Britich Accent

Sarah   Sun Dec 30, 2007 11:26 pm GMT
Hi all.
I love the britich accent and I would love to learn it. How can I do that?

Thanks in advance.
Guest   Mon Dec 31, 2007 1:20 am GMT
What is a Britich accent?
Guest   Mon Dec 31, 2007 3:41 am GMT
<<Hi all.
I love the britich accent and I would love to learn it. How can I do that?
>>

I suppose there's more than one accent or dialect in the UK, but you could try to listen to as much stuff from the BBC as possible. Another possibility is to move there (at least temporarily) and absorb British English by total immersion.
Damian in Edinburgh   Mon Dec 31, 2007 9:32 am GMT
You suppose? There's no suppose about it! :-) Sarah would have to travel very widely all over the BritiSh Isles if she is to absorb the whole array of accents and dialects there are here. She need travel no more than 20 miles or so from any given location to experience a noticeable change from one to another. Even within my own city area there are differences between certain districts.

It's so fustrating when people from other countries think that RP English English is given the title of THE "BritiSh accent!" It just isnae!!!
To Damian in Endimbra   Mon Dec 31, 2007 12:14 pm GMT
It's quite understandable that foreigners who do not intend to live a in an English-sepaking country should learn a standard accent understandable and recognisable by all.

The fact is RP English has been the norm in continental Europe and elswehere for the past 150 years. Except for those who prefer American English, of course. Even the cultivated Aussies or Kiwis still reflect his. Yes, we do tend to think that HM Lilibeth still speaks the best English within the Crown. It might not be linguistically true but it is socially still worldspread.

If that is the case it's bad enough -for interpreters at least- having to interpret a native rich brogue Glaswegian in an international conference.

Imagine somebody from Younameit speaking with a mixted Glaswegian-Foreign accent in one of these conferences without never ever having having trod the bloody place. Glaswegian can also mean Edimbra, Northumberland or deep Kansaw.
Guest   Mon Dec 31, 2007 1:10 pm GMT
<< She need travel no more than 20 miles or so from any given location to experience a noticeable change from one to another. Even within my own city area there are differences between certain districts. >>

So, is there some particular area in the UK where RP is the predominant form of English spoken?
Sarah   Mon Dec 31, 2007 11:19 pm GMT
Thank you all. Oops! Damian you cought me lol
I know there are many accents or dialects in the United Kingdom. I believe my question was presenented wrongly.

<<So, is there some particular area in the UK where RP is the predominant form of English spoken?>>

I would agree with you. This is what my question have should be.
Guest   Tue Jan 01, 2008 1:10 am GMT
<< So, is there some particular area in the UK where RP is the predominant form of English spoken? >>

No, it's not the dialect of any particular area; that's why it's "received." Only a very small percentage of the UK population at any given time spoke RP. Governesses in the past used to tell their charges to speak so that no one could tell whence they came.

It would be fair to say, though, that RP is derived from various southern and Midlands accents. Back in the day, students from the North who were sent up to Oxbridge would try to modify their accents by adopting the broad A and other southern features.
Guest   Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:31 pm GMT
''The fact is RP English has been the norm in continental Europe and elswehere for the past 150 years.''

Only in theory, most English teachers from continental Europe have heavy European accents, very far from the RP. And, since US English pronunciation is much easier to get in contact with (movies, music) students find it more practical. Furthermore, most people on English Tv channels (like MTV) speak their own version of English...Cockneylike accents seem to be the norm these days, not ah pee...
Guest   Wed Jan 02, 2008 3:33 pm GMT
''So, is there some particular area in the UK where RP is the predominant form of English spoken?''

yes, Oxford and Cambridge.
Damian in Edinburgh   Thu Jan 03, 2008 9:16 am GMT
RP can be found in many areas of England - it is not really a "regional" accent as such - although it is more dominant in Southern parts of that part of the UK.

It's very much an indication of background and educational level. You can, for instance, meet people in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds or wherever, and find people who speak English in what can be accepted as standard RP, even though they may well ne natives of those areas. You are far more likely to find a professional person in those cities, such as a lawyer, judge, doctor, bank manager, accountant, etc, speaking in standard RP than you would an individual engaged in a more manual, routine non professional occupation.

On the other hand you are more likely to find a professional person using standard RP in London, Surrey, Sussex, Hampshire, Berkshire, etc than you would in Lancashire, Yorkshire or County Durham. It's all a wee bit nebulous really, as society is much more mobile nowadays.

Here in Scotland it's a totally different situation. An RP speaker is almost always an "incomer" - mostly English - and we certainly have a lot of those in this city! They're very welcome though - most of the time...... :-)
Guest   Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:47 am GMT
me cae mal ese acentito de marica
Kess   Thu Jan 03, 2008 1:47 pm GMT
Please behave.
Richard   Thu Jan 03, 2008 2:15 pm GMT
I'm curious as to what this Britich accent is and how it differs from a British accent?
AJC   Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:04 pm GMT
RP in use throughout England:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BV8KfpE3BA

Actually RP is *very* specifically south-eastern within England. Someone frm another region adopting entirely would be less unusual as in Scotland but still unusual to suggest private (probably public) schooling at least.