English accents on TV

Old Jan 13th 2010, 3:13 pm
  #46  
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by another bloody yank
How about

Benny Hill?

Hugh Grant?

Emma Watson?

That girl from Titanic?

That one guy who played a Yank in Band of Brothers?
Originally Posted by chrisfromusa
Haha the girl would be Kate Winslet and the "yank" in BoB is Simon Pegg
Funny. Half the cast of yanks in BOB were Brits.

I don't think I've ever heard Benny Hill's real voice, so i wouldn't know. Hugh Grant is from Hammersmith in London, so it's a posh North West London accent. Winslet is from Berkshire, but it's basically a Home Counties accent.

Watson spent her first 5 years in France, then moved to Oxfordshire. So, probably a posh Home Counties accent again, but it should be half French/half Country.
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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 11:33 pm
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Jeremy Clarkson grew up in Doncaster but his accent doesn't really reflect that. James May is from Bristol (as was mentioned earlier) and I think Hammond is from Birmingham.

I miss the accents.

Yet apparently, according to 98% of Americans, I have an Australian accent!
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 3:52 am
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Why do Americans have so much trouble understanding us? I have that standard southern medium -posh (parents fault, posh schooling!) accent that people here seem to think is the only English accent anyway, for the most part
(even though they think its Austrailian too....!) but I get people who don't understand me all the time (though my accent is, of course, 'CUTE'!)

I honestly have not had trouble any time understanding an American, and I have met people from all over, with all sorts of accents from here. When I was in England, where I worked was in a port town so we had people from cruise liners etc coming in from all over the world, and I would understand them to serve them because I listened and made an effort. I would have felt rude not to do so.

They spoke a different language - HOW is it so hard to understand English???
I get the impression on the whole, that it is a case of fingers in ears, 'lalalalala you're not American so we can't hear you, learn to speak like us or leave!'

Actually I have had several people say similar. Thanks for the welcome!

By the way, yes, I still hate it here! 5 years and no end in sight unless I leave my husband
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 7:07 am
  #49  
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by EnglishTeaDuck
Why do Americans have so much trouble understanding us? I have that standard southern medium -posh (parents fault, posh schooling!) accent that people here seem to think is the only English accent anyway, for the most part
(even though they think its Austrailian too....!) but I get people who don't understand me all the time (though my accent is, of course, 'CUTE'!)

I honestly have not had trouble any time understanding an American, and I have met people from all over, with all sorts of accents from here. When I was in England, where I worked was in a port town so we had people from cruise liners etc coming in from all over the world, and I would understand them to serve them because I listened and made an effort. I would have felt rude not to do so.

They spoke a different language - HOW is it so hard to understand English???
I get the impression on the whole, that it is a case of fingers in ears, 'lalalalala you're not American so we can't hear you, learn to speak like us or leave!'

Actually I have had several people say similar. Thanks for the welcome!

By the way, yes, I still hate it here! 5 years and no end in sight unless I leave my husband
Americans even have trouble understanding other Americans from certain regions. I particularly have a hard time understanding people from certain areas of Louisiana.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 12:43 pm
  #50  
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by Tom60
Americans even have trouble understanding other Americans from certain regions. I particularly have a hard time understanding people from certain areas of Louisiana.
For those of you who have heard this before, please humor me. Many years ago, when we had moved to Ohio, Dayton area, I got a part time job at Sears in the Marking and Receiving area. I was working with a crew of natives except for one gal who was from NYC. Anyway, one of the natives asked me for a pin. So I scrambled around my work area and handed her a straight pin. Turns out she wanted a pen.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 12:44 pm
  #51  
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by EnglishTeaDuck
Why do Americans have so much trouble understanding us? I have that standard southern medium -posh (parents fault, posh schooling!) accent that people here seem to think is the only English accent anyway, for the most part
(even though they think its Austrailian too....!) but I get people who don't understand me all the time (though my accent is, of course, 'CUTE'!)

I honestly have not had trouble any time understanding an American, and I have met people from all over, with all sorts of accents from here. When I was in England, where I worked was in a port town so we had people from cruise liners etc coming in from all over the world, and I would understand them to serve them because I listened and made an effort. I would have felt rude not to do so.

They spoke a different language - HOW is it so hard to understand English???
I get the impression on the whole, that it is a case of fingers in ears, 'lalalalala you're not American so we can't hear you, learn to speak like us or leave!'

Actually I have had several people say similar. Thanks for the welcome!

By the way, yes, I still hate it here! 5 years and no end in sight unless I leave my husband
I'm sorry that you still feel that way.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 1:32 pm
  #52  
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by EnglishTeaDuck
I honestly have not had trouble any time understanding an American, and I have met people from all over, with all sorts of accents from here. (
You're better at understanding them than me. Down here in Georgia I don't understand a bloody thing real locals say to me. I always have to get my wife to translate.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 1:45 pm
  #53  
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by orangemirror
You're better at understanding them than me. Down here in Georgia I don't understand a bloody thing real locals say to me. I always have to get my wife to translate.
After 17 years here, I STILL don't know what case quarters are.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 1:56 pm
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by NAR14
Top Gear - Richard Hammond is from the midlands somewhere I think.
Richard Hammond, aka the Hamster, was born in Solihull, in the West Midlands area of England. His home is now in the wee village of Bromesberrow, which is on the border between Gloucestershire and Herefordshire, close to Ledbury, Herefordshire, where my grandparents live.

His accent is quite indeterminate - basically English English RP which more or less places him in the more southern part of England. He certainly doesn't have a bog standard English English Midlands accent that's for sure.

He once refused to switch on the Christmas lights in Ledbury after a local newspaper journalist printed an article in the local paper saying that he would be doing so, but he had not officially been asked beforehand.

The lights were switched on by the BBC TV gardener Monty Don instead, and who also lives close to Ledbury.

On another occasion the Hamster drove along the main High Street of Ledbury at the wheel of a pink Cadillac, but I've no idea what his motive behind that was.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 2:06 pm
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by EnglishTeaDuck
Why do Americans have so much trouble understanding us? I have that standard southern medium -posh (parents fault, posh schooling!) accent that people here seem to think is the only English accent anyway, for the most part
(even though they think its Austrailian too....!) but I get people who don't understand me all the time (though my accent is, of course, 'CUTE'!)

I honestly have not had trouble any time understanding an American, and I have met people from all over, with all sorts of accents from here. When I was in England, where I worked was in a port town so we had people from cruise liners etc coming in from all over the world, and I would understand them to serve them because I listened and made an effort. I would have felt rude not to do so.

They spoke a different language - HOW is it so hard to understand English???
I get the impression on the whole, that it is a case of fingers in ears, 'lalalalala you're not American so we can't hear you, learn to speak like us or leave!'

Actually I have had several people say similar. Thanks for the welcome!

By the way, yes, I still hate it here! 5 years and no end in sight unless I leave my husband
I often say something and Americans appear to acknowledge me, then they say something that makes it clear they weren't even listening. I have a theory on this. 1) If you listen to Americans talking amongst themselves, they do it all the time, so it's normal, and 2) sentence structure is entirely different here, so although Americans understand the words, they don't understand the context because it is alien to them.

When I moved here back in '94, my Dad gave me a cracking piece of advice.

He said "Don't forget. America is a completely foreign country, where they happen to speak English. Well, sort of, anyway".

Thoughts?
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 2:28 pm
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by PaulK
I often say something and Americans appear to acknowledge me, then they say something that makes it clear they weren't even listening. I have a theory on this. 1) If you listen to Americans talking amongst themselves, they do it all the time, so it's normal, and 2) sentence structure is entirely different here, so although Americans understand the words, they don't understand the context because it is alien to them.

When I moved here back in '94, my Dad gave me a cracking piece of advice.

He said "Don't forget. America is a completely foreign country, where they happen to speak English. Well, sort of, anyway".

Thoughts?
Yeah, I've got a bunch of stuff to do today as well. Move the furniture out of the bedroom so we can start painting... then paint... I hate painting.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 4:18 pm
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by EnglishTeaDuck
Why do Americans have so much trouble understanding us? I have that standard southern medium -posh (parents fault, posh schooling!) accent that people here seem to think is the only English accent anyway, for the most part
(even though they think its Austrailian too....!) but I get people who don't understand me all the time (though my accent is, of course, 'CUTE'!)

I honestly have not had trouble any time understanding an American, and I have met people from all over, with all sorts of accents from here. When I was in England, where I worked was in a port town so we had people from cruise liners etc coming in from all over the world, and I would understand them to serve them because I listened and made an effort. I would have felt rude not to do so.

They spoke a different language - HOW is it so hard to understand English???
I get the impression on the whole, that it is a case of fingers in ears, 'lalalalala you're not American so we can't hear you, learn to speak like us or leave!'

Actually I have had several people say similar. Thanks for the welcome!

By the way, yes, I still hate it here! 5 years and no end in sight unless I leave my husband
Errr.. because your foreign?

When in Rome......


Originally Posted by PaulK
I often say something and Americans appear to acknowledge me, then they say something that makes it clear they weren't even listening. I have a theory on this. 1) If you listen to Americans talking amongst themselves, they do it all the time, so it's normal, and 2) sentence structure is entirely different here, so although Americans understand the words, they don't understand the context because it is alien to them.

When I moved here back in '94, my Dad gave me a cracking piece of advice.

He said "Don't forget. America is a completely foreign country, where they happen to speak English. Well, sort of, anyway".

Thoughts?
Very good advice from your Dad.

Last edited by Zonie; Jan 23rd 2010 at 4:21 pm.
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Old Jan 24th 2010, 4:54 am
  #58  
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Default Re: English accents on TV

I'd like to flip the script for a second. How many of you would realize that Hugh Laurie is British just by watching an episode of "House"? To me, it sounds like he's trying to hard. It's almost like he has laryngitis.
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Old Jan 24th 2010, 5:32 am
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by Ridski
Funny. Half the cast of yanks in BOB were Brits.

I don't think I've ever heard Benny Hill's real voice, so i wouldn't know. Hugh Grant is from Hammersmith in London, so it's a posh North West London accent. Winslet is from Berkshire, but it's basically a Home Counties accent.

Watson spent her first 5 years in France, then moved to Oxfordshire. So, probably a posh Home Counties accent again, but it should be half French/half Country.
Some other British actors in band of Brothers:

Dexter Fletcher played SSgt John Martin.
Rick Warden played 1st Lt Harry Welsh.
Robin Laing played Pvt Babe Hefron. He was born in Dundee, Scotland.

Owain Yeoman plays Wayne Rigsby in The Mentalist. He's Welsh.

Hugh Grant was born in Hammersmith Hospital, but his family home just down the road in Chiswick which is a great deal posher than Hammermith, and he was educated at Latymer and Oxford, putting the edge on his posh credentials.
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Old Jan 24th 2010, 9:32 am
  #60  
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Default Re: English accents on TV

Originally Posted by cindyabs
After 17 years here, I STILL don't know what case quarters are.
It's a southern thing. From the Urban Dictionary:

In the old days people used dollar coins. Some times they would cut them into 4 parts. (2 bits 4 bits). If someone wanted a dollar coin that was not in pieces, they would say "case dollar".This got refreshed several years ago. When some one walks up to you and they say, "Yo, you gots a case quarter?" most of the time they will have 2 dimes and 1 nickle.
A kid walks up to the person working in an arcade and ask "Yo, you gots a case quarter?" They need a quarter to put into a token machine so they can play a game.
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