What's in an accent
 

there's a program running on one of the sky channels at the moment, about Essex and the accent, haven't watched it, just seen it advertised, but it started me thinking about accents in general. I never thought I had an accent until one day whilst working in a club in Coventry in the early 70s, I was talking to my mate and one of the locals said tha comes from lanky dont tha, ya Accrington says I, um I come from Ossy, lived on Busk Meadow Street. Talking to the chap for a while it seems he sat next to my mother at St Mary's school.

Accents, well having worked all over this country I've come across the lot, but there are two accents that really grate with me Brummy, but worst of all Scouse, Jenifer Ellison is a cracking looking girl, until she opens her gob, what a real turn off.

So whats your likes and dislikes accent wise and whats your take on accents?

Re: What's in an accent
 

I once went for an interview with Thompson's Cruises and after a gruelling afternoon of interviews, I was finally seen by a woman who I immediately identified as having a Burnley accent.
When she read that I came from Ossie, her comment was " Oh! from the sublime to the ridiculous, I've just interviewed a girl from Sussex, and now one from Lancashire..."
I let her carry on in this rather insulting manner until I could stand it no longer!.
I then said " but you must come from somewhere quite near me, as I can definitely recognise your accent....". and then took my leave.
I received a letter actually saying that due to my 'upbringing'. I wasn't suitable to work for Thompsons!.
When the person who had suggested I apply, saw this letter, he got back to Thompsons, who then offered me a job (didn't take it though) but best of all the woman was 'made' to send me a letter of apology.
Since then, I have never tried to hide my Ossie accent of which I am enormously proud.

Re: What's in an accent
 

I left Accy in 68 and I also worked in Coventry until 1992. Then moved to Kent. People tell me that I still have a strong Northern Accent. I dont mind that, But I detest it when somebody calls me a Yorkie. That does get me.:mad:

Re: What's in an accent
 

Can't stand scouse and used to dislike so called Brummie till we lived in the midlands and discovered all the different shades, just like in Lancs or anywhere really. Probably warmed to the accent as the people were so lovely.

Really really hate southern accent - Kent/ Sussex/ London.

Like West country - have to say that as my partner is from Somerset. Also northeast and Scots especially some of the islands such as Orkney where there is often a Scandinavian overtone. My partner's boss is a good example.

Re: What's in an accent
 

I detest that also mog,but it beats being called a "Dingle":D;)

Re: What's in an accent
 

It's surprising how local an accent can be.
My wife is from Darwen and I never noticed she spoke with a different accent than I did.
In a pub on the Isle of Wight some years ago a man came across, looked at her and said "You're from Darwen, aren't you? So am I". Being Darweners they spent ages discussing mutual acquaintances-everyone knows everyone in Darwen..
We hadn't lived there for many years, neither had he but he recognised an accent I hadn't even noticed!
We made great friends with him and his wife- saw them many times after that.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Why does no-one seem to like the Scouse accent. I lived in L'pool for 3 years and grew to love it. Scousers have gorra lorra class and a wicked sense of humour - ahm norr'avin you on, they're great. Don't know anyone who says they don't like the way The Beatles spoke -Ringo Starr is brilliant on the Thomas the Tank engine series as narrator.:)

I think that all regional accents are fine, can't think of any that get on my nerves.

It is no longer considered as a handicap not to have the perfect intonation of a 1950's BBC presenter.

Nor are people thought to be thick because they're "local yokels", as used to be the case.;)

The problem these days is not with the accent so much as what people actually have to say for themselves.:rolleyes:

Re: What's in an accent
 

Snap.

Suprise, suprise. Since I was in Liverpool doing my degree the same time as you, and like you love the Scouse accent. It's so distinctive, but so localised. It literally stops, when you leave the city, or Birkenhead. Like Susie said about Brum, there's many types of Scouse accents.

Love accents, and glad mine is returning.

Although I lived away for half my life, I never lost an ear for a local Lanky twang, and very often suprised people, by chasing them down Piccadilly, asking them where they were from, as I knew it wasn't far from Ossy.

Re: What's in an accent
 

I quite like scouse and brummy, but I would say that wouldn't I, being a wilfully contrary sort. The two accents which really grate on my ear are Northern Irish and Geordie. The creature that does the voice over for Big Brother should be taken out and publicly thrashed until he speaks properly and anyone from NI should be banned from speaking, full stop.

Re: What's in an accent
 

As Shaw so sagely observed...

"It is impossible for an Englishman to open his mouth without making some other Englishman hate or despise him."

I heartily agree.

Re: What's in an accent
 

I still have my accent even though my sister considered it "posher" than hers 'cos I went to the Grammar school and she didn't.

My old boss at L'pool Uni. (Prof. Jennings) took me aside before i went down to Oxford telling me not to feel like I "stood out" and needed to change the way I spoke (like himself when he'd studied there many years earlier), he said I should be proud of it as it set me apart from most of the rest who would be there!

Re: What's in an accent
 

I too dislike the way Northern Irish speak. The way their voice pitch rises at the end of a sentance sounds like they are wingeing/complaining all the time.

I had a northern Irish assistant at work for a while. We shared a phone. I often had a long wait to use it because (another trait) they say six words where three would do.

I think Geordies sound lovely. I had a favourite hotel in Northumberland which filled up with geordies every weekend.
I 'melted' whenever I was called 'pet' :D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Carlisle's odd.

Can't make up it's mind if it's northern Lanky, Geordie, or just over the Scottish border.

Neither Arthur Sixpence, nor Martha Washington Tyne-Wear.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Some Northern Irish accents, the harsh bark of Rev. Ian Paisley, are hard to listen to, but some are softer, and more melodious on the ear.

I like all accents. Though new Essex/Thames estuary is just laziness, and not really a regional accent.

OMG!

Shat up!

Re: What's in an accent
 

Though it were a heresy to say so, there are the odd bits in the Yorkshire dialect that I quite like. I had an aunt, who was as barmy as a fruit bat, who went to live in Sheffield and picked up the accent. When she came to visit I used to sit, entranced by the way she spoke. Unlike most of my aunts, and at one point they seemed as numerous as the stars in the sky, she insisted on always drinking tea from a pint mug. Which would seem to prove the addage 'You can take the girl out of Accrington, but you can never take Accrington out of the girl.'

Re: What's in an accent
 

No. Yorkshire's wrong, even on the border.

You could be tricked at first, thinking it was someone with a warm northern accent.

Then the clipped flatness clicks in.

There's something not quite right.

Like someone born deaf and dumb.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Oh that is the pits:D:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Yorkshire people should be retrained, using red balloons, and thrashed about the legs with red roses until they get it right.

Mandy - YouTube

Re: What's in an accent
 

Thats true john, but being called a tyke runs a pretty close second:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Whoops.

Smiley.

:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

I worked down Rossendale for a few years Gordon, they certainly have a different twang to us and its thicker the further up the vale you get, its dense by the time ya get to Bacup, a bit like the inhabitants really:D

Joan comes from Leigh/Tyldesley area and she does have a different twag, but nowhere near as toned down as Mancs:rolleyes:

Re: What's in an accent
 

I lived in Carlisle for 3 months and as you say they have a really funny accent, one word they used quite often was Gadgy, meaning a man or a bloke, as in ask that gadgy over yon:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Their cumbrians though, and they are a breed of their own:)

Re: What's in an accent
 

The way they pronounce Now, noy, ie Eamonn Holmes or Christine Bleakley has me cringing

Re: What's in an accent
 

It has often puzzled me why people who speak with the broadest and most convoluted scots accent can sing in purest mid-atlantic.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Abba were like that you could hardly tell they had a Swedish accent.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Ya they are Dave but hell they're great people when you get to know them, I used to go back there for holidays, even went there for a few days on my honeymoon on the way to Jockland, I actually used to have my meals in the kitchen in the hotel I stayed in, we became so friendly, had some great night out with the locals too, darts night was a real wiz:D:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

The blond could have spoken double dutch for me:rolleyes:

Re: What's in an accent
 

In 1992, my wife and I were viewing and commenting upon a painting in Sudely Castle when we were accosted by a 'posh' speaking woman who excused herself then asked my wife where she came from. When informed that we were from Lancashire, Accrington in particular, the lady said, whatever you do - be proud of and never lose your wonderful regional accent. I didn't know where to feel pleased or insulted, but the lady assured us that she was sincere in her appraisal of what she had heard.

Re: What's in an accent
 

I must admit john, i always found them friendly as well , until you gave them a rugby ball then they turned into raging blood thirsty maniacs:D:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Yes, you'd never know Lulu was a ginger gonk, in little tartan trews, just from listening to her records.

Re: What's in an accent
 

LuLu ain't bad really, her accent isn't as pronounced as it used to be, but Clare Grogan, hell her accent is still as thick as treacle:eek:

Re: What's in an accent
 

Lulu has no Scottish accent.

Saw her talking about it the other day.

She can still do a strong Weegie accent, but was only fifteen when she moved to London, and it just changed, because at first no one could understand the poor we hen.

Re: What's in an accent
 

And now everyone wishes they couldn't understand her, the wee auld broiler.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Thinking about it, I'm a good mimic, and can do most accents passably, when I lived in Scotland, although I never had a a Scottish accent, to put people at their ease, I did use particular Scottish words, such as wee, dreaky, and stay.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Once actually saw a program about her Rindi, she went back to her roots and the accent came back as soon as she started talking to old friends, she actually commented on the fact, mind you actors have to learn accents for certain parts, bit of a petty Russell Crowe didn't quite get the English accent right when he played Robin Hood:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Yes, should have asked Dick Van Dyke, 'ow to pall it orf, cor blimmy, govnar.

Re: What's in an accent
 

I used to work with a Glaswegian, and picked up a lot of saying over a two year period, got the Slange of to a tee:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Well we know where to come if we ever need a translation. Gosh, Hot Buns and a linguist too. What a man!

Re: What's in an accent
 

Yeh shouldn't mock the afflicted bob.:rofl38::rofl38::rofl38::rofl38:

Re: What's in an accent
 

My best friend has been living on the outskirts of Belfast for the last 12 years -she is from Accy, passed through Brussels for 12 years where she spoke mainly French but can do a fantastic "Norn Ir'n" accent -I can't understand a word of it but it doesn't bug me.

Tower of Babel at work within our one United Kingdom -imagine how it is across the whole world.

As a side-note I watched an excellent film (Il Vento Fa Il Suo Giro - The Wind Blows Around) last week in "Occitane" - the old Lingue D'Oc of Southern France, a dialect which is still alive in certain Alpine valleys in Italy. Having lived in Piedmont for 8 years, near Turin, I can understand Piemontese -which is practically a different language to Italian. This combined with my Italian and French means I can follow about 90% of Occitane.

Before i learned Italian I learned to speak and understand the dialect of Pavia (Pavese) which is what my new Italian family spoke (Italian came later through watching RAI, the equivalent of the BBC in Italy). I can also understand a wide range of different Italian dialects although i can't speak them like Pavese or Piemontese .

Even though American English is now permeating most English speaking and European countries - the diversity and local identity which a dialect gives will hopefully persist a little longer but slowly and surely they will die out which is a great shame.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Its an offence to take the Pee out of a cripple:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Exactly the point i was making.:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Don't get me started on watersports!:eek:

Re: What's in an accent
 

Don't you mean water spouts.:D:D:D:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Seems to be a lot of Scousists on here. :rolleyes:

Nothing wrong with the Scouse accent. :D

John Bishop - Dyslexic / Welsh Scene - YouTube

Re: What's in an accent
 

Alright lar, calm down, calm down.

Mobertol and I like it.

Don't we Queen?

:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Ahright mate, you & da Judy, youse is ahright like, ya know wor a mean ? Ids dees udder Woollies ! ;) :D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Calm down calm down ,you will have your shell suit setting on fire with the friction with all that stressing:D:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

I dont mind the scouse accent either apart from the really spitty ones.:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

That's just stereotypical is that ! The inane repetition of a simple phrase, the stylized idea that we all wear shell suits, you, you Scousist you ! I'll get our kid on yer ! :s_aim1:

Re: What's in an accent
 

Got to agree there WM221, say it don't spray it la, I've had me shower for this month, plus the wheedling whiny ones tend to grate too.. :)

Re: What's in an accent
 

Yer jokin' me! Deffo, Gary luv' ! It's well sound.:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Those things are usually discussed in the over 18s Bob:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

I don't mind it either apart from all their names end in double ee,IE,

Davee - Fredee - Billee - Jimee - Samee.

Gets right up my Tudor.:D:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Ya an the use of urm after every statement :rolleyes::D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Ohh, so that's where you all sneak off to when I'm not looking is it? I'm shocked that you even knew what I was referring to, a good catholic boy like you. Talk about dark horses and still waters!:D:D:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Luckily I had an education outside the catholic faith Bob, in the University of Life:D:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Well, isn't it a small world. I used to lecture there. The pay was awful but the extra curricular activities more than compensated.

Re: What's in an accent
 

It certainly is, Acrilic-bob. I used to lecher there as well!

Re: What's in an accent
 

Damn! I really must get my prescription for Subtlety pills refilled.

Re: What's in an accent
 

New one on me. What do you take those for?

Re: What's in an accent
 

Oh, maybe I was subtle enough after all. :)

Re: What's in an accent
 

Please see previous comment about over 18's. ;)

Re: What's in an accent
 

Well I didn't do any lecturing Bob but the extra curricular activities were a blast:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Want to try for an extra diploma? Lifelong learning is quite the thing now.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Re: the University of Life, will my vocational dipolma in flash mob dancing, still count as an equivalent to a pass in maths O-level?

Re: What's in an accent
 

Na I'll give it a miss Bob, the thing is if I carried on learning I can't put out I learn into practice these days:s_cry::D

Re: What's in an accent
 

No, you'll need extra credits in 'Knitting and tatting for profit and pleasure'

Re: What's in an accent
 

Sigh, I guess I'll just have to put my teaching equipment back into storage then.

Re: What's in an accent
 

I'm far more used to giving the Needle than using them:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

Damn.

I knew I shouldn't have dropped knitting and tatting, for gonk crocheting.

:(

Re: What's in an accent
 

Must have been all that excitement about the Market Hall Rindi:D

Re: What's in an accent
 

As that nice Mr Gove pointed out this morning, people have been getting away with these sham courses for far too long. It is all, of course, the fault of the last government.

I think the thing you should really be asking yourself is 'Do I really need a maths 'O'Level?'
Would you not be better off going for something a little more creative. 'Belly dancing for the over forties' perhaps? Or, I am doing a special this month on 'tart and sarky comments'

Re: What's in an accent
 

They're not all arty-community-farty.

I swear, it said on Breakfast news this morning, that one of the dropped vocational diplomas was in 'counting'!

'If a pitbull bit one kiddy, and then another, how many kiddies did Tyson bite?'

'Three's near enough.'

'Congratulations, you've graduated, and here's your diploma in counting, which equates to a Masters in Advanced Mathematics.'

'Well done you.'

Everyone's a winner.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Yeah but yeah but yeah but no but What if Tyson was round the back of the school having a fag and never had nuffink to do with pitbulls?

Doesn't that really rather blow your thesis out of the water?

And another thing, everyone is not a winner. That is outdated new Labour dogma.

Re: What's in an accent
 

I think the one that made me smile most was Trout Husbandry:rolleyes:

Re: What's in an accent
 

You're right.

Not everyone's a winner.

Don't rock the boat.

(FAIL.)

Re: What's in an accent
 

Trout husbandry tickled me.

Which incidentally meant I'd actually passed it, and now have a diploma in it.

Re: What's in an accent
 

Oh, well done. Go to the top of the class. You get to take the class Hamster home for the weekend. And before you ask, no, you may not take the sellotape home too - buy your own.