Which English accent is the most popular today?

Damian in Edinburgh   Tue Jan 02, 2007 3:44 pm GMT
The term "British accent" can only be a title - it covers a whole range of different accents and dialects, many of them as different from each other as chalk is from cheddar - or the Queen from Billy Connolly.

It's natural that American English is more widely spoken, and no doubt preferred, worldwide than is "British" English, invariably English English RP, Hugh Grant style. Uncle Sam's USA has over 300m people, while little old GB here only has 60m of us poor wee souls, all babbling away in our variegated local patois. (What's the plural of patois anyway?)

Therefore learner speakers of English are much more likely to be exposed to American English, and that no doubt includes a fair number of Europeans, as some to show an inclination to American pronunciations when speaking English. Not all by any means, but a sizeable number. Europeans are generally very well acquainted with British English simply because of their very close geographical proximity to fair Albion's Isle floating benignly just off shore from their super duper Continent. Even so, some of them make you think they learned their English on some distant campus "Way out West" somewhere......
Pete   Tue Jan 02, 2007 4:16 pm GMT
I agree with you, 01SB.

<<The term "British accent" can only be a title - it covers a whole range of different accents and dialects, many of them as different from each other as chalk is from cheddar - or the Queen from Billy Connolly.>>

Yes, Damian. And I'd say that most people don't really know this. Especially the ones that prefer American English. And some non-native speakers knowing that fact, may also prefer American English in contrast to most English dialects. One tends to like an accent which sounds pleasant and fairly clear. If you struggle to understand an accent, then you might not like it very much. And If you like American English, then... Is there any chance you like Brummie or Cockney??

Pete
Damian in Edinburgh   Tue Jan 02, 2007 5:16 pm GMT
***Is there any chance you like Brummie or Cockney??***

PETE: Well, if that question is directed at me, I'd say both are more "likeable" than Scouse (Liverpool/Merseyside) or, and this is from a Scot! - the worst type of Glasgow.

Cockney can be very funny, depending on the context. Anyway, Cockney has changed to an extreme form of Estuary, anyway, and London is now so cosmo that the london accent is becoming a different type of accent. One variety of this is xcalled "ghetto"...a mixture all all sorts, including ethnics.

Brummie can be funny as well - again depending on who is talking. The trouble is, Brummie speakers are not intending to sound funny! It just comes out that way to others outside the West Midlands.
Pete   Wed Jan 03, 2007 5:33 am GMT
<<Brummie can be funny as well - again depending on who is talking. The trouble is, Brummie speakers are not intending to sound funny! It just comes out that way to others outside the West Midlands.>>

Sure. hehe
Jenny   Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:46 am GMT
I didn't want to start a new thread about this, but I was just curious... what accent does Jade Goody have?

As an American, I had never heard of this woman before, but tonight she was all over the evening news! And I must say, every time I heard her speak, I winced. Her squawking voice is bloody awful and her accent made it difficult for me to understand!
Liz   Fri Jan 19, 2007 3:05 pm GMT
<<I didn't want to start a new thread about this, but I was just curious... what accent does Jade Goody have?>>

She sounds Estuary to me. Besides, her voice is rather unpleasant.
She's from London.
Damian in Edinburgh   Fri Jan 19, 2007 11:35 pm GMT
Please keep this Forum respectable by not referring to Jade Goody again. She is currently Britain's "Persona non grata" No 1. Thanks.
Guest   Sat Jan 20, 2007 6:27 am GMT
<<Please keep this Forum respectable by not referring to Jade Goody again.>>

Are we allowed to talk about Danielle Lloyd?
Liz   Sat Jan 20, 2007 9:59 am GMT
<< Are we allowed to talk about Danielle Lloyd? >>

Let's not. She isn't much better than Jade Goody.

Completely agreed with Damian there.
Rick Johnson   Sat Jan 20, 2007 10:59 am GMT
"I didn't want to start a new thread about this, but I was just curious... what accent does Jade Goody have?"

The best decription would be an inner city London accent. She's from Bermondsey which I think is just South of the River Thames. A couple of days ago the news interviewed local people who sounded exactly the same as her.
Kelly   Mon Jan 22, 2007 3:59 pm GMT
WesternUSA&Canadian accents are popular :)
NYC and Southern accents are not
ZHubin   Fri Jan 26, 2007 7:52 am GMT
American is easier to understand for a non-english speaker like me, because it's flatter than British English.2- Hollywood movies have made people all over the world recognize, immitate and learn about American.
3-American is the most simple form of English compared to real English
My 7 yearold nephew lives in Lodon and he probably knows more words than a Highschooler in America! Cos theirs is a literary culture.
British English takes more effort to immitate for a foreigner, cos they put so much emphasis on vowels and letters, it's exausting. but HAVING SAID ALL OF THIS I THINK ENGLISH ENGLISH IS COMMING BACK, I HEAR IT ALL THE TIME ON THE RADIO, ALI G FOR EXAMPLE IS MAKING WORDS LIKE BLOKE AND GEEZER POPULAR, I READ "GEEZER" IN THE LA WEEKLY! THE ENGLISH ARE COMMING BACK BIG TIME.
ZHubin   Fri Jan 26, 2007 8:44 am GMT
It's all about Monkey see Monkey do, If actors in Hollywood had Chinese accents then Chinese-sounding English would have become the most popular, so if you want to make an accent pop, make movies that sell all over the world in your accent of choice.
Pete   Fri Jan 26, 2007 3:44 pm GMT
Dear ZHubin:

Do you really mean all that you said above? I mean... is it to be taken seriously or it's some sort of trollery...

Anyway. I don't agree with you. Neither is easy than the other. It's largely a subjective matter. What's easy for you is not always easy for the others. Besides, you can't say that American English is simpler than London speech. Only, they are different

Pete from Peru
26AO   Fri Jan 26, 2007 4:35 pm GMT
"It's all about Monkey see Monkey do, If actors in Hollywood had Chinese accents then Chinese-sounding English would have become the most popular, so if you want to make an accent pop, make movies that sell all over the world in your accent of choice."

There is an element of truth in what ZHubin says here.

You'll note that, in the Sixties and Seventies, British singers like Englebert Humperdinck and Tom Jones sang in a distinctly American way.

Who can forget all those shows by the Andersons: Supercar, Fireball XL5, Stingray and Thunderbirds? Notwithstanding Lady Penelope and Parker, the accent for most of the puppets was "American." That's because "things American" were considered modern and sexy back then and the future sure looked like it was going to be, well, American.

Even now, it's still very much Hollywood that is emulated worldwide; after all, the Indians nickname their film industry "Bollywood" not "Poonawood [Pinewood] Studios."