LoveFortheUK

Hello
I am new here and wanted to give a quick introduction.
I live in the US but have a major love for the UK.
I love the culture, the history, the British sense of humor and the wide open spaces look so inviting.

Anyway, a little history
I was born in the US but speak with a British accent. I know that may seem strange but my grandmother (whose mother came from London) spoke to me with a UK accent. I hope you kind people are not offended by this fact.

I have never been to the United Kingdom and would love to visit. Not just London but all over (Bristol, Land's End, Canterbury, Manchester, Bath, Southampton, Cambridge, Swindon, Reading, Andover, the Cotswolds, the Lake District, NAME IT, I want to go)

That's it for now. I hope to read your posts soon. I have so many questions and want to learn more about the UK

christmasoompa

You actually want to visit Swindon and Reading? Blimey, you must have it bad.

Seriously, leave them off your list and stick to the rest of the places in it. I'm currently a few miles from Reading and sitting in my garden at 7am on a gloriously hot day, looking out over beautiful countryside. Reading itself however, is a dump and I only go there once or twice a year when I absolutely have to!

I don't think anybody would be offended by your British accent, although I net none of us would think it sounds remotely British! If it was only your grandmother that spoke to you in it and the rest of your life you've been surrounded by American accents then it's probably not much of an accent. My grandmother spoke to me in French, but my French now is rusty to say the least.

Anyway, welcome to BE and good luck planning your first trip to the UK. When are you coming over?

lgabriel73

You missed Yorkshire off the list! Cant go to the UK without visiting beautiful Yorkshire, LOL. Welcome to BE and I hope you get to visit the UK soon!

Vexcore

What about 'cheshire'!?!?

lol Welcome!

bigglesworth

And "Middle Earth"?

(Shropshire)

LoveFortheUK

First
thank you (so far) for the kind welcome.
Second, I had friends who went to Swindon and they said they loved it so I put it on my list. Reading, I don't know much about so I will do further research on that town (I do know there used to be rock festivals held there).
Yes, Yorkshire and Cheshire are on the list
I am planning an itinerary for 2015 (now 2016 since my hours at work have been cut.)

Regarding my accent, I get asked from customers all the time (mostly Americans) what part of the UK I come from. However, I have assisted people from the UK as well and when I tell them about my family being from Britain, they're impressed that I have such a good command of the dialect. Then again, there have been other customers from Britain who have told me my accent is very good but I need to work on it a little. Is this because the accents differ a little depending on where you're from? I understand there are over 15 different dialects. Is this true?

spouse of scouse

the accents don't differ a little, they're completely different

My husband's a Scouser, I'm Australian, took about 3 months after meeting him before I could understand more than one in ten words.

You don't have to 'work on your accent', just be yourself. If you try to talk like something you're not in the UK, people will have no hesitation in taking the piss

LoveFortheUK

Thank you spouse of scouse. I appreciate the info.

"the accents don't differ a little, they're completely different" LOL

That's the best sentence I've read all day and it's only 10am in New York

spouse of scouse

Is right, la (translation may be required)

P.s. I love NY. Stayed in Manhattan (the village) for a month, would go back tomorrow.

bigglesworth

You may want to think about whether to refer to English as a dialect?
Technically speaking I suppose American English is a dialect, but I cannot imagine that would go down too well.

christmasoompa

Had they consumed a large amount of alcohol before going there maybe?!

Yes, Reading Festival is held every year, it's one of the biggest in the UK. I can hear it from my house.

Why would you bother to 'work on it' - you're not British! You're an American, so to try and speak with a British accent would be very odd indeed, and certainly wouldn't fool any Brits, any more than my American accent would if I tried to pass myself off as a USC!

Far more than that I'd imagine. There's a huge variation in the accent, I struggle to understand people from different regions sometimes and have to 'tune in' to them before it comes naturally to me. And no doubt they feel the same about my accent.

Good luck with planning your trip over. Will you be working at all, or just touring around for a few months?

lgabriel73

You'll probably find that once in the UK you will be asked about your american accent. It may sound british in the States but probably doesnt here. I am constantly being asked which part of america I from even though I am Yorkshire born and raised. 18 years away and I guess I picked up the accent however in the States everyone would ask me about my english accent.

Sally Redux

I hope you have a wonderful trip and enjoy Britain.

It will probably be nothing like the image you have built up though.

robin1234

I was OK with Swindon and Reading, but Andover?

I think Portillo did an episode from Swindon, talked about the railway workshops etc. Reading, there's always the Ballad of Reading Gaol! Used to be able to see Reading Gaol from the train, but last time I went through, looked like there's yet more modern high rises blocking the view of the prison?

Sally Redux

I don't even know where Andover is.

BIL lives in Swindon, it does have some railway history but not a lot else.