceives a lot of Brits.
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### Author:  [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/27 "2008-03-05T23:24:50Z")
[QUOTE=Colophon]
Shame he didn’t keep it.
“Eh up, Mister Troi, Ah’ll be ‘andin’ t’bridge o’er to thee now. Now just mind t’Klingons, d’y’ear me lad…”
[/QUOTE]
“Life support? When I were lad, we didna ha’ nay life support. We took breath on one planet, an 'eld it till next.”
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### Author:  [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/28 "2008-03-05T23:26:38Z")
I swear I remember going to a web site where you could hear clips of different accents from all around England. [This](http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/) might be the one. I guess maybe this doesn’t really have anything to do with the OP, but it’s still fun to listen.
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### Author:  [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/29 "2008-03-05T23:30:06Z")
Probably [Collect Britain](http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/collections/dialects/).
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### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/30 "2008-03-05T23:32:39Z")
[QUOTE=xanthous]
I swear I remember going to a web site where you could hear clips of different accents from all around England. [This](http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/) might be the one. I guess maybe this doesn’t really have anything to do with the OP, but it’s still fun to listen.
[/QUOTE]
[This](http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/collections/dialects/) is another good one, which has the advantages of including historical recordings which often feature now-disappearing accents and dialect, and translations of the latter. (I just followed the ‘Baking bread in Welwick, Yorkshire’ link, and heard _“Well first I gorra clean bowel…”_)
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### Author:  [@xanthous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xanthous)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/31 "2008-03-05T23:46:04Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan]
[This](http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/collections/dialects/) is another good one, which has the advantages of including historical recordings which often feature now-disappearing accents and dialect, and translations of the latter. (I just followed the ‘Baking bread in Welwick, Yorkshire’ link, and heard _“Well first I gorra clean bowel…”_)
[/QUOTE]
The only trouble I’m having with the CollectBritain site is that I can’t figure out where are more samples, besides those 5 on that page…can you help?
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### Author:  [@Revenant\_Threshold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revenant_Threshold)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/32 "2008-03-05T23:48:57Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan]
Robert Carlyle’s a Glaswegian - his ability to adopt accents such as _The Full Monty_ impresses and sometimes deceives a lot of Brits.
[/QUOTE]
Another good one that Americans might be familiar with is David Tenant, i.e. the Tenth Doctor. On the show, he’s got a general SE England accent, but in reality he has a nice Scottish lilt to his voice.
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### Author:  [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)
#### Post date: [March 5, 2008, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/33 "2008-03-05T23:49:39Z")
Go to Search -\> Advanced Search -\> Object Type -\> Recorded Speech -\> OK.
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### Author:  [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2008, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/34 "2008-03-06T00:02:32Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan]
Robert Carlyle’s a Glaswegian - his ability to adopt accents such as _The Full Monty_ impresses and sometimes deceives a lot of Brits.
[/QUOTE]
Yup - he’s pretty impressive. I’d also note Christopher Ecclestone’s accent in _Shallow Grave_ as a pretty convincing Scottish impression.
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### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/35 "2008-03-06T00:14:34Z")
[QUOTE=xanthous]
The only trouble I’m having with the CollectBritain site is that I can’t figure out where are more samples, besides those 5 on that page…can you help?
[/QUOTE]
Try ‘browse whole collection’ on the right! 🙂
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### Author:  [@Apollyon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Apollyon)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2008, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/36 "2008-03-06T02:07:14Z")
[QUOTE=Saltire]
After he became undead, he intentionally tried to toughen his image by using the yob accent and slang.
[/QUOTE]
And dressing like Billy Idol. 😉
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### Author:  [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2008, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/37 "2008-03-06T02:19:18Z")
[QUOTE=Saltire]
Spike was indeed a rich dilletante in the nineteenth century when he was made into a vampire. After he became undead, he intentionally tried to toughen his image by using the yob accent and slang.
[/QUOTE]
I always figured he was supposed to be Sid Vicious, with what’s her name…his girlfriend, as Nancy.
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### Author:  [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2008, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/38 "2008-03-06T03:05:37Z")
[http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=021MMC900S18518U00004C01](http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=021MMC900S18518U00004C01)
This sounds like Steve Jones’ brother to me. Well, on further review, not so much. But to this “standard American” accented dude, it was very similar for the first bit. Jones still says “ftree” for 3. How typical is he for working class London?
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### Author:  [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2008, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/39 "2008-03-06T03:28:07Z")
[QUOTE=Alive At Both Ends]
I can confirm Clarkson is from Yorkshire, but you wouldn’t guess that from his accent.
[/QUOTE]
Clarkson is from Doncaster in South Yorkshire. Hammond is from Solihull, West Midlands and moved to North Yorkshire (Ripon) as a teenager. If you can’t be born in Godzone count(r)y, you might as well move there.
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### Author:  [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)
#### Post date: [March 6, 2008, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-these-english-accents-say-about-these-people/440134/40 "2008-03-06T11:31:37Z")
[QUOTE=Cardinal]
[http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=021MMC900S18518U00004C01](http://www.collectbritain.co.uk/personalisation/object.cfm?uid=021MMC900S18518U00004C01)
This sounds like Steve Jones’ brother to me. Well, on further review, not so much. But to this “standard American” accented dude, it was very similar for the first bit. Jones still says “ftree” for 3. How typical is he for working class London?
[/QUOTE]
Yeah, fairly typical. But the Brummie you link to certainly isn’t! 😉
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