Accents of English Speakers

monster · 05-16-2012, 09:50 PM

So....
Americans can't tell Brits and Aussies apart
Brits can't tell Canucks and Yanks apart

I'm kind of embarrassed that -having been for for 11 years- sometimes I hear an "accent" and I can't tll if it's Brit or Aussie......

but kind of feel more justified about that tonight as I saw an "Australia's got talent" clip on youtube and realized they say Chooseday and Choona for Tuesday and tuna.

Who can't you tell apart?

Flint · 05-16-2012, 09:55 PM

I've always thought that the Aussie accent was very distinct. Now, I might not be able to tell them from New Zealanders.

monster · 05-16-2012, 10:24 PM

Heretic!

How do you feel about sheep?

Flint · 05-16-2012, 10:31 PM

I know why kilts do not have a zipper.

zippyt · 05-16-2012, 10:40 PM

And Zip dont have no kilts !!!

Aliantha · 05-17-2012, 01:03 AM

Kiwi and Aussie is a very different accent. specially kiwi's from the south island. They have a very thick accent.

If you hear an Aussie from SA (eg. Zengum) they sound much more British. Very proper sounding vowels etc. The further north you go the worse the accent gets (generally). Mind you, if you go to Victoria, you'll hear a lot of european influence, particularly in urban areas thanks to the massive Greek, Lebanese and Italian population.

As an Aussie, I can generally pick the Canadians from the Yanks, but not always. Usually the 'eh' at the end of everything gives them away.

infinite monkey · 05-17-2012, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by monster

So....

Who can't you tell apart?

Cleveland and Brooklyn.

glatt · 05-17-2012, 07:33 AM

That Liverpudlian-Texan girl who got voted off American Idol. I couldn't place her accent at all. Had to look her up.

Clodfobble · 05-17-2012, 08:56 AM

If I stop and really listen, I can tell a Kiwi accent from an Australian, but if I casually hear it I'll default to assuming the speaker is Australian. I also can't separate Welsh from the huge range of British accents. I know it's different, but I don't think it's any more than the difference between, say, Newcastle and London.

Sundae · 05-17-2012, 12:26 PM

Kiwis generally pronounce their e's as i's.
If they say "Ten pens for my hens" they're Aussie.
If it's "Tin pins for my hins" they're Kiwi.

Not a usual comment but the vowel exchange is easy to listen out for.

I have problems telling Canadians from Americans.
Because I have little to go on. So few Canadian TV programmes/ films available in this country.

Clod - watch Gavin and Stacey. You'll hear a Welsh accent much better then. It's a consistent feature of the show.
Oh! What's occurring?

Happy Monkey · 05-17-2012, 12:59 PM

I might not always be able to tell from one person speaking, but if I hear one of each* speaking, I can probably pick out which is which.

* Brit, Aussie, Kiwi

DanaC · 05-17-2012, 01:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

I might not always be able to tell from one person speaking, but if I hear one of each* speaking, I can probably pick out which is which.

* Brit, Aussie, Kiwi

Same here. But change Brit to American or Canadian :P

Clod: the Welsh accent is very different to most other British accents. It has a very different rhythm and distinct speech patterns (beyond the usual dialect differences). It's the English language, but with the cadences and rhythms of an entirely different language.

Sundae · 05-17-2012, 01:15 PM

Although to be fair, so is Belfast, Glaswegian and Geordie.
At their strongest (broadest?) I have a seconds delay catching up meaning. Yes I can identify them immediately, but they have their own language within English, let alone having another one without.

Not disagreeing, discussing.

DanaC · 05-17-2012, 01:45 PM

Yeah, those as well :p

Really, meant that it is distinct from the majority of English accents (Geordie being the main exception) which are distinct dialects within broadly the same language. You'd have to hear a broad Lancashire dialect for example to get the really distinct rhythms, whereas the Welsh can use far fewer dialect words yet display greater distinction in rhythm.

Sundae · 05-17-2012, 01:59 PM

You said British though you bad girl.
Yes it is very different than English accents.

That's not me with the pedant stick.
Just trying not to confuse the Merkins.

05-16-2012, 09:50 PM	#1
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Accents of English Speakers So.... Americans can't tell Brits and Aussies apart Brits can't tell Canucks and Yanks apart I'm kind of embarrassed that -having been for for 11 years- sometimes I hear an "accent" and I can't tll if it's Brit or Aussie...... but kind of feel more justified about that tonight as I saw an "Australia's got talent" clip on youtube and realized they say Chooseday and Choona for Tuesday and tuna. Who can't you tell apart? __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

05-16-2012, 09:55 PM	#2
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	I've always thought that the Aussie accent was very distinct. Now, I might not be able to tell them from New Zealanders. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

05-16-2012, 10:24 PM	#3
monster I hear them call the tide Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Perpetual Chaos Posts: 30,852	Heretic! How do you feel about sheep? __________________ The most difficult thing is the decision to act, the rest is merely tenacity Amelia Earhart

05-16-2012, 10:31 PM	#4
Flint Snowflake Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Dystopia Posts: 13,136	I know why kilts do not have a zipper. __________________ **************** There's a level of facility that everyone needs to accomplish, and from there it's a matter of deciding for yourself how important ultra-facility is to your expression. ... I found, like Joseph Campbell said, if you just follow whatever gives you a little joy or excitement or awe, then you're on the right track. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Terry Bozzio**

05-16-2012, 10:40 PM	#5
zippyt LONG LIVE KING ZIPPY! per Feetz Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Arkansas Posts: 7,661	And Zip dont have no kilts !!! __________________ "Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get. " Brother Dave Gardner

05-17-2012, 01:03 AM	#6
Aliantha trying hard to be a better person Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Brisbane, Australia Posts: 16,493	Kiwi and Aussie is a very different accent. specially kiwi's from the south island. They have a very thick accent. If you hear an Aussie from SA (eg. Zengum) they sound much more British. Very proper sounding vowels etc. The further north you go the worse the accent gets (generally). Mind you, if you go to Victoria, you'll hear a lot of european influence, particularly in urban areas thanks to the massive Greek, Lebanese and Italian population. As an Aussie, I can generally pick the Canadians from the Yanks, but not always. Usually the 'eh' at the end of everything gives them away. __________________ Kind words are the music of the world. F. W. Faber

05-17-2012, 07:33 AM	#8
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	That Liverpudlian-Texan girl who got voted off American Idol. I couldn't place her accent at all. Had to look her up.

05-17-2012, 08:56 AM	#9
Clodfobble UNDER CONDITIONAL MITIGATION Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Austin, TX Posts: 20,012	If I stop and really listen, I can tell a Kiwi accent from an Australian, but if I casually hear it I'll default to assuming the speaker is Australian. I also can't separate Welsh from the huge range of British accents. I know it's different, but I don't think it's any more than the difference between, say, Newcastle and London. __________________ My book My other book My spirit animal

05-17-2012, 12:26 PM	#10
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Kiwis generally pronounce their e's as i's. If they say "Ten pens for my hens" they're Aussie. If it's "Tin pins for my hins" they're Kiwi. Not a usual comment but the vowel exchange is easy to listen out for. I have problems telling Canadians from Americans. Because I have little to go on. So few Canadian TV programmes/ films available in this country. Clod - watch Gavin and Stacey. You'll hear a Welsh accent much better then. It's a consistent feature of the show. Oh! What's occurring? __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

05-17-2012, 12:59 PM	#11
Happy Monkey I think this line's mostly filler. Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: DC Posts: 13,575	I might not always be able to tell from one person speaking, but if I hear one of each* speaking, I can probably pick out which is which. * Brit, Aussie, Kiwi __________________ _________________ \|...............\| We live in the nick of times. \| Len 17, Wid 3 \| \|_______________\| [pics]

05-17-2012, 01:15 PM	#13
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	Although to be fair, so is Belfast, Glaswegian and Geordie. At their strongest (broadest?) I have a seconds delay catching up meaning. Yes I can identify them immediately, but they have their own language within English, let alone having another one without. Not disagreeing, discussing. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

05-17-2012, 01:59 PM	#15
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	You said British though you bad girl. Yes it is very different than English accents. That's not me with the pedant stick. Just trying not to confuse the Merkins. __________________ Life's hard you know, so strike a pose on a Cadillac

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