# Learning English/British accents



## Origins (Jan 10, 2010)

Hello guys,

I know a lot of you come from UK so I thought I might get some help by asking here.

The thing is that I speak English almost all the time. I thought my accent was okay until I heard it on a video, and it is just awful. I HATE my "frenchy" pronunciation, even though I´ve heard much worse.
Anyway I decided to change that and learn to speak English properly.
I really like the sound of most English/British accents and I´d like to get a bit the same, although not as strong (I don´t want to feel like I´m making fun of the accent).
Does anybody know what would be the best way(s) to learn it?

Thank you


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## Tiger (Jan 10, 2010)

I know Rosetta Stone has voice training, it helps remove your accent. I had to get my southern drawl out of the way for Russian.


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## Origins (Jan 10, 2010)

Tiger said:


> I know Rosetta Stone has voice training, it helps remove your accent. I had to get my southern drawl out of the way for Russian.



Okay thanks, I´m going to check it out


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## Scar Symmetry (Jan 10, 2010)

Could you post a video? If you can show us you speaking English then we can tell you what you need to change to get the results you're looking for.


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## Nickthebogan (Jan 10, 2010)

just say fuck and china plate a lot.

which British Accent are you after there are some godawful ones about.


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## Origins (Jan 10, 2010)

Scar Symmetry said:


> Could you post a video? If you can show us you speaking English then we can tell you what you need to change to get the results you're looking for.



Yeah I can do that, not now though, cause I´m quite sick.
But I think I would need to change everything, and start again with learning a good pronunciation. Because I know that making compromises here and there will probably just disturb me.


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## Scar Symmetry (Jan 10, 2010)

Well when you can post a vid I'm sure I can help you out


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## Origins (Jan 10, 2010)

Nickthebogan said:


> just say fuck and china plate a lot.
> 
> which British Accent are you after there are some godawful ones about.



Well like I said, I would like to have a soft British accent, because I know there is some really strong ones from which I barely can understand anything. 
I don´t know from which area because during my trip in UK, I´ve heard people from the same places speaking with different accents. Same between young and old people.
Also, along with the accent I should probably learn some usual vocabulary, because the british expressions can be far different from american ones. My point is not to speak like an American with a British accent.



Scar Symmetry said:


> Well when you can post a vid I'm sure I can help you out



Thanks man, I´ll do that asap


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## Sebastian (Jan 10, 2010)

From what I remember your accent wasn't that bad 
(I'm surprised you could actually understand ME )

I used to have a better accent.. but since I don't use English at all.. I'm not good at it anymore 

I would also suggest to watch as many US/English movies as possible - you get to actually hear people how they speak in different parts of the US etc.


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## Scar Symmetry (Jan 10, 2010)

Sebastian said:


> I would also suggest to watch as many US/English movies as possible - you get to actually hear people how they speak in different parts of the US etc.





Origins said:


> My point is not to speak like an American with a British accent.



Origins wants to have more of a British accent, not American


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## Sebastian (Jan 10, 2010)

Scar Symmetry said:


> Origins wants to have more of a British accent, not American



Still.. I bet British people speak differently in the north, south, and ... and .. well..  the middle


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## Scar Symmetry (Jan 10, 2010)

Of course! You don't want to end up with a Yorkshire accent though


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## ShadyDavey (Jan 10, 2010)

Scar Symmetry said:


> Of course! You don't want to end up with a Yorkshire accent though



That's one of the accents you're unlikely to pick up without quite a bit of immersion in the culture ...thankfully 

Is the accent most associated with the UK that typically "plummy" type portrayed in Classic Cinema? I can't imagine people wanting to sound Brummy...or Geordie...nothing wrong with those places of course but I don't think the first thing that spring to mind.


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## Scar Symmetry (Jan 10, 2010)

Let's not be too kind with our words here - all Geordies are dirty paedos let's face it


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## vampiregenocide (Jan 10, 2010)

I saw this thread and I had an image of the OP standing in front of a mirror going 'Cor blimey gov'na!...no thats not right...'



Scar Symmetry said:


> Let's not be too kind with our words here - all Geordies are dirty paedos let's face it


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## CapenCyber (Jan 10, 2010)

Just stick your fingers up your nose:


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## signalgrey (Jan 10, 2010)

what you really want is a NY accent.

FOCK you....

you will always sound like you're starting a fight .


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## 8string (Jan 11, 2010)

Nu yoawk?

I think the finnish accent is kinda cool though, but a lot of fins seems to have trouble with the sh sound


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## signalgrey (Jan 11, 2010)

when i get drunk and im talking up a storm. the brooklyn comes out...and everyone thinks im trying to fight them.

AYYYYY....LOOKA THIS FUCKIN GUY.


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## halsinden (Jan 11, 2010)

i'm sort of wary of wading into this one due to various rather heated debates i've been having on facebook around the same subject, but i'll try and present some impartial advice if i can.

...and start straight off with an opinion. crikey. sorry.

it's my understanding that it's best to work on 'received pronunciation' as the absolute template for english. saying this will doubtless receive some criticism amongst some of the english people on here, but it was developed best by daniel jones in the earlier half of the last century. it's my opinion that it was developed and standardised due to the prolific nature of advancements in media technology and the growing chances the world had to hear broadcast examples of the british voice. the standardisation meant that the english language could then be understood universally and without stylised deviation for its use in law, medicine, religion, politics etc.

it's also what i was brought up on and then had practised in drama school.

essentially, once you've mastered RP, you'll find you can handle or at least understand other dialects and regional accents. from RP, you can then move to what's referred to as 'standard' or arguably 'london standard' which, in its simplest understanding, is a more casual use of RP with a slight leaning towards an estuary accent.

i'm not always on the button with RP myself, however i find that my accent simply never changes no matter who or what i'm surrounded by, apart from possibly tightening up on the odd occasion (formality or anger). alternatively, many other people seem to adopt mannerisms without even noticing.

i'd say that you possibly need to examine what you're doing and the effect it will have. having gone through a huge amount of shit in school for the way i speak (both public & state schools), i know what it is to be chastised for it. additionally, having someone you know suddenly start talking differently tends to make you question what's happened within them, this is especially prominent if it's amongst those you grew up with and who still speak the way you do, as it can be preceived as you trying to distance or even better yourself away from them.

the worst that can also happen is that you settle somewhere in the middle ground, a la lloyd grossman. a pastiche of both sides of the atlantic and one that is openly resented by both in turn. my advice ultimately is to consider sticking to your guns. there's a lot to be said for representing where you're from and with media being as prolific as it is now, the 'regional' or geographically placeable accent is becoming very scarce, indistinct and so often subject to trend (there are currently massive trends in london and southeast for young people to speak with a sub-jamaican patwah, even despite being genetically white & english). what you may find unfortunate in your current voice could be a source of infinite fascination in someone else.

as said before though, a video example would really help. happy to be of assistance where i can if you do choose to go ahead with it.

H


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## jymellis (Jan 11, 2010)

how about moving there and picking it up naturaly instead of sounding like someone TRYING so sound british.


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## Origins (Jan 11, 2010)

Okay, sorry guys, I probably didn´t explain correctly the situation.
I´m French, I live in Finland and I use English most of the time (girlfriend, friends, school later, etc..). I don´t like my accent in English and I just want to learn to speak correctly, but with an accent that I like.


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## halsinden (Jan 11, 2010)

Origins said:


> Okay, sorry guys, I probably didn´t explain correctly the situation.
> I´m French, I live in Finland and I use English most of the time (girlfriend, friends, school later, etc..). I don´t like my accent in English and I just want to learn to speak correctly, but with an accent that I like.



gotcha. that's a hell of a mix! and in my experience a huge amount of finns i know speak with an american accent when doing english.

i'd say listening to BBC radio 4 is probably best. i know it sounds silly, but honestly - it's quite on the mark.

H


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## JJ Rodriguez (Jan 11, 2010)

I demand you post a video immediately of you wearing a monocle and a top hat, and you saying "Bloody Hellfire!" and calling people Farnsworth.


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## Scar Symmetry (Jan 11, 2010)

JJ Rodriguez said:


> I demand you post a video immediately of you wearing a monocle and a top hat, and you saying "Bloody Hellfire!" and calling people Farnsworth.



This is the Family Guy portrayal of English people. Seth MacFarlane is a clever guy so I doubt that's how he really perceives us. He is of Scottish, English and Welsh decent himself (MacFarlane is the giveaway) so it's probably a way of poking fun at himself in a way, the same way the South Park creators do to themselves.


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## jymellis (Jan 11, 2010)

i want a video of you wearing a derby saying "sorry love, no time for the ole in out. im only here to read the meter"!


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## JJ Rodriguez (Jan 11, 2010)

Scar Symmetry said:


> This is the Family Guy portrayal of English people. Seth MacFarlane is a clever guy so I doubt that's how he really perceives us. He is of Scottish, English and Welsh decent himself (MacFarlane is the giveaway) so it's probably a way of poking fun at himself in a way, the same way the South Park creators do to themselves.



Excuse me, I've watched a fuck ton of Monty Python, and Faulty Towers so I think I know a little bit more than you about British culture, thank you very much.


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## jymellis (Jan 11, 2010)

JJ Rodriguez said:


> Excuse me, I've watched a fuck ton of Monty Python, and Faulty Towers so I think I know a little bit more than you about British culture, thank you very much.


 
ummmm scar is from the UK maing.


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## JJ Rodriguez (Jan 11, 2010)

I know.


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## 6o66er (Jan 11, 2010)

jymellis said:


> ummmm scar is from the UK maing.




I think that was his point


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## jymellis (Jan 11, 2010)

you guys are a fucking riot, gosh i love this place


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## ShadyDavey (Jan 11, 2010)

Origins said:


> Okay, sorry guys, I probably didn´t explain correctly the situation.
> I´m French, I live in Finland and I use English most of the time (girlfriend, friends, school later, etc..). I don´t like my accent in English and I just want to learn to speak correctly, but with an accent that I like.



Come to the UK for a Holiday and travel - you may find one you like 

(or....loike...if you go to Norfolk...)


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## MF_Kitten (Jan 12, 2010)

WE NEED TO LEARN THIS MAN THE MANCHESTER ACCENT!  (i´m imagining him sounding like Karl Pilkington)

or if we work hard enough, we can give him a glasgow accent!


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## halsinden (Jan 12, 2010)

well, since we're avoiding stereotypes, may i suggest you consider the following priorities:

- *bad teeth*. you will need these, they are integral to pronunciation. all british people have terrible gnashers and have perfected their accents unknowingly by desperately trying to avoid their lips having to touch them.

- *chimney sweeps / petty criminals*. england is the birthplace of the petty criminal who cunningly also moonlights as a chimney sweep to maintain an outward stance of normality. it's worth spending at least 5 months amongst such people to understand what it took for a few of them to evolve as the sex pistols.

- *castles*. despite all our streets being cobbled and only approximately a meter wide, 80% of the british population live in castles. 15% live in tiny tudor-period, wood panelled town houses that are only approximately 3 metres high despite having 5 floors inside. the remaining 5% are homeless, you may refer to these as 'russell brand', they'll understand. you may wish to rent one (or alternatively, as many americans will tell you, buy one from one of our many willing vendors) to embed yourself in the culture.

- *the royal family*. all british subjects are close personal friends of the royal family. we see them around all the time. in order to understand british politics, it's important you know that the royal family have absolute control & influence over all laws and court cases in the land. additionally, prince charles personally presses all coinage himself and princess diana was, as you so correctly assumed, actually an angel who was murdered brutally in france (the capital of europe). this is known as truth since god is an englishman.

- *london*. with exception of birmingham ("burrr-ming-hayummm"), all towns in the UK are called london. some londons are smaller than others, some dramatically so, however all english people come from london. with it being a village, thankfully everybody knows eachother and are probably _very_ likely to know your friend if you have one living in the UK at present. it's best to ask, if you stick at it long enough you'll find you're right.

- *bridges* (linked to point above). surprisingly, given its considerable length, there is only one bridge over the river thames - london bridge.

- *spinal tap*. according to the UK arts council, all professional bands operating with the british isles must do as according to spinal tap. all band members must talk like them, all gigs must be performed in the same manner. this is especially evident in the popular gabba / drum & bass outfit coldplay.

- *hugh laurie*. is american. don't worry. he was just in england for that many years researching a role that he had agreed to play of an englishman on a plane in the sitcom 'friends'.

- *stephen fry*. is gay. all british men who speak like, sound like, or exhibit a modicum of intelligence comparible to lord fry do so out of a brazen exhibition of love for other men.

- *fighting*. despite being cast for many decades in films as villains, nobody within the UK is capable of fighting. the suggestion that the rules of boxing was first standardised by the marquess of queensbury (an englishman) was in actuality a piece of cold war propaganda suggested by the CIA to influence the british to maintain their stance during the cuban missile crisis.

- *spelling*. (see 'driving on the wrong side of the road'). british are obsessed with making things more difficult for those who share their language, this is tragically brought on by a national endemic which came about in the late 19th century called 'history' of which one of the worst side effects is heritage. there is apparently no cure for this, although a good attempt at a pathogen was created by the FDA in the 80s called 'MTV'.

- *benny hill / irony*. though these are prominent, neither is worth understanding. both are obsolete and are soon being phased out by the EU.

- *cold beer / good cuisine*. outlawed in the 17th century by england's only king in history, henry VIII, cold beer and good cooking were seen as ungodly and heretical perversion of god's law. they are believed also to be the single defining reason for the british empire conquering much of the civilised world, a strategic move which was purely related to greed & sadism rather than spreading commerce, education, enterprise & medical practice.

- *europe*. despite being an island, the UK is actually linked to europe geologically, in that it's possible for a grown adult to step across into france quite easily. this is partly down to the UK being so incredibly small, with the country itself being able to fit inside rhode island 37 times in total.

hope this helps.

H


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## Varcolac (Jan 12, 2010)

halsinden said:


> - *bridges* (linked to point above). surprisingly, given its considerable length, there is only one bridge over the river thames - london bridge.



This is the one with the towers.


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## BigPhi84 (Jan 12, 2010)

I'm probably gonna get flack for this, but the entire time I was reading this thread, I thought about this:


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## Origins (Jan 13, 2010)

BigPhi84 said:


> I'm probably gonna get flack for this, but the entire time I was reading this thread, I thought about this:


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## Scar Symmetry (Jan 13, 2010)

JJ Rodriguez said:


> Excuse me, I've watched a fuck ton of Monty Python, and Faulty Towers so I think I know a little bit more than you about British culture, thank you very much.



Yeah sorry I didn't realise. I take it aaaall back.


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## 8string (Jan 13, 2010)

BigPhi84 said:


> I'm probably gonna get flack for this, but the entire time I was reading this thread, I thought about this:




that is such an epic clip! 

and H, I deem your post trve


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## helly (Jan 13, 2010)

You should proceed to www.youtube.com and proceed to watch every Derren Brown video available.

On top of being one of the coolest people alive, his accent is rather neutral, relatively light and it seems (though I couldn't say for sure) to be relatively easy to learn from compared to some thicker or more prominent English accents.


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## Origins (Jan 14, 2010)

helly said:


> You should proceed to www.youtube.com and proceed to watch every Derren Brown video available.
> 
> On top of being one of the coolest people alive, his accent is rather neutral, relatively light and it seems (though I couldn't say for sure) to be relatively easy to learn from compared to some thicker or more prominent English accents.



Yeah, I´ve been watching Derren Brown´s show for a while now


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## All_¥our_Bass (Jan 14, 2010)

Might wanna try watching some Eddie Izzard too.


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## WarriorOfMetal (Jan 17, 2010)

As a result of this thread, I've spent entirely too much time now reading about accents, dialects, and regional variations in English, and listening to examples of some of them.  It's all starting to fuck with my head, and is making me totally overthink the way I speak, and I already knew that I tend to pick up bits and pieces of different accents if I hear them enough...even though most people who hear me speak probably wouldn't pick up on any particular regional accent.


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## halsinden (Jan 17, 2010)

WarriorOfMetal said:


> As a result of this thread, I've spent entirely too much time now reading about accents, dialects, and regional variations in English, and listening to examples of some of them. It's all starting to fuck with my head, and is making me totally overthink the way I speak, and I already knew that I tend to pick up bits and pieces of different accents if I hear them enough...even though most people who hear me speak probably wouldn't pick up on any particular regional accent.



um... sorry mate? something about broom handles? you like want make cake?

not sure i caught you there.

H


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## WarriorOfMetal (Jan 17, 2010)

halsinden said:


> um... sorry mate? something about broom handles? you like want make cake?
> 
> not sure i caught you there.
> 
> H



I'm so confused


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## McKay (Jan 18, 2010)

Go South West! How bist?

Although you said you wanted to stay away from 'American' pronunciations, 'true' English is fully rhotic, unless you're from East Anglia.

/biased


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## darbdavys (Feb 8, 2010)

I think the best thing to have when learning accents is good ears. e.g. I'm basically the only one in our class (hell, maybe school) with the ability to actually hear the major differences in all accents (albeit, I don't know which accent is which ). everyone here is talking in somewhat close to movie pronunciation with lithuanian flavour on top of it 

I find myself talking somewhat similar to Mikael Akerfeldt. (Could anyone point out which accent is this? )


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