An attempt at a Southern British accent - is it convincing or a total fail

Question

I'm going to be teaching English in a few moths and I wanted to hear some honest opinions of native speakers of English as to whether they think that my accent is convincing. I'm prepared to receive any sort of criticism - as I've already written please be honest with me like if it's rubbish tell me. If you wouldn't fall for it please tell me where I made mistakes or which parts gave me away and I also want you to guess where I'm from - I'm always interested in that kind of stuff. Oh and I'm sorry for the fact that I don't make any sense in the recording at all - I don't even know what I wanted to say I was just like I'm gonna waffle on and then I'll upload it. The recording is here : https://soundcloud.com/pe-o-machov-k/an-attempt-at-a-british-accent Thanks loads for your feedback.

Dave_anon · Accepted Answer

Hi

I see you've not had a reply so, since I live in South London, I'd better chip in. The problem, really, is there's no Southern British accent. There isn't really even a South London accent. I could walk out my front door and, within half an hour hear a dozen different accents. I could probably pick out someone whose Granddad worked in the London docks sixty years ago; or who went to a 'good' school on the outskirts of south London; or went to a very good school in Surrey; or who speaks with the distinctive Estuary English. They'd all sound different

I'm surprised you say your accent doesn't pass. I'm slightly old, so maybe not quite tuned to how younger people speak, but I'd give you, say, 17/20. I might wonder if you had close family or friends who influenced one or two of your vowels in a different way, but that's about it (and it really wouldn't bother me or anyone else)

If I had to give an example: 'to'. It's a fairly lazy vowel - either 'too' or maybe 'ter' or missing ('t'begin with'). I think I noticed that you inflect it slightly. The one at 0:27 is OK

I don't see a problem with 'L'. It's true you can pronounce it from the middle of the mouth or with the tongue forward. I don't hear a big difference: I shouldn't worry about it

In short, I think you'll do fine. Hope so

Dave

Peťo Machovčák · Answer

Thanks a lot for your reply - as to my naming it a Southern British accent - I know that there's no such thing - what I wanted to say by that is that I want my accent to sound like I'm from somewhere in the South Britain - non-rhotic, a mix of pronounced t-s with some glottal stops here and there, using mainly light l-s and so on. I called it 'southern british' since these features are usually found in various southern british accents and wouldn't be heard say in Scottish English or American English - at least not all of those characteristics - if you get me

. And so I take it that with some luck you'd believe me that I'm from the UK?

Dave_anon · Answer

Hi

Yes. If we chatted for fifteen minutes and you told me you were from Bromley, say, I'd believe it :-)

Dave

Anonymous · Answer

Peto MachovcákI want my accent to sound like I'm from somewhere in the South Britain

in the south of Britain.

It mostly does.

Peto Machovcákwith some glottal stops

That's not necessary when speaking British English. It's just a variation in pronunciation that certain people have.

Peto MachovcákAnd so I take it that with some luck you'd believe me that I'm from the UK?

Almost everything you said makes you sound as if you are. You have a slight sound from Australian English and New Zealand English.

Ivanhr · Answer

Perhaps you'd be interested to know that educated people in the UK were (once) expected to speak with what is now known as RP (recieved pronounciation). The pronouncian (and accent) of RP is similar to that used in Southern England/Britain.

Nowadays though, it is used mostly as the prounounciation/accent taught to foreign students.

Btw, you sure could've fooled me with your accent.

An attempt at a Southern British accent - is it convincing or a total fail

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