American accents?

[sneezewuv]

Ok, I was looking this up for a bit tonight. I don't want to sound annoying or anything, but how do you Brits view our accents? I don't have a southern accent or anything and it's just a regular American one. I've heard most prefer the southern ones to the Boston or New York City accents. I really like British and am quite jealous of you guys. Any answer is much appreciated!

[BlueRandom]

I like them. Mainly the Southern ones though (sorry!) - there's something very chilled out about them. I always think it's so funny when Americans say the British accent is sexy; mainly because there are so many and some of them can be a little unattractive - (just in my opinion!). Although that does depend very much on the speaker. Anyway, I'm happy with my (British) accent, but I love listening to you guys.

[tma]

@ BlueRandom- I think that is funny too the way that most Americans talk about British accents because there are a lot of them. Some I adore, others I like, others not so much. And there are people around here that think that Aussies sound just like "Brits". Oh... and I had dinner with ladies who thought that an Irish guy had an English accent ( that just... Really amused and confused me).

I'm the same way- I just have a "regular" US accent- pretty nondescript as far as US accents go. I've wondered when UK people say that they love "American accents"- what they really mean- because we have Quite a few different kinds of our own.

[Sneeze999]

I have to say, I went to america this year, and tghe americans i met seemed to have a pretty generic accent to me. I mean, there were the occasional accents that you could pick out, the italian new yorker accent, the texas accent etc. But overall, they just sound.....well......american to me lol......Although, the accent goes well with the american ladies I saw

[Dusty15]

@BlueRandom- I always think it's funny how so many Americans just lump all English accents together as 'sexy'. You're right- there are some decidedly unsexy regional accents over there :-P I'm pretty good at identifying them, but I'm always surprised how often I get thrown off by Australian accents and my brain beginning to process them as British before I finally realize something is amiss!

[Joal 555]

It's probably at least partly down to how much exposure you get to the different accents. As I live in the UK, I can obviously identify all the accents over here but with American accents, I can't pinpoint many to a paticular state, as I have much less contact with Americans (and for whatever reason, hearing American accents on TV hasn't helped me narrow things down any further - not that I've tried).

However, I do know that I love some American accents (although I always think it depends on the vocal tone of each individual too)

[count tiszula]

I would guess that most English people prefer a New England accent [which I believe includes upstate NY] because it is more understandable and in some cases not even distinguishable from English. Oh well, I shan't tell my aunt about the ants. By contrast, I suspect the Southern acccent is too "drawly" for most people. General American is in the middle, of course; it really depends on the speaker. The combination of all that grunting and the persistent use of an almost semi-vocalic R , as Spike Milligan said, makes it soukd as if everyone is jusr repeating "Hern hern" endlessly.

As Joal says, oddly, although we had to learn American as soon as we were first exposed to mass media, with a legal compulsion to view at least an hour of cowboys a day, it seems impossible generally to distinguish one American accent from another. Plus as soon as we learn it they invent a whole new language to confuse us.

Yet Neighbours had only to be on for a few months and everyone had mastered at least four Australian accents; just in time to detect those Australians who started claiming that there are no differences between their accents.

[_Daisy_]

I've always wondered about this...I really love any sort of English accent...no, anything from the EU in general, if I'm being honest. However, I don't find anything even remotely appealing about an American accent, regardless of region. Perhaps I'm just too accustomed to the sound and have a taste for the exotic...I would definitely be interested to know what the average Brit thinks.

[tma]

would guess that most English people prefer a New England accent [which I believe includes upstate NY] because it is more understandable and in some cases not even distinguishable from English.

That is interesting to me because I think that many people in the US think of New England accents as being similar (to a degree) to John F. Kennedy (pahk the cah in Bahstin yahd), whereas Upstate NY is more typical "news reporter" accent.

[Jorm]

I've always wondered about this...I really love any sort of English accent...no, anything from the EU in general, if I'm being honest. However, I don't find anything even remotely appealing about an American accent, regardless of region. Perhaps I'm just too accustomed to the sound and have a taste for the exotic...I would definitely be interested to know what the average Brit thinks.

I think this is true of most people. We hear the accent(s) of our own country or region on such a constant basis that they hold little appeal to us. There's no novelty factor in an accent you hear all the time, whereas foreign accents are unusual and therefore attractive. I've talked to various people from Europe who feel the exact opposite of what you described, they don't find anything particularly appealing about their own country's accent, but they find at least certain American accents to be very attractive.

would guess that most English people prefer a New England accent [which I believe includes upstate NY] because it is more understandable and in some cases not even distinguishable from English.

That is interesting to me because I think that many people in the US think of New England accents as being similar (to a degree) to John F. Kennedy (pahk the cah in Bahstin yahd), whereas Upstate NY is more typical "news reporter" accent.

New England has a lot more variety of accent than most people seem to be aware of as far as I can tell. The J.F.K. Boston accent is actually pretty localized and only really makes up a fairly small percentage of the New England population, it's just the most distinct accent of the region so it tends to be the one people focus on. The majority of people in New England probably have a pretty non-nondescript American accent not very different from the upstate NY one.

[tma]

New England has a lot more variety of accent than most people seem to be aware of as far as I can tell. The J.F.K. Boston accent is actually pretty localized and only really makes up a fairly small percentage of the New England population, it's just the most distinct accent of the region so it tends to be the one people focus on. The majority of people in New England probably have a pretty non-nondescript American accent not very different from the upstate NY one.

True... I think that that's just sort of in a lot of non-New England people's minds. hehehe... Besides, it is fun to say that line.

[Guest]

There was a study abroad student from Texas I was very in to who would occasionally affect a southern belle accent to amuse me.

Let us say that I pounced and league it at that.

Currently in to this Philadelphian who occasionally put on a British accent. Whileterrible, it is super cute.

[Pearlised]

When I think American accent, I think, like, Texas xD really southern

I think that because so much tv and movies are made in America using clear 'normal' American accents then we're desensitised a little to those kinds.

[Chanel_no5]

To me, American accents are, well... American. I can tell the difference between northern and southern, but it's really all "just American" to me.

[lovelylovexoxo]

I am obessed with accents it's horrible lol my boyfriend has a new england accent a mix between boston and brooklyn and i culd listennto him talk all day every day lol i love the english/british accent too i hope im not alone on this obession it's obessive lol

[count tiszula]

Yes, I was thinking of the Roosevelts as upstate NY; I supppose things have changed a bit in the last century or so......!

An interesting New England accent is that of Peter Griffin in Family Guy; no unusual Rs, but his vowels are unmistakeably American.....

Of course there are the accents identified in Six Degrees of Separation, but I think that;s still a bit taboo.....................

[Dusty15]

An interesting New England accent is that of Peter Griffin in Family Guy; no unusual Rs, but his vowels are unmistakeably American.....

Oh he does drop the Rs...it's sort of a screwed up Rhode Island accent.

And TMA, it's Pahk the cah in HAVAHD yahd! I've spent a good chunk of my life in Bawston

The 'ideal' (read: news anchor) voice is middle American, which is a Midwestern accent (Ohio, Kentucky, etc). Many New Englanders speak with a similar accent with the exception of the pockets of severe Boston accents and Rhode Island accents (sounds mostly like the Boston one), and of course the charming accents of Maine.

[bloom]

I am absolutely terrible at picking out certain American accents. My own is a Midwest newscaster voice, but I have a hard time telling a difference between mine and my husband's. He grew up in Aberdeen, WA and as far as I can tell we have the same accent.

I think the news anchor accent is actually sort of detrimental, in a way; really, I should be able to hear the difference between mine, my husband's, my Californian friend's and my Minnesotan friend's, but I can't. I'm not sure why it's considered the ideal American accent when there are so many interesting ones all over the map. It kind of sucks the individuality out of it.

[Jorm]

and of course the charming accents of Maine.

XD I find Maine accents adorably hilarious lol

[Emily]

Actually now I'm not terribly sure what I sound like. Maybe a mix of Brooklyn, NY and Asian-American. I start saying "yoooo" and "dude" and "man" when I get overexcited :'D

Of course, like the rest of the non-UK world, I'm completely reeled in by British accents, regardless of whether they sound like Hagrid or Harry Potter. This guy from Ukraine is in one of my classes and I swear every time he speaks I'm just like OKAY MAN KEEP TALKING I'M LISTENING RATTLE OFF THOSE LOGARITHMS. This one time he said "what d'you reckon" and I silently fangasmed the rest of the class, oblivious to anything that had to with mathematics.

[redbluemoon]

I have a thing for accents in general. They definitely turn me on. I want to marry someone with an accent. Haha. But honestly, I live in the South (Georgia) but I'm not originally from here. I can adopt a Southern Accent at any point in time if I please, but generally do not. It's funny because here I think of Southern accents and I think of the really, REALLY heavy ones. Like the one I heard that one time when I was in a really rural part of the state and I don't even know where it was...but it was hilarious.

But yes. To me, The English accent is sexy. But so would Irish and Scottish. I've never heard any Welsh people speak so I don't know if theirs is different. Plus my friend who is from Wales lives in England now. Lol. But yea. Accents are LOVELY. =33 It's not just one country though, accents in general. I also adore languages so that might be another thing. =)

[Zebra]

I'm very much an accent whore too and yes American ones are sexy. I know there are loads of accents there but to be honest I couldn't differ between states or anything. I mean I could tell the difference between a Texas accent and a New York accent or whatever but that's about it. I'm usually pretty good at guessing accents but in my head American is just American which is a very small-minded view I know considering it irritates me when people say the same about the "British accent"(even though we are split by country). I'm trying to learn the different American accents. Oh and I'm welsh and our accents are very different from accents in England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In fact within Wales we have different accents. Gosh I've used the word "accents" a lot....

[redbluemoon]

The word itself is a lovely one. I figured as it's its own distinct country but still! Wasn't sure how different. I could tell the difference between some. And yea, American is American. =P XDDD I mean I live in America and I just think meh to our accents sometimes. I mean I'm a vocalist and a language-obsessed thing so...my accent is more neutral when speaking. That and I've lived in 4 different states, taught abroad and have friends from all over the US and world so I pick up on what I hear.

BTW - Love the Enchanted(?) pic!

[Zebra]

The word itself is a lovely one. I figured as it's its own distinct country but still! Wasn't sure how different. I could tell the difference between some. And yea, American is American. =P XDDD I mean I live in America and I just think meh to our accents sometimes. I mean I'm a vocalist and a language-obsessed thing so...my accent is more neutral when speaking. That and I've lived in 4 different states, taught abroad and have friends from all over the US and world so I pick up on what I hear.

BTW - Love the Enchanted(?) pic!

I know right?! I'm always talking about how much accents make me all gooey inside and people look at me as if I'm crazed. Yeah we all sound stupid Well over here, the majority of people I know love American accents and just swoon over them. I'm sure I could be convinced to do anything if someone was commanding me in an American accent. It's an unfair advantage. I really want to learn most of the different dialects though so I don't sound like an idiot saying "American accent" all the time. Oh really?? That must be awesome surrounded by all the different voices/dialects/accents. Other than on TV, all I hear is Welsh pretty much.

Yes it's from Enchanted! Thank you! I love the way James Marsden looks as a cartoon, especially his sexy nose and I find Amy Adams gorgeous so it was the perfect choice for me!

[redbluemoon]

Loll. You see I mention this to some of my friends and they are totally on board. The accent thing I can share. Lol! What? +P What are you talking about you all sound stupid? haha. Funny. That's just so amusing to me! I suppose it's different than what we are familiar with is appealing. This is so not fair. Know any guys about ten years older than you who feel that way? haha!! But it is hilarious! Um, if you ever want to hear what Americans sound like, try skype with friends from other countries? Lol. TV is a bad example because people will change their voice for a role. YAY!! I love Disney.Enchanted is a fun movie. We had an Enchanted theme for my friend's Bachelorette party. We couldn't be wild because it was in the common room of our dorm at the time. XD It's quite fun to be surrounded by all the different accents! I live in the suburbs of the capital city of my state. So I believe that allows for more diversity.