Rodger Pettichord Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 (edited) Hi all. Years ago, I was an advisor to foreign students at an American university. Later, another job put me in over twenty countries around the world for eight years of two-month assignments. In those times, I got to hear English spoken with many fascinating accents, from the fluid syllables of India and Africa, to the musical tones of Asia, to the home-grounded versions in Europe, to the wonderful variety in the British Isles, to the flow of the American South and, of course, to the friendly broadness of Australia and the Pacific Islands. And that leads to this week's topic. THIS WEEK'S MEANINGLESS TOPIC: What accents of English do you enjoy hearing? Edited November 9, 2023 by Rodger Pettichord 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Heaton Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 Lancashire and Yorkshire -- but after 53 years in Australia - now few and far between When my kids first arrived in Oz they were laughed at with their Lancy accents and suffered a bit until we taught them to reply by saying to the Aussie kids - "I don't have an accent - you do!" 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boetie Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 The Scottish. My Dad was born in Dundee, left there when he finished his National Service. He never lost his accent. Cheers Graeme 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wain71 Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 us here in the Southwest sound like farmers apparently.....however I do like to listen to my wife's relations from around County Cork in the Rep of Ireland (I also like the sound of a strong Belfast accent), also I like the sound of a Geordie accent as long as I can understand them, I'm interested to know in Australia do you have regional accents like us? I know the US does vary....surprises me the variety we have for how small a country we are.... 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stillwater Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 Indian. Such a lovely melody! 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumbypickett Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 I like any accent I can understand. This is no offence to anyone but I can't understand a lot of British and surrounding areas accent, it sounds like mumble and they get the F and TH all around the wrong way. Some do but not all. (phew) Generally in Australia we all speak the same way. cheers Gumby 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BradB Posted November 9, 2023 Share Posted November 9, 2023 I love hearing all accents , but my favorite is from the state of Maine where my daughter lives . Cheers John 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wain71 Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 20 hours ago, gumbypickett said: I like any accent I can understand. This is no offence to anyone but I can't understand a lot of British and surrounding areas accent, it sounds like mumble and they get the F and TH all around the wrong way. Some do but not all. (phew) Generally in Australia we all speak the same way. cheers Gumby I agree, where I'm from when we say Bath and Three we actually say them like this Baff Free.... well I do anyway, I also get told of for saying windols and idear...lol as my kids would say... 1 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flyingleaf Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 Ah lahk thet Southern drawl. And of course that neat New Yorker speech. And no us Kanucks don't say oooot an aboooot. 1 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Burgess Posted November 10, 2023 Share Posted November 10, 2023 The grandchildren are visiting at the moment so I'm tempted to say 'anything that isn't high pitched and loud' More seriously I've always enjoyed the rather gentle, lilting manner of speech which many from the gaelic speaking communities of the West Highlands and Islands of Scotland have when using English. All the best, John 5 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Pettichord Posted November 11, 2023 Author Share Posted November 11, 2023 As one born in a location where Standard American English is the boring norm, I've got to admit that any accented English is exotic to me, and I love hearing it. Makes me think of faraway places and interesting people. I'm a sucker in this regard. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adambar Posted November 11, 2023 Share Posted November 11, 2023 The Scottish, my grandfather came to the US when he was 16. 3 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Burgess Posted November 12, 2023 Share Posted November 12, 2023 On 11/10/2023 at 6:04 PM, wain71 said: agree, where I'm from when we say Bath and Three we actually say them like this Baff Free.... well I do anyway, I also get told of for saying windols and idear...lol as my kids would say... Ah, but how do you pronounce scone There are at least two variations of the ones you get (with butter, cream and jam if you are lucky) in coffee shops plus a completely different one for the 'largest village in Scotland'. Also the coronation place for the kings of Scotland (think Stone of Scone!). I live near enough to Scone Palace to hear the concerts when they have them There is apparently some controversy as to whether you should put the cream on the jam or the jam on the cream when having a scone. Don't think that affects the pronunciation however! Hint - one of the three rhymes with lone. That's how my mum pronounced it and hers were delicious! Any offers for the other two? All the best, John 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wain71 Posted November 13, 2023 Share Posted November 13, 2023 (edited) , but how do you pronounce scone Hard to do this in writing....if you look at the word it's cone with an S in front so it's scone, the other way that makes me shout at the TV is con with an S at the front....scon... And for me it's always cream first topped with strawberry jam, had some in Cornwall last weekend... Edited November 13, 2023 by wain71 Spelling 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Burgess Posted November 13, 2023 Share Posted November 13, 2023 2 hours ago, wain71 said: the other way that makes me shout at the TV is con with an S at the front....scon... Works well and better than the one I'd thought of which was rhyming with gone. Either way it seems wrong to me as well but appears to be the usual pronunciation! Cornwall and Devon are definitely the places to go for proper 'cream teas'. I'm envious All the best, John 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wain71 Posted November 13, 2023 Share Posted November 13, 2023 This was Fistral beach at Newquay, windy but a lovely walk, and we understood each others accents... 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumbypickett Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 17 hours ago, wain71 said: , but how do you pronounce scone Hard to do this in writing....if you look at the word it's cone with an S in front so it's scone, the other way that makes me shout at the TV is con with an S at the front....scon... And for me it's always cream first topped with strawberry jam, had some in Cornwall last weekend... I pronounce scone as con with an s in front. Sorry Wayne. cheers Gumby 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodger Pettichord Posted November 14, 2023 Author Share Posted November 14, 2023 Just write it in Germanish -- "scӧne" -- then it's simple: "skuhn." 😁 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Heaton Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Now - you lot have really got me going The only true accent in the UK is a Lancastrian/Yorkshire/Northern accent where all vowels are "Flat" and was a major part of the original speech of the Angles when England was first invaded by the Romans - Saxons - Danes - and then the Normans - I.E - a mixture that caused the Southerners to make a bastardised version of the true Anglish. Therefore - Scone is pronounced like - ON - as spoken in the North - and Scone in The South a drawn out vowel - "sc-owe-n" A normal example is Book/Look - Southerners pronounce it - Buck - and Luck - when it should be pronounced like an owl sounds i.e. - "hoot" -- - which is definitely not "Huck". Have you ever heard a train - go "Tutt - Tutt" Q.E.D. 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumbypickett Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Now you've taught us everyfing John. chers Goomby 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wain71 Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 19 hours ago, gumbypickett said: I pronounce scone as con with an s in front. Sorry Wayne. cheers Gumby That's okay, as long as you stay off me TV we're all good....😁 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wain71 Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 12 hours ago, John Heaton said: Now - you lot have really got me going The only true accent in the UK is a Lancastrian/Yorkshire/Northern accent where all vowels are "Flat" and was a major part of the original speech of the Angles when England was first invaded by the Romans - Saxons - Danes - and then the Normans - I.E - a mixture that caused the Southerners to make a bastardised version of the true Anglish. Therefore - Scone is pronounced like - ON - as spoken in the North - and Scone in The South a drawn out vowel - "sc-owe-n" A normal example is Book/Look - Southerners pronounce it - Buck - and Luck - when it should be pronounced like an owl sounds i.e. - "hoot" -- - which is definitely not "Huck". Have you ever heard a train - go "Tutt - Tutt" Q.E.D. John I'm confused by your post, I assume this may be South East, I look at a book and the trains and owls definitely go toot toot, the wife though might well go tut tut..😀 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Burgess Posted November 14, 2023 Share Posted November 14, 2023 Didn't intend to stir up a Hornets nest For what it's worth my Mum called it Scone (rhyming with cone) so that's what I go with. She was from deepest Lancashire. As I've said, hers were delicious If folks call it Scone (Scon) - rhyming with con then I can try and educate them - sorry John If you ever come to Scotland - the ancient Coronation spot of the Kings - the Stone of Scone - Scone Palace. Pronounced Scoon (rhyming with loon). All the best, John 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Heaton Posted November 15, 2023 Share Posted November 15, 2023 sorry blokes - I didn't intend to start a hornet's nest either It was all "Tung in Cheek" - no Emoji for that I'll get me coat ! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wain71 Posted November 15, 2023 Share Posted November 15, 2023 11 hours ago, John Heaton said: sorry blokes - I didn't intend to start a hornet's nest either It was all "Tung in Cheek" - no Emoji for that I'll get me coat ! no Hornets hear my friend, oh and the AV is stunning, I can't say anymore than that, but hopefully you understand, remember what I do...😉 1 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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