Discussion
Do you have no accent? If not why not?
My OH comes from the North East yet she has zero accent, not even a hint and it's always bemused me, quite often when no accent people have a few drinks it comes out if they've been hiding it, but not her, I don't know how she's managed it.
Do you think it's a class thing? We're both working class and from working class backgrounds, but she rubs shoulders with upper working class or white collar, people with university educations and i've always been put with the lower classes (physical jobs) so have a local accent.
Also I think (sadly) local accents are dying out a bit and it's always a bit strange (in a good way) when a dark skinned Asian person opens his/her mouth and speaks with a Scottish accent, that always makes me smile, I've never heard an Irish Asian though.
Does a regional accent speaking Chinese person exist? I can't say i've ever heard one, they seem impervious...
My OH comes from the North East yet she has zero accent, not even a hint and it's always bemused me, quite often when no accent people have a few drinks it comes out if they've been hiding it, but not her, I don't know how she's managed it.
Do you think it's a class thing? We're both working class and from working class backgrounds, but she rubs shoulders with upper working class or white collar, people with university educations and i've always been put with the lower classes (physical jobs) so have a local accent.
Also I think (sadly) local accents are dying out a bit and it's always a bit strange (in a good way) when a dark skinned Asian person opens his/her mouth and speaks with a Scottish accent, that always makes me smile, I've never heard an Irish Asian though.
Does a regional accent speaking Chinese person exist? I can't say i've ever heard one, they seem impervious...
Surely we all have an accent of sorts, it just depends on who is listening and where they are from.
I spoke to a woman once on the phone, she pinpointed pretty much where I came from, by my voice; southeast of England (I'm pretty sure she also said around the M25 area, which is correct), surely I have an accent of sorts, even though I don't think that I do.
My wifes relatives are from Manchester, as far as they are concerned I sound posh.
I spoke to a woman once on the phone, she pinpointed pretty much where I came from, by my voice; southeast of England (I'm pretty sure she also said around the M25 area, which is correct), surely I have an accent of sorts, even though I don't think that I do.
My wifes relatives are from Manchester, as far as they are concerned I sound posh.
Not so much. Mainly because I was born in one place, moved to another when I was six and though I lost the original accent quickly to fit in at school, I never really picked up the new one fully. As such, if I spend a decent length of time in one place, I usually end up sounding vaguely local, be it Wales, Yorkshire or even New Zealand. I annoys people, but I can't really help it.
227bhp said:
Does a regional accent speaking Chinese person exist? I can't say i've ever heard one, they seem impervious...
Growing up in Northern Ireland, I can confirm I've interacted with/ known people of Chinese, Caribbean, Pakistani, Indian (to name just a few) descent with Norn' Irish accents 
I've lived in England for nearly 10 years and still have my accent, albeit sounding slightly posher (so I'm told, anyway!).
I've covered North America for many years.
I've had the usual, "are you Australian?"
It surprising how often they have not understood me.
I once asked for a "bottle of water" and got the reply, "we don't have a Walter working here"!
Another was me asking, "which way to the Airport", I got "applecart" as a reply.
The worse was the regular lunch time restaurant response.
Our Service Manager was from London. Often when he ordered, he would get, "cool accent sir." while I immediately after would get, "sorry I don't understand".
I've had the usual, "are you Australian?"
It surprising how often they have not understood me.
I once asked for a "bottle of water" and got the reply, "we don't have a Walter working here"!
Another was me asking, "which way to the Airport", I got "applecart" as a reply.
The worse was the regular lunch time restaurant response.
Our Service Manager was from London. Often when he ordered, he would get, "cool accent sir." while I immediately after would get, "sorry I don't understand".
Surely there is no such thing as "no accent".
The accent may be fairly neutral and may not be obviously regional (to UK ears at least), but we all speak with an accent - especially from the perspective of people from other countries.
The French for example have strong regional accents just as we do - and i'm sure there will be French people who think they talk with what they consider a 'neutral' accent - yet to us, they still speak with a decidedly French accent.
The accent may be fairly neutral and may not be obviously regional (to UK ears at least), but we all speak with an accent - especially from the perspective of people from other countries.
The French for example have strong regional accents just as we do - and i'm sure there will be French people who think they talk with what they consider a 'neutral' accent - yet to us, they still speak with a decidedly French accent.
Edited by Moonhawk on Monday 21st May 15:55
so called said:
I've covered North America for many years.
I've had the usual, "are you Australian?"
It surprising how often they have not understood me.
I once asked for a "bottle of water" and got the reply, "we don't have a Walter working here"!
Another was me asking, "which way to the Airport", I got "applecart" as a reply.
The worse was the regular lunch time restaurant response.
Our Service Manager was from London. Often when he ordered, he would get, "cool accent sir." while I immediately after would get, "sorry I don't understand".
In the suburbs of LA last year, a friend asked me to get her a Big Mac but hold the tomato.I've had the usual, "are you Australian?"
It surprising how often they have not understood me.
I once asked for a "bottle of water" and got the reply, "we don't have a Walter working here"!
Another was me asking, "which way to the Airport", I got "applecart" as a reply.
The worse was the regular lunch time restaurant response.
Our Service Manager was from London. Often when he ordered, he would get, "cool accent sir." while I immediately after would get, "sorry I don't understand".
I said this to the girl behind the counter a number of times but she looked puzzled and in the end called the manager over. He couldn't understand me either.
Till I twigged.
Hold the TomAyyDo, I then said.
All smiles as they then got my order.
Seemed daft that they didn't understand TomArrToe.
HTP99 said:
Surely we all have an accent of sorts, it just depends on who is listening and where they are from.
This. I consider my wife to have zero accent. She was born in Worcestershire but moved to Somerset when she was 10. Some people say she sounds posh, I just think neutral. She once interviewed with Foxtons and the lady interviewing her asked where she was from. 'Taunton' says Mrs PB. No, where from originally? 'Well, I was born in Evesham.' Yes, I knew I could detect a Brummie accent.
Now, the Foxtons lady could have just been up herself of course . . .
Likewise, it says Dudley on my passport, I grew up in Worcestershire, went to Uni in Leicester. Mrs PB says I have a barely detectable accent but I hear myself going broader when speaking to people 'up country' as they say down here. Locals here in Taunton think my accent's as broad as anything.
Once a chap wondered if I was from Coventry which kind of makes sense as the midway point between where I grew up and where I moved to temporarily between 18 and 21.
Smitters said:
Not so much. Mainly because I was born in one place, moved to another when I was six and though I lost the original accent quickly to fit in at school, I never really picked up the new one fully. As such, if I spend a decent length of time in one place, I usually end up sounding vaguely local, be it Wales, Yorkshire or even New Zealand. I annoys people, but I can't really help it.
Similarly to you I 'catch' the accent of someone I'm talking to after a while too. Luckily they don't seem to notice. I suppose that no matter how strongly I catch Strine or Bronx, it's never 'native' and it still sounds English to their ears. My home accent is west London but although my mother was a certified Cockney (from Clerkenwell) and my father from Wood Green, neither had a noticeable accent other than unrefined RP. At school I impressed my French master with my ability to acquire the French pronunciation, my understanding of the words was woefully poor!crofty1984 said:
When I moved to Italy apparently I first spoke with a French accent, oddly.
I would assume you were taught Italian by someone who was taught Italian by a French person. Iyswim?I learnt my French in Pyrenean France. Apparently it sounds odd in a half Brit/half Catalan accent.
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