Which Accent do you speak?

Question

Please comment if required.

Jvdw · Accepted Answer

I have a GA accent, but, as a teacher it's mandatory to use RP at my school.

Askshameer · Answer

I'm sorry, but whats "RP"?

/Sameer

Zerox · Answer

Received Pronunciation.

Askshameer · Answer

No more votes? <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/6.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/6.gif' alt='Emotion: sad'/>

Elvenchun · Answer

I haven't any accent. cos I can't speak english yet.

Askshameer · Answer

elvenchunI haven't any accent. cos I can't speak english yet.

But would you not have some preference?

/Sameer

BarbaraPA · Answer

The problem with this survey is that it assumes everyone in a country has the same accent. Someone from Yorkshire hardly sounds like someone from the East End of London, and someone from Mobile, Alabama, will not sound a bit like someone born and raised in Boston, Mass.

Kooyeen · Answer

Grammar GeekThe problem with this survey is that it assumes everyone in a country has the same accent. Someone from Yorkshire hardly sounds like someone from the East End of London, and someone from Mobile, Alabama, will not sound a bit like someone born and raised in Boston, Mass.

That's one problem, but I think the biggest problem with this poll is that it's probably inaccurate for learners. Most native speakers can't even distinguish Australian English from New Zealand English, let alone people who are learning English. Some varieties are missing too, like Irish English and South African English. And then, as GG said, even if you chose between those options, it would be difficult to figure out the way you speak, because there are a lot of accents and regional differences.

Anyway, shameer, I don't mean to criticize your poll! I think the best way to figure out how people here speak would be to ask them to post a short audio clip where they read a couple of sentences.
I currently "use" (I would, if I practiced) American English, but I think I might pick up some features of British English (especially London accents) in the future. That'll be weird. Hmm.

Tanit · Answer

Well, I think I'd need a variety tailored for me.

British English with (sigh!) Italian vowels cropping up more frequently than I'd like to, plus a bit of Welsh twang every now and then (unfortunately, this is doesn't happen as much as I'd wish).

Anonymous · Answer

It makes it even more difficult when you look at the variations in the American Dialect. There is no "American Accent" --there are 7 recognized main divisions (Western/Californian, Upper Midwest, Midland, Southern, MidAtlantic, Applachain, New England) and upwards of 18 subdivisions. For example, I speak with a California accent, which is both cot-caught alike and soft rhetorical, with some merging between i and e. I sound distinctly different than someone from the Midwest or from New England, but more closely to Southern but not even close to Applachain.

So to those learning English, the accent learned would vary depending on who is teaching the accent. Using British RP--you will learn a very distinctive English accent spoken by the upper classes and BBC announcers. If you are learning from an American from Georgia, you will learn three ways to pronounce the vowel A. If you are learning from someone from the Midwest, you will shift vowels sounds between A, E and I depending on the word used (big sounds more like beg).

PBS did a series of programs called "Do you speak American) that you can find online <link removed>

Which Accent do you speak?

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