Holy crap, this Dublin accent sounds almost American

b   Tue Dec 23, 2008 9:59 pm GMT
Hurgghhh 10th   Tue Dec 23, 2008 10:11 pm GMT
For those who don't appreciate the difference, listen to that Irish sample and then a sample from, say, Manchester, England ... and then listen to American English. The fact that the Irish accent and American accent has the same pronunciation of just about all the vowels is pretty interesting.

Like, that Irish accent posted above is closer to most American English accents than, say, strong Canadian English accents.
fsfs   Tue Dec 23, 2008 11:06 pm GMT
Why is it so amazing if they do sound the same? American is not that unique... if it were it wouldn't be 99.8% intelligible for Brits.
benwards   Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:24 am GMT
b, i spent 2 months last summer in Mayo and Dublin and I never heard anyone with speech that similar to my own Michigan vowels. obviously there are differences but I was truly amazed by that post
Uriel   Sat Jan 03, 2009 11:00 pm GMT
Some Irish speakers do sound uncannily American, while others do not. I've noticed that phenomenon, too. Also, for me at least, Irish speakers are often easier to follow than Englishmen because of the similarilities in their A's and their rhoticity. I noticed that when I was watching Run Fatboy Run the other day -- while I had no difficulty understanding the English Simon Pegg I still had to give him my full attention, while his Irish friend's speech was almost as clear as day and I only had to give him half an ear. My concetration level was only a few degrees higher on him than on Hank Azaria, who was, as a fellow general American speaker, utterly crystal clear. Simon was far and away the most "other" sounding of the three.
Pub   Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:37 am GMT
Uriel - I agree wholeheartedly, I study with many a young Irish lass and on initial greetings I thought many were Americans - and like wise I have mudlled up many Americans with Irish!!!

I suppose the most accurate way to put it is that some 'American' accents DO sound like some 'Irish' accents (Chicken before the Egg and all that).

I have always thought this, and working and studying in London I have many opportunities to work out which one is which - but sod it, for whatever reason I still can't quite get it right!

I am STUNNED that you'd find Simon Pegg even remotely hard to understand though?? Really??? That geezer is as ace as spade as you can get!!

Young lady I will recommend to you some fantastic English films that will nuke your noodle!

Funnily enough I have just watched an American film called "Brokeback Mountain" and I struggled for the most part with the lingo - especially Randy Quiads character - what on Earth was the bloke going on about?? Good film mind! But I had to get the ole remotey out !! Wooo!!!!
Jago   Sun Jan 04, 2009 4:22 am GMT
On occassion I have noticed this. It seems to be totaly unrelated to regional accent and more based upon personal inflections and quirks.
The Irish accent is more prone to having speakers who sound American.
The other nations in the British Isles have nearly no instances of this kind of similarity, with the exception of Cornwall.
The west Cornish accent can be characterised by the hard "R's" and rounded "A's".