(When I say "quite intelligible" I mean in Real Life in actual conversation - as opposed to some of my voice samples, which some have said are nigh unintelligible or at least very heavily accented.)
Which accent is really more popular in the world?
The American accent(s) is the most loved and hated the world over, but I'd shag any woman with one.
Actually, Damian, I had the same problem in a London restaurant -- I asked for water (you know, wah-durr) and the waitress stared at me blankly until I repeated it (self-consciously) with the T intact -- which is harder for me to say and sounds completely unnatural coming out of my mouth! (Fellow Americans, just try pronouncing each and every T in a paragraph sometime -- it's a weird experience, because not only does it sound odd, but you have to change the movements of your tongue to do it -- it takes concentration!)
James, we'll talk later.... ;P
James, we'll talk later.... ;P
Hi James, *flutters eyelashes*
*innocently* What do you mean by "shag"?
*even more innocently* I'm not an American girl, but
*a little cockuettishly* I am very curious and I like to learn new things
;)
*innocently* What do you mean by "shag"?
*even more innocently* I'm not an American girl, but
*a little cockuettishly* I am very curious and I like to learn new things
;)
Well, there you go, Uriel - in reverse, you bore out what I said a little earlier. I sounded just like a TV chef just then didn't I? - "here's one I made a little earlier". It's a pretty safe bet, Uriel, that the waitress who served you in the London restaurant wasn't British anyway...she could have come from anywhere.
Here in London the word water often sounds something like "woe-tah" or maybe even "woe-(h)'ah!" - or something similar...the T vanishes altogether, Estuary style. I'm so looking forward to going home and hearing it pronounced as it should - "wott-urrrrrr"! :-)
Here in London the word water often sounds something like "woe-tah" or maybe even "woe-(h)'ah!" - or something similar...the T vanishes altogether, Estuary style. I'm so looking forward to going home and hearing it pronounced as it should - "wott-urrrrrr"! :-)
She seemed 100% English, but she could have just been faking it really well..... Ever heard of your fellow Scot Craig Ferguson? He has a late-night talk show here that I've never seen, and I couldn't quite place him until the article I was reading mentioned that he had played Drew Carey's boss on the very funny Drew Carey Show -- where he played a character that sounded completely English. How sly!
<<I'm so looking forward to going home and hearing it pronounced as it should - "wott-urrrrrr"! :-) >>
I thought it was fairly common among Scottish young(er) males to pronounce "water" as ["wO?@4] or "woh-ur" (the first syllable with the vowel in caught/cot for most Scottish speakers).
I thought it was fairly common among Scottish young(er) males to pronounce "water" as ["wO?@4] or "woh-ur" (the first syllable with the vowel in caught/cot for most Scottish speakers).
this is the most popular accent>
''Imma get dis dawg from Joisey and wulk him.''
Try to locate it.
''Imma get dis dawg from Joisey and wulk him.''
Try to locate it.
I'm back hame in Edinburgh and Scotland! Great feeling! It's no accident that Edinburgh was recently voted the best place in the UK in which to live. :-)
http://www.list.co.uk/article/5330-edinburgh-crowned-uks-best-place-to-live/
There is a pretty wide gulf between the accent here in Edinburgh and that of Glasgow, 40 miles to the west of us and yes, glottal stopping is much more of a feature of Glaswegian than it is here even though it does exist here depending on several factors, like which area of the city you come from and your background, really, so the pronunciation of "water" can vary, say from Morningside to Colinton, giving one example. Glasgowspeak is much broader than our local dialect, but again, depending on the same factors I mentioned. Generally, the Edinburgh accent is softer and less harsh.
Craig Ferguson - I had to look this guy up on the net to find anything substantial about him - his name doesn't mean much to many of us here under about 35 or 40 or whatever, it seems. According to the site I looked up he's 47 and although he was born in Cumbernauld (on the outskirts of Glasgow) he has lived in America since 1995 and according to the site I looked at he is applying for American citizenship as he is, as you say, running a late night TV show over there. I assume he has a Glaswegian accent? All I can say is that I sure hope he has modified it and at the same time has "Americanised" it a wee bit at least, if his American viewers are to stand any chance of understanding what he's banging on about.
Apparently he is dating Sharon Stone, with whom he duetted on American TV a song with the very clear Scottish title "Yer cannae shove yer granny aff the bus!" (trans: You can't shove your granny off the bus!).
OK - that waitress in the London restaurant may, just may, have been an English lassie but if so she is a very rare being. I don't think it's possible for many non Brits to convincingly fake an English accent and get away with it, but, no offence at all intended here, Uriel, but as an American you may not be in the best position to really judge? :-) You'd be very hard pressed to find any waiter or waitress in London, or indeed anywhere else in the UK, who is of British origin. Like very, very few here in Edinburgh are Scottish - which is why we may all, eg - learn Polish just for fun -in a sort of masochistic sort of way. Only joking....just looking at signs written in Polish is one mega deterrent.
http://www.list.co.uk/article/5330-edinburgh-crowned-uks-best-place-to-live/
There is a pretty wide gulf between the accent here in Edinburgh and that of Glasgow, 40 miles to the west of us and yes, glottal stopping is much more of a feature of Glaswegian than it is here even though it does exist here depending on several factors, like which area of the city you come from and your background, really, so the pronunciation of "water" can vary, say from Morningside to Colinton, giving one example. Glasgowspeak is much broader than our local dialect, but again, depending on the same factors I mentioned. Generally, the Edinburgh accent is softer and less harsh.
Craig Ferguson - I had to look this guy up on the net to find anything substantial about him - his name doesn't mean much to many of us here under about 35 or 40 or whatever, it seems. According to the site I looked up he's 47 and although he was born in Cumbernauld (on the outskirts of Glasgow) he has lived in America since 1995 and according to the site I looked at he is applying for American citizenship as he is, as you say, running a late night TV show over there. I assume he has a Glaswegian accent? All I can say is that I sure hope he has modified it and at the same time has "Americanised" it a wee bit at least, if his American viewers are to stand any chance of understanding what he's banging on about.
Apparently he is dating Sharon Stone, with whom he duetted on American TV a song with the very clear Scottish title "Yer cannae shove yer granny aff the bus!" (trans: You can't shove your granny off the bus!).
OK - that waitress in the London restaurant may, just may, have been an English lassie but if so she is a very rare being. I don't think it's possible for many non Brits to convincingly fake an English accent and get away with it, but, no offence at all intended here, Uriel, but as an American you may not be in the best position to really judge? :-) You'd be very hard pressed to find any waiter or waitress in London, or indeed anywhere else in the UK, who is of British origin. Like very, very few here in Edinburgh are Scottish - which is why we may all, eg - learn Polish just for fun -in a sort of masochistic sort of way. Only joking....just looking at signs written in Polish is one mega deterrent.
Craig Ferguson:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DGoqShhoDew
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NocUu9aY7TQ
Glaswegian dialect:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=r8V1MvKov-I
http://youtube.com/watch?v=DGoqShhoDew
http://youtube.com/watch?v=NocUu9aY7TQ
Glaswegian dialect:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=r8V1MvKov-I
Congratulations Damian! You're back home.
Craig Fergusen is from Glasgow. I think his accent has been Americanized to a certain extent. Although, I watched him interview Gerard Butler (from the same city) and the both of them were watering down their accents at first, but by the end of it, they were practically back home in Scotland. It was really funny to hear them getting less and less American by the second. Fergusen even commented on it.
Last thought- the Polish waiter thing really clears up a few questions I've been having. I've been watching Catherine Tate videos on YouTube trying to get a taste for them and one of them alluded to Polish construction workers.
Craig Fergusen is from Glasgow. I think his accent has been Americanized to a certain extent. Although, I watched him interview Gerard Butler (from the same city) and the both of them were watering down their accents at first, but by the end of it, they were practically back home in Scotland. It was really funny to hear them getting less and less American by the second. Fergusen even commented on it.
Last thought- the Polish waiter thing really clears up a few questions I've been having. I've been watching Catherine Tate videos on YouTube trying to get a taste for them and one of them alluded to Polish construction workers.