What ya think better? English or Australian accent?

from OHIO   Tue Jul 04, 2006 5:41 am GMT
I'm not complete sure on this. I like G'day of the Australian, but also the educated sound of the English. What yall think?
Uriel   Tue Jul 04, 2006 11:34 am GMT
Australian.
Mirte   Tue Jul 04, 2006 12:57 pm GMT
Both
Damian in Scotland   Tue Jul 04, 2006 2:52 pm GMT
Neither
Joe   Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:00 pm GMT
Why not both, South African English. It sounds a bit like both
Damian in Alba   Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:02 pm GMT
This Geordie woman (from the Geordie area around Newcastle-upon-Tyne in North East England) suffered a stroke and was taken to hospital. When she recovered she found she could only speak in a broad Jamaican accent. (Foreign Accent Syndrome). Her family can hardly understand a word she says any more. She desperately wants her Geordie accent back.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/04/naccent04.xml&sSheet=/news/2006/07/04/ixuknews.html
Damian in Alba   Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:05 pm GMT
Same thing happened to an American woman who had never left the United States in her life - after her stroke she spoke as if she'd lived in the UK all her life.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2003/11/25/wus25.xml

This is so weird.....Foreign Accent Syndrome has never really been fully explained.
Guest   Wed Jul 05, 2006 6:04 pm GMT
No accent. Speak with your natural native accent. And be proud of it. You don't need to put on a native English speaking accent in order to appease those people who speak that accent. Today I learned a valuable lesson after having a conversation with an American male. When he doesn't know how to respect people even if he is living in their country. Then why should I put on an American accent and be sound American??

valauble lesson learned: Respect yourself. Respect your country and Respect your people.
Aquatar   Wed Jul 05, 2006 8:52 pm GMT
I'm British and I have to say I do like the Australian accent, it sounds quite relaxed somehow
Joe   Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:05 pm GMT
"No accent. Speak with your natural native accent" Good for you "Guest"
I couldn´t have said it better myself.

If we all spoke the same way what a boring world it would be.
Aquatar   Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:20 pm GMT
Actually I heard a theory that the Australian accent developed mainly from the Cockney accent, but the effects of a warmer climate meant that it became a more relaxed version of it. Don't know how much truth is in that though lol
Joey   Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:54 pm GMT
I´m South African so if that is true we too would have a more relaxed British accent, in certain parts of the country but we don´t.

The closest accent to a South African accent I have found is the New Zealand accent which isn´t exactly the same as Australias.

Now it isn´t to say we don´t have a winter but they realy do have a winter.We only have one ski lodge they have quite a bit more.At the same time we will have parts of the counrty reaching 30ºC.That should mean the parts stuck with the -12ºC should have a stiffer accent but Idon´t find that.

I think it has to do with the native populations and immigrants
that help shape the accent.
Guest   Thu Jul 06, 2006 8:12 am GMT
I would like speak English with a Scottish accent
Robert   Thu Jul 06, 2006 1:46 pm GMT
What's a "British accent"? There are so many variations. My favourite accent is how they speak in Durham, probably best described as a 'soft Geordie' accent. Cardiff and Edinburgh accents are also pleasant to listen to.

I often get mistaken for being an Australian when I go to the USA and I have a hybrid accent - predominantly 'standard southern English' but using the shorter midlands/north vowels. However, I don't personally think I sound like an Australian. I find the Australian accent more pleasant to listen to than the similar New Zealand accent, which has shorter, more clipped vowels pronounced oddly in my opinion.
from OHIO   Fri Jul 07, 2006 8:21 pm GMT
<<<Ohio

Your question is poorly worded. There is no such thing as an English accent per se. The English have always had many accents. G'day is merely a contraction of standard English Good day just like can't is a contraction of cannot. >>>

Brennus,

It must be a 2nd "from Ohio" .I didn't post that message.