What accent do you really hate? and which one you love?

<My impression is that education imposes much more standardization of pronunciation in the UK than in the US. Several of my British acquaintances have commented on their acquisition of a "posh" accent at a leading university (which apparently replaced a less prestigious accent with which they grew up). In the US, I don't see anything more posh about speech in universities than elsewhere, although I'm sure the mobility still acts to standardize pronunciation (even if nobody feels inclined to point it out, or even notices it).>

Actually, coming from the American South, I can say that accent and educational level are quite strongly linked here. When local folks go away to universities, they are exposed to "standardized" English, which is principally the dialect of the Midwest. This is the accent of newscasters, TV personalities, radio hosts, etc. For myself and most of the local people in my area (admittedly, we have a strong Appalachain accent and some pretty significant vocabulary differences with some other regions of the U.S.), it is a natural thing to switch to this Midwestern accent when dealing with people who come from other English-speaking areas. For instance, we have a large number of retirees who have moved from Florida or the North to our part of Western North Carolina. Most of them find it very difficult to follow conversations among local natives, so we tend to "standardize" our speech when conversing with them, doing business, etc. To us AND them, this "standard" American accent has a feel of being more educated, perhaps more refined--though it certainly doesn't feel as familiar and homey to us moutain folk.

a scouse accent is always the best and girls frm evrywere love it

Britian with it's population of 60 million souls was a certainly & strong & influential nation a mere century ago, however as we all know Mr Blair & old Lizzie are looked on by the educated masses as rather a dried up old cucumber sandwich. I'm sorry old chums, but really at the end of the day you just resemble a qaint little weekend vacation to your former colony of the west.
As for Australia, why don't you all rally to Washington & patition for that covented 51st place of the union, afterall there's is something of the cowboy in every American, but a little bit of the sheep station in most Australians.

Mike, i'm afraid the clubhouse is closed -- we're not accepting any new members these days. Our quota is full. I mean, give us a break -- it's hard enough fitting fifty stars onto that little corner of blue, and now you want to crowd in some more? Imagine the headaches!

I live in Britain and I must say I often think the country is going to hell in a handcart. Deterioration in standards of behaviour, speech and education are obvious; there is more litter and the cities look grimier every year while ignorance, violent crime and disorder increase. I've only lived here 14 years, but the deterioration seems painfully apparent. There is still much to admire, but I get the distinct impression of a country drifting into decline which is a pity.

Ed your right, I feel sorry for all the people that want to come here, Ide be pretty disapointed if ide spent all that money and gone through all that strife for London! Not all bad, get your self out to the country!
As for Australia. The Queen wants you pretty much out of her hair (that speech at the Commenwealth Games).
As for Mike, Get over yourself. Who want's to hand over sovreignty to corrupt Republicans.

Everybody thinks their country's going to hell, or longs for the mythical "golden days" when things were supposedly better. But the truth is, every time period has its trials and its good and bad aspects.

> Everybody thinks their country's going to hell, or longs for the mythical "golden days" when things were supposedly better.

There is an element of truth in this, but it does not logically follow that because some people always think things are getting worse that societies and countries do not decline.

For example few would deny that the USSR of the 1980s was a society in decline; it is generally agreed that Britain in the latter part of the 18th Century was afflicted by drunkenness and alcoholism on a scale not seen since and that China in the 19th Century was a shadow of its previous self.

i like english accents.......i hate country accents....

Talking about drunken behaviour in the UK, especially at weekends......until last year Scotland had much later pub closing times than England and Wales...staying open until the early hours. When that happened the rate of drunkenness on the streets declined sharply.

Then a couple of months or so ago 24 hour opening of pubs and other licensed premises came into effect throughout the UK......pubs had to apply for much longer opening hours, and this means that most pubs now stay open until the early hours, even later at weekends. Some stay open round the clock so drink can be obtained at any time of the day or night, especially in some larger city centres and tourist areas. Since that happened, the rate of drunkenness has declined sharply and is still declining according to latest reports from the Home Office and the individual Police forces.

It was a case of pouring as much of the wet stuff down your throat before the landlord called "time" and put the towels over the pumps at 11 o clock in the evening, meaning thousands of people all leaving the closing pubs at the same time and out onto the nightime streets. That situation has now changed with much longer opening hours.

I think older generations always think that things are going to the dogs wherever you live! I reckon they are just jealous that what people can get now they couldn't in their day, which is true. Society changes from one generation to the next. People are better off than they ever were before, but probably the older people look at things from a "moral" point of view. What was either illegal or completely disapproved of socially years ago is now practically the norm. It depends on your moral viewpoint....liberal or restrictive....whether you think everything is in decline.

The UK, like many other countries, has a huge problem with immigration (legal or illegal) and that places a huge strain on all social resources, and some areas in the larger cities are almost exclusively immigrant, many of them living on minimum wages which the indigenous British workforce will not accept, and also crime rates and sub standard living accommodation tends to be much higher in these areas.

Well thw law needs to change, alot of these people are highly qualified, yet they cannot work because of their status. Others that have entered illegaly, often through Spain and taking years of sleeping rough, and begging in order to raise the hundreds of Euros it takes to pay off the people smugglers through Europe. And once they arive in Britain the only people they can work for really are gangsters.

24 hour Drinking is great, and it is working. The only problem I have is the cheeky lock-in is dead. I used to go to an old country pub, we'de be in there at 3 in the morning, lights turned low and huddled round the fire supping down the Blacksheep.

24hour doesn't effect you in Scotland though does it? My mate complains endlessly when he comes back from Uni, that he can't buy some tinnies late at night.

"Britian with it's population of 60 million souls was a certainly & strong & influential nation a mere century ago, however as we all know Mr Blair & old Lizzie are looked on by the educated masses as rather a dried up old cucumber sandwich. I'm sorry old chums, but really at the end of the day you just resemble a qaint little weekend vacation to your former colony of the west.
As for Australia, why don't you all rally to Washington & patition for that covented 51st place of the union, afterall there's is something of the cowboy in every American, but a little bit of the sheep station in most Australians. "

We just see you as a nation of unintelligent fat f**ks who call yourself "The Land of the Free" yet have the world's highest incarceration rate.

"Ed your right, I feel sorry for all the people that want to come here, Ide be pretty disapointed if ide spent all that money and gone through all that strife for London! Not all bad, get your self out to the country! "

Lots of people like living here, because in Britain you are able to find a job - and a well-paid one.

There are now more French people living in Britain than there are British people living in France, and they've come here because it's almost impossible to find a job in France, with its unemployment rate that is around twice that of Britain's.

i'm doind a speech on accents - can anyone help me???

>Mike, i'm afraid the clubhouse is closed -- we're not accepting any new members these days.

Not to worry. The last thing Australians want is to join those ranks; we like our vowels and spelling too much.

Jim C, acquire a bit of knowledge and wisdom.