Mimicking Accents

[MissWinnie]

I spotted this article on the BBC website in which it explains why the Birmingham accent is so hard to get right which I thought a few of you might be interested in ...

It also got me wondering what the hardest accents to mimic are? For those of us without Birmingham accents, what do people normally get wrong about your accent, and when you are with people with a different accent to yours, do you find yourself temporarily adopting theirs, or parts of theirs? - view external link (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29307916)

[bongosdad]

I do a good welsh one.

Oooooooh helloooo

We tend to unintentionally mimic people's accents we like for some reason. I get confused with the Scottish and Irish accent. I asked a bloke once where in Scotland hes from. He replied im Irish.

[MissWinnie]

I was speaking to an Australian on the phone the other day and I must admit, I did catch myself copying his Aussie intonation a couple of times. I don't know if he noticed though...

People mimicking Welsh accents often end up sounding Indian to my ears.

[yubbywelch]

I bet you sounded more intelligent, when you were mimicking Oz's accent Winnie?

[ozfan]

Undoubtedly :D

[MissWinnie]

More intelligent? Maybe.

More modest? Definitely not. :P ;D

[stateside]

I read that article on facebook last week. I never realized our accent is so difficult. My wife is a good mimicker and can do it, but she has had 30 yrs of practice.

The last part saying there are so many voice types even you neighbour might sound different struck a chord. I always felt my Brummie wasn't brummie enough, almost posh. Probably partly being brought up in the Baggie land of Handsworth Wood.

Another thing was the comparison to the Mersey accent. I tried doing a Brummie accent with a tight mouth and it did come out Liverpoolish although we would never say thur for there etc

I cannot do a Geordie accent except for When the boat comes in or I hope that someone gets my message in a bottle. Otherwise I fall I to a bad Welsh voice.

The worst I hear is English actors doing American accents or Americans doing English ones.

I love tryng to distinguish New Zealand's from Australian. I think the Kiwi's give away might be the e in penguin or pen. They sound like pinguin.

[yubbywelch]

Modesty, that's called confidence Winnie.

All us Aussies are confident, not arrogant, nothing to do with modesty.

We just know we are great. :D

[MissWinnie]

:D


Statesey, did you retain your Brummie accent after moving to the States?

The bit about Brummies having pouty lips due to the way they talk made me smile. I hadn't noticed, but have made a mental note to observe! :)

[xchurchVilla]

I moved to Dorset at 24 and although I lived 9 miles south of Brum as a kid, my family were all true Brummies.

When I moved south interestingly, not one person twigged me as a Brummy. I was always asked whether I was from Liverpool or Australia!

[birminghamborn]

My 3 kids do a great Brummie accent,I've taught them well!

My mate from Es*** married a Yank and has lived in the States for 15 years, when he visited recently he was speaking with what sounded like a Dutch accent! Very weird to listen to.

[stateside]

Yubbs, my accent is more American. After a while some people will suddenly notice the accent.

I still stubbornly try to say Saturday and not Sarudy.

[MissWinnie]

Hey Dad!

I know Yubbs and I look quite similar - being brother and sister and everything, but I thought our own Dad could tell us apart! :blue:

It's me - Winnie! ;D

[yubbywelch]

Sis you must of sounded Aussie Again XD XD ;D

[ozfan]

I know Yubbs and I look quite similar

There's the deal breaker :D

[MissWinnie]

Oz, I thought you said it didn't matter to you, as long as I shaved my Yubby lookalikey dodgy beard off. :(

I've been working on my bestest Aussie accent and everything too. Yubbs has been teaching me. Ok, you might struggle to tell us apart in the dark now, but is that any reason ... ? :blue: :D

[bongosdad]

Ewwwww Yubby and Oz in the dark together. What a horrible thought. You will give them both nightmares Winnie.

[yubbywelch]

I am a very fine looking lady, once shaved, and wearing my mini skirt.

I am very flat chested.

[stateside]

Sorry Winnie. I should have realized that Yubby can't possibly ask an intelligent question.

[yubbywelch]

Boom tish.

I would complain, but it might be dinner time.

[stateside]

I am always hungry these days.

[Exiledvillan]

I left Brum aged 12 in '76' for Stoke, then mainland Europe mid 90's and Ireland in '04'. My accent would be a North Mids/Stokie mix, thankfully I havnt picked up any of the Irish brogue. Tas bin said tho, that when I've drank from the fountain of Stella, the Brummie accent is very noticable even tho I cant mimick it at the drop of a hat, strange as I didnt drink when I was 12 :? . Bit of a lightweight, I know XD

[stateside]

My Brummie comes out when I have a a cold