Fleaflyfloflum

Something is bugging me.

Before i left UK most british accents (apart from one) didnt bother me in the slightest. I am slightly embarrassed to say that since coming back theres a few people on TV whose voices drive me up the wall!!! The worst culprit is Kerry Tacona. I have to turn the tv sound off when she comes on. She may well be a lovely person but i cannot bare the voice!!

Do you think maybe i have just become overly sensitive through being away so long? Has anyone else found their ears more sensitive to accents than they were before they left? Or am i just being a grouchy old mare?

Fleaflyfloflum

Can i just add that i sometimes make these daft threads just so we have something different to talk about in this section of the website

Dont totally believe my online persona


but she does get on my nerves!!...honest

Elaine B.

Hi Flea

good idea for a thread

I used to think my own accent was really annoying (I'm from Northern Ireland) mind you I've toned it down a lot after being in Canada for 8 years.

Triboy

I love to hear different accents. I'm waaay bettar at 'tuning in' to different accents after living in Sydney for years, and being married to a Korean, and the travel that is involved in my job.

I think I'll still struggle with a Geordie though


BTW: Do you guys join into those 'Talk Like a Pirate Days?'. Everytime they come around I tell people I'm from Somerset and everyday is talk like a pirate day for me So I tell em I'm going to have a 'talk like a banker from London Day'

Fleaflyfloflum

I love any kind of Irish accent, although i have to ay Ian Paisley wears thin very quickly..lol

I lived in Sydney 3yrs Triboy. I am also sensitive to picking up accents. I used to hate it when i met someone with a really thick one. Regardless of where they were from i found myself talking like them after a few minutes. Needless to say, i am told by family i have picked up an aussie accent, which makes my aussie friends laugh because they reckon i have a strong London accent!

Marmalade

Interesting thread FFF

Living in America for 20 years has been interesting re my accent. I came over here with a thick Scottish accent that hardly anybody could understand, and due to that I think I tried to tone it down. Nothing worse than people standing with their mouths hanging open not understanding a word your saying It did help out on the boyfriend front, though, as they loved my accent, no matter what I was saying. Anyway, I think I subconsciously gradually altered my accent. I know that I did try to speak 'proper' English and much, much, slower compared to usual so I could get through a sentence without the questions or glazed looks

Now I am told by my family that I sound like an American when I go home to visit. Which is quite funny as 90% of the people I meet over here in the US ask me where I'm from. Most guess Ireland, which is fine with me as I love the Irish accent (I also looooooooove the French accent!!). Maybe it's just perspective on peoples' parts. To be honest I hate that I have lost most of my Scottish accent.

Funny thing is, when I go home to Scotland and go out for the night I start off with an American accent and end up with a Scottish one. The more I drink the more Scottish I become without even knowing it

I'm thinking when I move back I will gradually start speaking more and more like my normal self. Can't wait

Marmalade

Never did answer your question. Anyway, being from Scotland I must say there are an amazing array of accents from Scotland itself. I never really liked the Edinburgh accent when I lived there, and still don't. I love the rough and ready accents of places like Glasgow, can't beat Billy Connolly's accent if you ask me. Although I did watch parts of the last Big Brother in the UK and I couldn't understand a word those twins and the winner Brian were uttering!! What's up with that?? Did anyone else watch it. I only watched it because my mother was and it bored me silly

Elaine B.

I remember being in a bar in Edinburgh and these girls heard my Northern Irish accent and keep asking me to say F*** Off. For some reason it sounded funnier when I said it. Luckily I don't sound like Ian Paisley

Elaine B.

Oh yeah I used to work in an Irish bar in downtown Toronto. A guy from Cork came in one day and I couldn't understand a single word thankfully a guy from Newfoundland was able to translate for me The other funny thing was the guy was actually asking if we need any bar staff, that would have been fun for the customers!

birdynumnum

I love all the accents in UK (except one). Got the West Country ones at the mo.
Worst thing is, despite all my efforts, the odd word and Oz twang pops out now n then which wont last long as all my mates take the piss big time.
Even said servo the other day and got a really odd look from this woman

pommybird

The variation in accents on such a small island as the UK is amazing - although I spent most of my life on the south coast I spent my early childhood in London and I've still got quite a strong London accent (and I mean cockney not London banker!!)

While we were in Perth it never ceased to amaze me that some expats in Oz never lost their accents despite being there for years and years - especially the Scots - we met quite a few that had been in Perth for 30+ years but still sounded like they'd just walked out of Glasgow that day!

birdynumnum

Northern accents seem to stay with people more than southern ones I noticed, even after years.
The £10 poms you could always hear the UK accent underneath the Ozzified one I noticed

Titchski

I was born a guttural Brummie and a guttural Brummie is what I'll stay. Wherever I go in the world, people will always be assured of a hearty (and somewhat squeaky) ALROOOOOOOOOOOOOOIIIIIGHT!

TaraC

My classmates have a field day laughing at me, as I switch from UK to US numerous times during the day. I've noticed that when I'm speaking about something from US, such as a work situation, I'm completely American. When I've had a drink or speaking to English people, I'm English again. The worst part is when I forget how to say something - bath and water are key problem areas and just come out all garbled. It's really frustrating!

Marmalade

Hi Tara
That's so funny, you have the same thing that I do, drink induced accent, ha, ha!!! I agree with the forgetting how to say certain words. Sometimes I stop to figure out if the way I say words is the American way or the Scottish way, because I now use both and can't remember which is which sometimes. But, I always say words like 'tomato' the British way, and I always get weird looks when I say 'no tomato please'!!!

By the way, talking of saying things correctly, hardly anyone here in America knows how to say Edinburgh, even when they have visited. Although, I did meet one American lady the other day who was dying to tell me about her trip to Scotland, and told me she had really enjoyed Edinburgh, and she said it right. First time in 20 years I have heard an American that has visited Edinburgh pronounce it right. They tend to say Edinborg........weird!!! Even after I pronounce it correctly for them, they still can't say it

Tara, just to update you on my kitties, they have both been microchipped with HomeAgain, rabies jabs, and blood tested. Just waiting for the results of the blood tests right now to be sent back to us from the accredited lab. Hope that they are both okay!!

Sandra