[saint.panda]

Inspired by the American accent thread, how do you learn to speak with a more British accent without actually living there? Somebody told me to watch BBC or check Blair's speeches on youtube. Any other suggestions?

 

[xnothingpoetic]

I believe after the age of 13 or so you can no longer acquire an accent. (unless you fake it)

People think American president George Bush has a real southern accent but he lived in like Connecticut or some where in Northern America until he was 13 and bought his Ranch in Texas the year when he was running for president. He's fakin'!

 

[saint.panda]

Obviously, people will be able to tell whether somebody's genuinely British or not, so I'd be content with at least faking or rather approximating it properly. Unfortunately, and this is not meant to be an insult but rather a mere statement of personal preference, I have more of an American accent. In fact, it's more of a German accent with an American touch, and I'd like to change that touch.

 

[Afrikane]

You try living with a British girlfriend for a while, she will be correcting you in no time at all.

 

[Purgatos]

I tend to pick up the accent and speech patterns of the people I'm around for any length of time. So, I guess, hang out with a bunch of british guys?

 

[xnothingpoetic]

You can always watch movies with Brits in them. But be careful your not copying a copier (a lot of movies with Brits are really American actors... acting).

I'd kill for a British accent or a Scottish accent.

 

[craiglester]

Eastenders, and lots of it.

I was born there and lived there 33 years. I don't think I'll lose the accent.
I've been here 5 years now, and whilst I have picked up various Americanisms, I still sound unmistakably English.

 

[AuroraProject]

Ugh, there is nothing worse than a bad fake British accent.

Best way to learn an accent, constant exposure. When I go to visit family in England I pick it up in around 2 weeks.

 

[xnothingpoetic]

Or you can always have a stroke

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3235934.stm
EDIT: sorry craiglester, serious stuff and isn't funny.

 

[AuroraProject]

Quote:

Originally Posted by xnothingpoetic /img/forum/go_quote.gif Or you can always have a stoke http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/3235934.stm lol

LOL, you mean stroke, right? Stoke is where I'm from!

 

[xnothingpoetic]

 

[craiglester]

While I appreciate the weirdness of the story, I'm not sure a Stroke is something to laugh about. Certainly hasn't been for my wife.

(sorry, don't mean to threadcrap)

BTW, best English accents from american actors - Spinal Tap, no contest - Stone-enge

. Worst? too many to mention, but Dick Van Dyke gets a special mention for Mary Poppins

 

[AuroraProject]

I wasn't trying to poke fun at the stroke itself, just the spelling error. Sorry.

 

[DJShadow]

Don't put an upwards inflection at the end of what your saying.

What kind of accent are you after? Theres so many British accents...

 

[craiglester]

No problem, I'm still a bit oversensitive about it all.

Pronouncing the H in herbs is a good start also, of course, for authentic slang, you'd drop most of the h's, dropping the h in horrible, house, horse etc.. heh.

for example, "You call this Herbal tea?"

or "you 'orrible little man?, go up t'ut 'ouse and get my 'orse, an 'urry up!"

It's all very confusing you know.