"Can people from another country really be perceived in terms of "class"? "
Yeah, unless they are so low in status that they have no class whatsoever.
Yeah, unless they are so low in status that they have no class whatsoever.
North American Accent in Britain
I wouldn't say an American is a "high class" accent, especially Southern American accents. Anyone who has a Texan accent sounds a bit think. If you ask a person with a Texan accent the question "What's 1+1?" they'd probably have to use to calculator to work it out and would also probably ask you how to use a calculator.
Someone who's got an RP accent, or any other Posh accent that they speak in places such as London or Surrey, sound a lot more intelligent.
Someone who's got an RP accent, or any other Posh accent that they speak in places such as London or Surrey, sound a lot more intelligent.
<<there is this suburb of Milwaukee (which I'm not from but am from a suburb of) named Glendale>>
I bet the area's flat to make matters worse!
I bet the area's flat to make matters worse!
>><<there is this suburb of Milwaukee (which I'm not from but am from a suburb of) named Glendale>>
I bet the area's flat to make matters worse!<<
Well, the area in and immediately around Milwaukee is rather flat, for the most part, but the whole of Wisconsin isn't exactly what I'd call flat, but rather generally rather lightly hilly with flattish areas here and there (especially when one enters the unglaciated zone in Wisconsin, which I would just call plain hilly and leave the word "lightly" off for).
I bet the area's flat to make matters worse!<<
Well, the area in and immediately around Milwaukee is rather flat, for the most part, but the whole of Wisconsin isn't exactly what I'd call flat, but rather generally rather lightly hilly with flattish areas here and there (especially when one enters the unglaciated zone in Wisconsin, which I would just call plain hilly and leave the word "lightly" off for).
Rick: what exactly is "frog-giggin'?" Highly curious here!
Adam: oh, never mind. You're just a moron, anyway.
Damian: actually, your university girls could well have come from far apart in the US and still had very similar accents, since general American doesn't vary that widely.
But you mentioned other countries! What do you think of other English-speaking accents besides American?
Adam: oh, never mind. You're just a moron, anyway.
Damian: actually, your university girls could well have come from far apart in the US and still had very similar accents, since general American doesn't vary that widely.
But you mentioned other countries! What do you think of other English-speaking accents besides American?
>>I wouldn't say an American is a "high class" accent, especially Southern American accents. Anyone who has a Texan accent sounds a bit think. If you ask a person with a Texan accent the question "What's 1+1?" they'd probably have to use to calculator to work it out and would also probably ask you how to use a calculator.<<
Damn, you seem to have even more bias against anything Texan or Southern than many around here. Of course, that said, Texas and the South are but one region of the US, all things considered, you must remember.
>>Someone who's got an RP accent, or any other Posh accent that they speak in places such as London or Surrey, sound a lot more intelligent.<<
The thing is that many'd likely use a different adjective here than "intelligent", which is why Estuary has been replacing RP as of late.
Damn, you seem to have even more bias against anything Texan or Southern than many around here. Of course, that said, Texas and the South are but one region of the US, all things considered, you must remember.
>>Someone who's got an RP accent, or any other Posh accent that they speak in places such as London or Surrey, sound a lot more intelligent.<<
The thing is that many'd likely use a different adjective here than "intelligent", which is why Estuary has been replacing RP as of late.
Actually, Texas is a very large state and has (at least) two distinct cultural regions, so accents vary between East and West Texas, with the eastern half being closer to the Southern model. But El Pasoans speak General American (when they speak English at all).
Uriel:
Yes, I guess those American girls had the Gen Am accent we on this side of the Puddle think is the traditional "American accent" without thinking of the other varieties over there. I think there are so many misconceptions between the two countries.
I rather like the South African accent, and I also like the English spoken by people from the Sub Continent..India, Pakistan etc. Do you know that many people think they sound Welsh? If you're familiar with Welsh accents then you'd hear a certain similarity with some of those Indian/Pakistani accents....something to do with stress and intonation I reckon. Just think of it....a guy from Bangor being mistaken for a guy from Bangalore! A lot of call centres now operate from India and I've read reports of people from the UK calling up these call centres regarding business enquiries or whatever who think they're talking to a Welsh person! One big snag...a question of appearance..they don't look similar at all.
Yes, I guess those American girls had the Gen Am accent we on this side of the Puddle think is the traditional "American accent" without thinking of the other varieties over there. I think there are so many misconceptions between the two countries.
I rather like the South African accent, and I also like the English spoken by people from the Sub Continent..India, Pakistan etc. Do you know that many people think they sound Welsh? If you're familiar with Welsh accents then you'd hear a certain similarity with some of those Indian/Pakistani accents....something to do with stress and intonation I reckon. Just think of it....a guy from Bangor being mistaken for a guy from Bangalore! A lot of call centres now operate from India and I've read reports of people from the UK calling up these call centres regarding business enquiries or whatever who think they're talking to a Welsh person! One big snag...a question of appearance..they don't look similar at all.
Forgot this: No way can I tell the difference between Oz and Kiwi! They sound exactly the same to me.
"But El Pasoans speak General American (when they speak English at all)."
I have to disagree with that. I had a friend named Mike whom I met many years ago on the internet, in a forum something like this. Anyway, since many of our interests and opinions were the same, we wrote back and forth for over two years, yet we'd never actually conversed in person or on the phone. So one day I get a phone call and I pick up. The person on the other end had such a thick southern accent that I was sure it couldn't be anyone I knew.
Turned out to be Mike of course. I couldn't believe it, because I thought this whole southern accent thing in Texas was overblown and not really true. Isn't Jessica Simpson from Texas? She sounds pretty neutral most of the time, just a slight drawl so you know she's from the south. So I thought it'd be like that all over the state.
Turns out it's not true for El Paso. It's not even true for Dallas, Texas where she is from. I have no idea how Jessica got the "Southern" mostly out of her accent, but I work for a company with a branch in Dallas, Texas and recently met three workers from there. Only one did not have a heavy southern drawl and upon further conversation, I found out she was born and rasied in Massachusetts (actually very close to where I went to school) and had moved to Texas a few years ago. Upon exclaiming "So that's why your accent is not heavy!" she agreed, though she said it seemed she was sounding more and more like a Texan everyday!
So Texas does have a southern drawl according to me. ;-)
I have to disagree with that. I had a friend named Mike whom I met many years ago on the internet, in a forum something like this. Anyway, since many of our interests and opinions were the same, we wrote back and forth for over two years, yet we'd never actually conversed in person or on the phone. So one day I get a phone call and I pick up. The person on the other end had such a thick southern accent that I was sure it couldn't be anyone I knew.
Turned out to be Mike of course. I couldn't believe it, because I thought this whole southern accent thing in Texas was overblown and not really true. Isn't Jessica Simpson from Texas? She sounds pretty neutral most of the time, just a slight drawl so you know she's from the south. So I thought it'd be like that all over the state.
Turns out it's not true for El Paso. It's not even true for Dallas, Texas where she is from. I have no idea how Jessica got the "Southern" mostly out of her accent, but I work for a company with a branch in Dallas, Texas and recently met three workers from there. Only one did not have a heavy southern drawl and upon further conversation, I found out she was born and rasied in Massachusetts (actually very close to where I went to school) and had moved to Texas a few years ago. Upon exclaiming "So that's why your accent is not heavy!" she agreed, though she said it seemed she was sounding more and more like a Texan everyday!
So Texas does have a southern drawl according to me. ;-)
<<Rick: what exactly is "frog-giggin'?" Highly curious here!>>
Frog gigging is a southern US sport where country boys go hunting frogs with guns or harpoons
Frog gigging is a southern US sport where country boys go hunting frogs with guns or harpoons
Well, I hate to quibble, but I live 40 miles from El Paso and I never hear anything resembling a southern accent when I go there for dinner or shopping. So it may be that your friend Mike was not originally from El Paso.
Rick: Weird. Never heard of that.
"Cow-tipping", however, would probably get you the response you were looking for!
"Cow-tipping", however, would probably get you the response you were looking for!
>>Well, I hate to quibble, but I live 40 miles from El Paso and I never hear anything resembling a southern accent when I go there for dinner or shopping. So it may be that your friend Mike was not originally from El Paso.<<
Interesting. btw, Uriel, what does your accent sound like?
Interesting. btw, Uriel, what does your accent sound like?
Born in Philadelphia, but raised in El Paso from the age of one. I'd say he's as good as a native. Maybe he's a strange one, but perhaps you also have a Southern accent and you don't hear it as acutely as I do?