Which accent is really more popular in the world?
<<I have never heard of this 'Virginia Tidewater' accent before, but if the name is anything to go by, it must be beautiful. For some reason it sounds almost fairytale(ish) like the language spoken by fairies or pixies or something. Ok maybe not, but I'd love to hear it - it sounds wicked. >>
Publunch, I found a sample. The speaker's Tidewater is--in my opinion--about 70% pure. She's lived in a lot of places, so she has become partly rhotic; pure Tidewater is completely non-rhotic, even in the middle of words. (You will notice that this speaker has become rhotic for the "r" sound in the middle of words.)
To wit:
Speaker #4, at this URL---http://web.ku.edu/idea/northamerica/usa/virginia/virginia.htm
Please keep in mind that hers is not pure--but it will give you at least an idea of how it sounds.
Nice one Jasper! The kindness of people never fails to surprise me - much obliged mate.
That's a really lovely accent; I suppose to these untrained ears it does sound quite ‘southern’, so possibly many of the intricacies of the accent maybe some what lost on me. But it definitely has a unique, almost calming tone (that might have something to do with the lady being about 100 though!) and sounds different to anything I have heard from an American before (I think). She can tuck me in and read me a bedtime story anytime (oooh eerr).
I have never really thought about the range of American accents/dialects that might exist, I suppose via films and television programmes, to these ears, there seems uniformity to the American dialect. But just taking a few minutes to have a look around the website shows this is not the case at all.
Shame that accent is on the backburner, but like many accents here in England (the Cornish, Devonshire and Somerset accents for example) as people migrate and mingle more and more it is inevitable that they will change or even disappear- oh well.
Once again Jasper, many thanks.
Californian accent is the most popular.
<<Once again Jasper, many thanks.>>
Very welcome. :-)
I wish you could hear a pure Tidewater accent, but I cannot find a single sample on the web.
The speaker above had more of a hybrid accent, somewhat outside the Tidewater area.
KESS: <<Californian accent is the most popular.>>
I agree, that among the GenAm dialects (pardon the oxymoron), the California variety is the most pleasant. I hope it reaches prominence.
For a perfect example of Virginia tidewater accent watch Michael Moore's Farenheit 9/11. When small town america was supposedly being threatened by terrorists, Michael Moore went their for interviews (which were totally skewed by the way). The first two men from tappahannock that get interviewed have a textbook tidewater accent. The first man is the mayor, and the second man is the sherriff.
Thank you, guest; I'll check it out. It does seem to be in the isingloss of the dialect.
I think most people here in the US would say they like the sound of the many different British accents better than the American ones. Everyone I know loves an English/Scottish accent. Ours sounds so boring compared to that! I really love a Scottish accent....even though I've never heard it in person =)
Generally in movies you tend to hear more generic accents -- rarely do you hear all the little regional varieties that do still exist. Most actors who have such accents in real life are discouraged from using them on screen. Documentaries, as our guest has pointed out, are often better at giving you a glimpse of how some of our "real folks" talk.
***I really love a Scottish accent....even though I've never heard it in person =) ***
Maybe you need to get out more! :-) I've no idea where you live but it's pretty certain that some Scots have found their way to your neck of the woods at some time or another! We Scots are natural born rovers and we get everywhere! Make sure you have your Accent Detection Antennae fully extended the next time you're out and about in your locality.
Certainly, there are almost no such things as "American" or "British" accents. However, usually you can easily distinguish an American from a Brit. I've heard that a lot of Americans like when foreigners speak in "a kind of" Brittish accent.
As to me (as I'm not a native English speaker), I really enjoy Tony Blair's accent. For me this is THE Brittish accent.
***I really enjoy Tony Blair's accent. For me this is THE Brittish accent***
Start dropping your Ts - pretent you speak Estuary if you really fancy a British accent! :-) Please remember - some British accents are not at all easy on the auditories!!
What a blessing it is for most of us that we are no longer hear Blair's accent in the media day in and day out. :-) Pity the poor souls out in the Middle East or wherever it is the guy now hangs out. OK - a wee bit tongue in cheek really as Tony Blair is actually Scottish although you'd never believe it in a gazillion years to hear him speak in his plummy Southern English Englishsupe duper RP, but nevertheless he's Edinburgh born and Edinburgh educated (Fettes College no less).
Now we really DO have a real Scottish accent in charge of us - sort of - but what a cop out he's just taken....bottling out the way he has. What a muppet, a disgrace to Scotland. Still, it could be a blessing is disguise in the long term......I wish I was a voter in Kirkcaldy....
2 Damian in Putney SW15
As I'm neither English nor Scot nor even an American I don't really care about Blair's political career.
And as I'm not a native English speaker for me he sounded really Brittish, even though he may have not. And probably not only for me, but also for many other non-natives and even Americans. Moreover, you told yourself about *his plummy Southern English Englishsupe duper RP*
:)
Alexei:
Yes, Blair's accent is plummy Southern English English RP to my Scottish ears. It's amazing that he was the MP for a constituency in the north east of England - Sedgefield. Geordieland for all practical purposes, an area NOT known for it's "plummy" accents and that's for certain!
Alexei: it's British, not Brittish! The extra T was beginning to bug me a wee bit! :-)
btw: I don't care about Blair's political career either. It's done and dusted as far as many of us Brits (one T) are concerned.
Now I'm off down the pub.....cheers!
Sorry for BritTish... :))