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BarbaraPA Posted 19 years ago
Speech & Pronunciation
Imitating accents
A very old thread was recently added to, so it popped up to the top. It had evolved into the success (or failure!) of American actors immitating UK accents and perhaps vice versa. But how do Brits from London do imitating the very distinct Yorkshire accent? Or how well does a Scot do immitating someone from the Liverpool?
I ask because I'm often appalled how Americans try to imitate a Southern American accent, and do it horribly, or fail completely at a very distinct regional accent like Maine. I lived there for 15 years and I can't do a credible Maine accent - although I sure can tell when it's being done badly. It seems clear to me that you don't have to try to cross an ocean to do an accent badly.
What do our UK cousins have to say? Can you sound like a native from any part of the UK? I expect you have the same trouble as someone from Chicago trying to sound like he's from Texas!
I ask because I'm often appalled how Americans try to imitate a Southern American accent, and do it horribly, or fail completely at a very distinct regional accent like Maine. I lived there for 15 years and I can't do a credible Maine accent - although I sure can tell when it's being done badly. It seems clear to me that you don't have to try to cross an ocean to do an accent badly.
What do our UK cousins have to say? Can you sound like a native from any part of the UK? I expect you have the same trouble as someone from Chicago trying to sound like he's from Texas!
Top answer
most of us are rubbish at accents too. We might think we've got one down ok, but then ask a real speaker of that accent... I think most people can just get a 'flavour' of another accent or do a generic 'vaguely related to a large area accent ' instead of a genuinely authentic local accent.
- most of us are rubbish at accents too.
- We might think we've got one down ok, but then ask a real speaker of that accent...
- I think most people can just get a 'flavour' of another accent or do a generic 'vaguely related to a large area accent ' instead of a genuinely authentic local accent.
- There's a TV show called 'Doc Martin' that is based in Cornwall and populated with quite a few recognisable actors from all over the UK.
- They all put on this terrible 'West Country Ooh-Aar' and not a single one of the actors playing a local sounds even vaguely Cornish, which is a very distinct accent.
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5 Answers
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That's a very good point Barb...most of us are rubbish at accents too. We might think we've got one down ok, but then ask a real speaker of that accent... I think most people can just get a 'flavour' of another accent or do a generic 'vaguely related to a large area accent ' instead of a genuinely authentic local accent. There's a TV show called 'Doc Martin' that is based in Cornwall and populat
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Well, I can do good Southern, because my father is from there, but I'm hopeless at New England, even after living there. And I have no desire at all to replicate the local Philadelphian accent. It's just amazing how a hundred miles can completely change the way people speak, isn't it?
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I find that it's not too difficult to imitate an accent with a specific rehearsed sentence or two, but when it comes to continuing to generate spontaneous speech in the same accent, I find it nearly impossible.
Jim
Jim
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Hmm, I think the purpose of imitating an accent is to entertain, isn't it? So the accents don't have to be perfect, they just need to be very close to the original ones.
If you want to do a perfect accent... heh, that's practically impossible. Let's suppose people from Houston TX have a particular accent. Maybe it's not difficult to sound Texan to New Yorkers. But how about sounding like you
If you want to do a perfect accent... heh, that's practically impossible. Let's suppose people from Houston TX have a particular accent. Maybe it's not difficult to sound Texan to New Yorkers. But how about sounding like you
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