Hey British guys, I love this accent!!!

The Northern U v the Southern U......we're talking England here, the English as usual being in a class of their own, bless 'em! (We love you dearly really...well, sort of! :-) ) OK..let's take the phrase: "let's strut our stuff here", a frequently used British expression (I've no idea if it's used anywhere else outside this country....but basically it just means, erm, well "let's strut our stuff". State our case sort of thing.

Anyway, a person from Leeds or Manchester or Poulton-le-Fylde (well, why not?) would pronounce the U in both words to rhyme with "put". ['strUt] ['stUff].

A person from London or Canterbury or Stanford-le-Hope (why not?) would pronounce the U in both words to rhyme more with "pat". ['str^t] ['st^ff].


For those interested, Poulton-le-Fylde is in Lancashire (North....where the hotpot comes from...and where the "lovely" Adam comes from as well) and Stanford-le-Hope is down in Essex (South - where the boys and girls come from...and where the "lovely" Beckham comes from as well...East London actually, but what the heck..it's next door).

The Midlands of England must be a sort of "no-man's-land"......where one pronunciation form merges into the other...South meets North.... probably somewhere around Ashby-de-la-Zouch (an English town in Leicestershire with a part English, part French, part Dutch sounding name...it must have had an interesting history back in the mists of time gone by. Maybe it started as a joke involving this Englishman, this Frenchman and this Dutchman.....).

<<Anyway, a person from Leeds or Manchester or Poulton-le-Fylde (well, why not?) would pronounce the U in both words to rhyme with "put". ['strUt] ['stUff]. A person from London or Canterbury or Stanford-le-Hope (why not?) would pronounce the U in both words to rhyme more with "pat". ['str^t] ['st^ff].>>

A good explanation.

<<The Midlands of England must be a sort of "no-man's-land"......where one pronunciation form merges into the other...South meets North.... probably somewhere around Ashby-de-la-Zouch (an English town in Leicestershire with a part English.>>

Your probably about right, although I think Leicestershire has more Northern than Southern features. I've met a few people from Northamptonshire, which is one of the strangest accents simply because it's so inconsistent. I've heard people pronounce the same word two ways in the same sentence.

<<The easiest thing to listen out for is pronunciation of certain words. As a general rule "glass" in the south rhymes with arse, in the north and midlands it rhymes with ass. The same vowel sounds apply to "ask", "plant", "grass","pass", "last", "grant" etc. Think north= short, south= long.

Other thinks to listen for is that "u" sounds in the north are given their full weight. >>

I'll remember that next time I cross the Atlantic, Rick, thanks.

My, I really missed a lot here today, didn't I? Trying to catch up.

<<Another word that I forgot to mention last time, that is used in the NE of England (around Newcastle) is "pet". The word "love" is possibly used in the south sometimes, but it's more that it's overused in the North. "Pet", however, is only ever used by people in the North East. Their other favourite expression is "man" - why aye Terry man, tha's right pet! Geordies (people from Newcastle) typically use "man" for both male and females.>>

Oh okay, so the guy that kept calling me "love" may not necessarily have been from the North and therefore I may not be as "braindead" as Michael might say, (see below) :) since I couldn't tell the difference between RP and the northern accent.

<<I suppose that British women in general (and RP speaking women, in particular to those who are not too braindead to tell the difference)>>

<<Of course, that begs the question of why would his speech have anything to do with him treating one with courtesy, dignity, and respect in the first place. >>

Exactly, Travis. All this talk about how sexy an accent is, is lots of fun, but in the end it's how a person treats you. I like a man, no matter his accent, to be kind and civilized, first and foremost. Intelligence and wit are secondary.

However I think that the "civilized" sound of the average English accent may be a factor in explaining why the English accent is so appealing to American women. For the most part Englishmen sound so civilized, and I'm not just talking RP, as some of them can sound too pompous, and the Liverpoolians can sound too harsh and tough. But the average middle-of-the-road "bloke" sounds quite gentle and kind and therefore appealing. Of course this doesn't mean they actually are any of the above. :)

Leicester and Leicestershire......more Northern than Southern? If you want a good example of this (native) Leicester accent listen to Gary Lineker. But Leicester is now so full of (mostly Asian) immigrants you can't really use the expression "a typical Leicester accent" as it's meaningless. Generally speaking it's like Bangalore but without the sunhine and heat. It's not Christmas in Leicester...it's Diwali. This is NOT a racist observation.....it's a statement of fact.

In case anybody is not aware of it, in England Leicester is pronounced as Lester, as Worcester is Wooster and Gloucester is Gloster and Bicester is Bister.

Placenames ending in -cester, or -chester or -caster means that they were founded on Roman settlements during the Roman occupation of Britain - from 54BC to 410AD, from the Latin "castris" (a fortress).

Chester
Manchester
Leicester
Gloucester
Doncaster
Cirencester

Nearly all of those places are in England (or Wales)...not in Scotland as the Romans did not go much further north than the central belt of Scotland where they built the Attenine wall as a defence against the barbarous inhabitants! LOL Plus ca change.....

Thanks for all the info about British accent. Overall Brits accent is really cute. And there's something about Brits man. How reserve are they. This guy that I met in London, He does not initiate anything that is under the sun. Can somebody out ther help me find a British friend. I have everything a woman can ask for, I think. Good job working for a Fortune 500 company in the US. We have 10,000 employee in UK. I was assigned in UK foer several years. But did not find my Brits soulmate. Too shy...
Nice house and most recently I bought a 2006 BMW 525i. So, anybody out hter pls. contact me at ....norawright @comcast.net. I miss the camaraderie of England. Good day... Cheers... Nora

Are you yourself on sale?! or what?!!

If you want an Engilsh guy, you just throw yourself in and try to get one, for God sakes!

hey Pete, That's the problem, I cant find one. Is he out there. please reply. I was accepted at Georgetown University here in Washington, hope to meet some Brits guys, but ther's no one. very rare. Where do you think they are hiding....Cheers

<<That's the problem, I cant find one. Is he out there. please reply. I was accepted at Georgetown University here in Washington, hope to meet some Brits guys, but ther's no one. very rare. Where do you think they are hiding....Cheers>>

Geez Nora, go back to England, that's where they're all "hiding!"

I am coming December 29. But I am a rookie. I'll be in Ritz Carlton- Mayfair. Any of you guys want to meet me........ hang out at the pubs and just enjoy the night out..... I'd like to hear those lovely accent again.

I thoroughly agree with nut.
I'm a Brit myself (Scottish), but can't say I know the voices of the 2 people mentioned.
They probably have the dulcet poncy tones of the English middle/upper classes (I'm guessing here).

Nora...get real, for goodness sake! Are you really for real? That "British" guy you speak of must have been a trappist monk or something on a night out in the UK......not sure if they let them out on the town so he must have escaped ....but then discovered he'd lost the power of speech while in secluded closed orders.

Just go out and have a bloody good time in London Town (or wherever...why not try Edinburgh for fun?....no shortage of hunky types) and if you're determined to hook up with a Brit bloke, believe me you won't find them lacking. btw when they find out that you're staying at the Ritz Carlton in Mayfair you'll have to hire a battalion from the Brigade of Guards to protect you from the stampede heading in your direction.

On second thoughts....however reticent they may appear at first, Brits tend to lose all inhibitions after a noggin... or two.....go easy, babe. If you cannae be good ....at least be careful.

[Damian thinks to himself: Just what is it with Americans and the obsession with Brit accents???? And why doesn't it operate the other way round????? Weird.....]

Thanks Damian...That is very nice of you.Is it true that Brits man are very reserve. They don't open up their feelings. Maybe one of you guys can teach me how to communicate with British man. Maybe I need to enroll in one of your school and learn more about British accent so I can converse. But that is faking isn't it. I cant do that. In America for example when we say "Where is the place" in England "where to" U.S.language sometimes is confusing. Another one is before we hang up the phone we will say " I'll see you later" In England it is "I'll speak to you later"Can sombody out there teach me a good speaking English language.

Damian... Can you find me a friend???? I am for real. Financially secured, beautiful house in a master planned neighborhood in Prince William County, 5,000 sq ft. house colonial brick front, 2006 BMW, and most of all a vacation house in Grand Cayman-British Isle Colony.... What do say....Anxious on your reply....Cheers... Nora