Share your accent?

[dewmuw]

When I read a book I hear the voices in my head (no I don't need to see a shrink) and I've started to do it here. For example, when I read a post by Marie her words always have a soft Irish lilt to them.

It struck me that there must be hundred of different accents on this site - but none of us type with them! :)

So when you read this post try reading it with my acccent - sort of a cross between Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello!!

[lomond]

Maybe when you read my posts it should be a cross between Maw and Paw Broon.

Och, jings, crivens, help ma boab. Whit a stramash. An aw that.

Have a look. http://www.thatsbraw.co.uk/The%20Broons/Broons-Family.htm

Just for fun. :) :) :) Cheers Damian.

[HJMinard]

Well, this is kind of tough for me. Having served in the military with people from all over the U.S., I believe I can safely say that there is a very large group of us whose accents are indistinguishable (to other Americans). Southerners are obvious (and there are a few different types) and Easterners are obvious (all varieties including Boston, New York, etc.). Some people say that those of us from Michigan have a unique accent, but I'm not buying it. If I was speaking on national television tonight nobody would know where I was from (except that I wasn't from the south or east). Obviously, anyone from any other country (except - perhaps - Canada) would know I was American. So ... if you want to know what I sound like ... think plain vanilla caucasian American, just like say ... Tom Selleck or Jeff Daniels (they're from Michigan).

[pcasciola]

Let's just say when I get really mad and yell, it sounds like a scene out of the Sopranos. :lol:

[CyberDyneSystems]

like say ... Tom Selleck or Jeff Daniels (they're from Michigan).

Er,. yeah,. They both have Michigan Accents! :lol:
seriously,. Tommy has a rather strong accent...

I sound just like Steven Hawking http://members.bellatlantic.net/~vze2hdzu/pics/atom2.gif

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

:lol: I don't have an accent:lol: Everybody else sounds funny:lol:

Seriously, it would be a light Scottish hint.

The Ottawa Valley area is Scottish/Irish heritage. The settlement was not all that long ago, either. The heritage has carried through, with a local tongue that is very distinguishable.

I've travelled in many areas of Canada, US and Asia, and I have been told more than once about (aboot) it.
I spent 2 years working NASCAR and the Southerers were commenting on my accent:lol:

This is fun, sometimes.

[exposingmyself]

in new york, your accent all depends on where you're at.

you're not going talk like an intellectual snob at the corner bodega (ny's version of mom & pop grocery stores) or you'll get your butt kicked and you leave your street language at the door when visiting family, going to school and work.

[IanD]

Accent eh?
Hey JAZZ, now we know why you can't find good poutine in the Otawa Valley:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) :):):):)
Haggis, for sure, poutine, nope:):):):):):):)

[O/confusion]

I grew up in Coventry, U.K.--so think Clive Owen, but a little older, more refined, and much better looking:D; (Actually, Clive and I were fellow actors in Coventry's Belgrade Theatre Youth Company, way back in the 1970's. Of course, he's now a superstar, and I'm still a nobody. No accounting for taste, is there?)

Cheers,
Terry

[flyfishnj]

All you other people have accents -- not me ;)

[am_pitbull_terrier]

I found this on the net, it has some of the good pittsburgh lingo in it.
Yunz have fun with it:)
PITTSBURGHESE:



babushka (accent on the second syllable) n. bandana or headscarf.
buggy n. shopping cart
chipped ham (pronounced "chipp'tam") or chipchopped ham n. very thinly sliced ham for use on sandwiches.
crick n. creek
cue-pons n. coupons
dippy eggs n. eggs over easy which are not fully cooked, so that the yolk is still runny
guchies "n." underwear, as in, "Always wear clean guchies n'at, 'cause what if yinzer in an accident?"
gumband n. a rubber band.
hoagie n. a submarine sandwich
jag-off n., vulgar an *******; an extremely disagreeable person
jagger bush n. any shrub with thorns
jag around v. 1) to waste time; 2) to mess with someone in a non-serious fashion
jimmies n. candy flecks put on ice cream or cupcakes; sprinkles
jumbo n. synonym for bologna lunchmeat. Isaly's (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Isaly%27s&action=edit), a local chain of delis, sells a popular variety known as square jumbo
Kennywood's open interj., said to men only indicates that the zipper of one's pants is open. Kennywood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennywood) is a popular amusement park that is only open during the summer months.
n'at contraction "and that". Means, "along with some other stuff", as in, "Yinz wanna go dahn ta Isaly's n'get sommadat square jumbo n'at?" (Do you all want to go down to Isaly's and get some of that square baloney, and a few other things?)
neb v. to investigate or take interest in things which are none of one's business. He was nebbin' around in my business.
nebby adj. Given to prying into the affairs of others; nosy.
neb**** n., vulgar An individual who persistently or habitually cannot mind their own business.
nuh-uh interj. No way. Opposite of yuh-huh
pierogie (often shortened to progie) n. a macaroni product filled with mashed potatoes
pop n. a soft drink.
pronounciation n. pronunciation
redd up v. intermediate step between tidying and cleaning ' Yinz better redd up this room '
rubbers n. galoshes
soda n. refers strictly to only unflavored carbonated water (NOT THE SAME AS POP Ie: Pepsi, Coke)
Sliberty n. the East Liberty (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=East_Liberty_%28Pittsburgh%29&action=edit) district of Pittsburgh
slippy adj. slippery
Stillers n. the Pittsburgh Steelers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_Steelers) football team.
street car n. a trolley
sweeper n. a vacuum cleaner
tennies n. tennis shoes
the tube or tubes n. either the Fort Pitt or Liberty Tubes, tunnels drilled through Mt. Washington (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mount_Washington_%28Pittsburgh&action=edit) which separate the South Side from the South Hills
up Mike's 'n down Jake's n. fictitious location used when one is asked where one is going and does not wish to answer or doesn't know
you guys'es used to address more than one person as in "You guys'es house is real nice."
yuh-huh interj. Yes, absolutely. Opposite of nuh-uh
yinz or yunz pr. Second person plural pronoun; losing some ground to both you guys and yall.
worsch wash




Idioms not used much among younger generations
Jiminey Christmas! interjection of amazement or surprise.
Kiss my ass under Kaufmann's Clock! "Go to hell!" Refers to an ornate clock on a busy streetcorner in downtown Pittsburgh attached to the Kaufmann's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaufmann%27s) department store.
hale hell (e.g., "hale no", "go to hale", etc.)
n'ya mean? "Do you know what I mean?"
mar-farker mother****er
sucker taffy

[Scottes]

I have no accent.

:-)

[CyberDyneSystems]

Neither do the Kennedy's.....

[Belmondo]

I'm from California. We have no accents.....especially our governor.

[Bruce Watson]

When I read a book I hear the voices in my head (no I don't need to see a shrink) and I've started to do it here. For example, when I read a post by Marie her words always have a soft Irish lilt to them.

It struck me that there must be hundred of different accents on this site - but none of us type with them! :)

So when you read this post try reading it with my acccent - sort of a cross between Paul McCartney and Elvis Costello!!

I cannot imagine what this thread is supposed to be aboot, eh? Zed or Zee?

[Citizensmith]

feckin' 'el mate, aksents huh. bleedin' sarth lundun originally, but i ain't there no more. weava was pony so I buggered off.

To, like, Sacramento California, which is, like, totally awesome. I mean, like, wow, the weather over here is, like, cool.

But you can tell I'm still English because all I do is talk about the weather.

Zed, definitely.

[sixshot]

Strange thread. I'm from London so can use some Cokney Rhyming slang and confuse lots fo people. Heres is an example.....

"Got to my mickey, found me way up the apples, put on me whistle and the bloody dog went. It was me trouble telling me to fetch the teapots."

which really means,

"Got to my house (mickey mouse), found my way up the stairs (apples and pears), put on my suit (whistle and flute) when the phone (dog and bone) rang. It was my wife (trouble and strife) telling me to get the kids (teapot lids)."

Confusing??

[sixshot]

I'd have understood you Citizensmith. Also a sarth lunduner.

[Rob612]

Let's just say when I get really mad and yell, it sounds like a scene out of the Sopranos. :lol:

Looking at your last name... I believe that Im in the same conditions, except the fact that I probably ALWAYS sound like one of the Sopranos... :D :D :D

[4nR]

I found this on the net, it has some of the good pittsburgh lingo in it.
Yunz have fun with it:)
PITTSBURGHESE:




babushka (accent on the second syllable) n. bandana or headscarf.
buggy n. shopping cart
chipped ham (pronounced "chipp'tam") or chipchopped ham n. very thinly sliced ham for use on sandwiches.
crick n. creek
cue-pons n. coupons
dippy eggs n. eggs over easy which are not fully cooked, so that the yolk is still runny
guchies "n." underwear, as in, "Always wear clean guchies n'at, 'cause what if yinzer in an accident?"
gumband n. a rubber band.
hoagie n. a submarine sandwich
jag-off n., vulgar an *******; an extremely disagreeable person
jagger bush n. any shrub with thorns
jag around v. 1) to waste time; 2) to mess with someone in a non-serious fashion
jimmies n. candy flecks put on ice cream or cupcakes; sprinkles
jumbo n. synonym for bologna lunchmeat. Isaly's (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Isaly%27s&action=edit), a local chain of delis, sells a popular variety known as square jumbo
Kennywood's open interj., said to men only indicates that the zipper of one's pants is open. Kennywood (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kennywood) is a popular amusement park that is only open during the summer months.
n'at contraction "and that". Means, "along with some other stuff", as in, "Yinz wanna go dahn ta Isaly's n'get sommadat square jumbo n'at?" (Do you all want to go down to Isaly's and get some of that square baloney, and a few other things?)
neb v. to investigate or take interest in things which are none of one's business. He was nebbin' around in my business.
nebby adj. Given to prying into the affairs of others; nosy.
neb**** n., vulgar An individual who persistently or habitually cannot mind their own business.
nuh-uh interj. No way. Opposite of yuh-huh
pierogie (often shortened to progie) n. a macaroni product filled with mashed potatoes
pop n. a soft drink.
pronounciation n. pronunciation
redd up v. intermediate step between tidying and cleaning ' Yinz better redd up this room '
rubbers n. galoshes
soda n. refers strictly to only unflavored carbonated water (NOT THE SAME AS POP Ie: Pepsi, Coke)
Sliberty n. the East Liberty (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=East_Liberty_%28Pittsburgh%29&action=edit) district of Pittsburgh
slippy adj. slippery
Stillers n. the Pittsburgh Steelers (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pittsburgh_Steelers) football team.
street car n. a trolley
sweeper n. a vacuum cleaner
tennies n. tennis shoes
the tube or tubes n. either the Fort Pitt or Liberty Tubes, tunnels drilled through Mt. Washington (http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mount_Washington_%28Pittsburgh&action=edit) which separate the South Side from the South Hills
up Mike's 'n down Jake's n. fictitious location used when one is asked where one is going and does not wish to answer or doesn't know
you guys'es used to address more than one person as in "You guys'es house is real nice."
yuh-huh interj. Yes, absolutely. Opposite of nuh-uh
yinz or yunz pr. Second person plural pronoun; losing some ground to both you guys and yall.
worsch wash




Idioms not used much among younger generations
Jiminey Christmas! interjection of amazement or surprise.
Kiss my ass under Kaufmann's Clock! "Go to hell!" Refers to an ornate clock on a busy streetcorner in downtown Pittsburgh attached to the Kaufmann's (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaufmann%27s) department store.
hale hell (e.g., "hale no", "go to hale", etc.)
n'ya mean? "Do you know what I mean?"
mar-farker mother****er
sucker taffy


LOL, oh you west pa guys and your slang! i actually say a bunch of the ones listed above, in addition to 'wuddur' (for water). i grew up near philly, so i guess i should have an accent. but i dont.

[JAZZ D.P.G.]

Accent eh?
Hey JAZZ, now we know why you can't find good poutine in the Otawa Valley:):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):):) :):):):)
Haggis, for sure, poutine, nope:):):):):):):)

Never said the best poutine was in the Ottawa Valley:confused:

The closest spot west of Ottawa is on Merivale Road and Hunt Club in West End Ottawa. Ray's Chip Truck at the Canadian Tire:D

The further up the valley you go, the more like a poutine made in Toronto:lol: it gets.

The best spots are deffinitly east of Ottawa, towards Montreal.

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Ray's Chip Truck mmmmmmmmmmmmm Saturday!!!!!!!!!!

I'll try to post the shot, before and after.:lol:

Edit: Never, ever , pick on a Haggis. You never know when it will come back to haunt you:eek:

[Niall]

Uhhh, I've no idea how to describe the north Wales accent. My accent is in the very small minority around here too. It's some sort of derivative of Irish and the local Welsh accent with the actual Irish accent totally removed leaving beind a distorted variation of the actual local accent. Yeah..

Really poor explination, but people from south Wales say it sounds like an english accent, which it clearly doesn't.

Now before I make this random post last forever I'll go to bed :D

[stoneylonesome]

Connecticut, no accent to speak of, We're sort of all mixed up, New York Mass Vermont New Hampshire Rhode Island Maine all thrown into the mix.

[vcutag]

LOL, oh you west pa guys and your slang! i actually say a bunch of the ones listed above, in addition to 'wuddur' (for water). i grew up near philly, so i guess i should have an accent. but i dont.

Oh, how I miss hearing some Picksburger. My dad's family is from western PA, I get a kick out of my grandparents' hybrid Pittsburgh/Tidewater Virginia.

My own accent is a bit of a cross between Tidewater Virginia (the moase ran aboat the hoase, etc.) and Standard American, although the Tahdwoughtah gets thicker when I'm tired/drunk.

Dad's got a weird Pittsburgh/Virginia thing going on (he says y'all, but still goes dahntahn), while my mom has the upstate NY/ Atlantic Canada thing (her dad was from Rochester and her mom was from Nova Scotia.) To add some spice, my stepmother's Texas Panhandle is still going strong after being in Virginia for over 20 years.

I think we're the only non-immigrant family I know where each generation has a different accent. Makes things interesting. ;-)

[dewmuw]

:D What have I started!

When I have been in Canada and the US people always ask me if I am Australian!

[JMAS]

Funny post. Well, for me it's even more difficult, as I'm Portuguese. Please do not confuse with the brazilian accent. Same language but completly different accents. They sort of sing while speaking, we sort of mumble :lol: .

While speaking english, well ... my friends say I sound like Bruce Willys, but that can be because they are misled by the hair resemblance... :lol: .

[Claire]

I have a slight Gothenburg accent when speaking Swedish. When speaking English I have mainly and American accent with a little Swedish mix in it. My phrases range from outrageously American expressions to cute British ones. :) I'm still sad I never acquired a British accent while in UK.

[O/confusion]

I'm still sad I never acquired a British accent while in UK.

Claire, you can have mine if you like! (I still sound like a Brit fresh off the boat even after twenty-four years back here in Canada. Gets a bit stale being asked where I'm from--especially since I was born in Toronto!)

regards,
Terry

[4nR]

:D What have I started!

When I have been in Canada and the US people always ask me if I am Australian!

bwahaha! thats us americans, its funny how some people cant tell the difference between uk and aussie accents.

[dewmuw]

bwahaha! thats us americans, its funny how some people cant tell the difference between uk and aussie accents.

That's OK when I was in Canada a guy on a bus asked me where I was from. I said, Liverpool, and he said "Oh near London." I said - no about 250 miles away and he said "Yeah like I said, near London." It was then I realised that distance in Canada has a different meaning! :)

[HJMinard]

That's OK when I was in Canada a guy on a bus asked me where I was from. I said, Liverpool, and he said "Oh near London." I said - no about 250 miles away and he said "Yeah like I said, near London." It was then I realised that distance in Canada has a different meaning! :)

250 miles is almost a daily commuting distance for Americans and Canadians :)

[dewmuw]

250 miles is almost a daily commuting distance for Americans and Canadians :)

A friend of mine from Vancouver Island (RIP Ron) came to visit me with his wife in 2002. One day they went off exploring and said they'd find somewhere for us to have dinner. He called at about 4pm and said he'd found a restaurant we'd like. I didn't recognise the name and asked for directions. "When he said the Kyle of Lochalsh" I knew where he meant!! About 350 miles away. They had driven up that day and wanted us to meet them there that evening!! When I said I had work next day he said I should stay over in the B&B and leave early the next day!!

[HJMinard]

bwahaha! thats us americans, its funny how some people cant tell the difference between uk and aussie accents.

I agree with what you're saying, but I don't understand it. I have difficulty distinguishing between some of the various UK accents, but I think Aussie accents are very distinct and obvious.

By the way ... since we're discussing accents ... what's your favorite (for whatever reason)? For some reason I really like an Irish accent ... although there's something to be said for an English language Spanish accent - from certain individuals (Paz Vega! Penelope Cruz!).

On the other hand, for no particular reason, I don't at all like English with a French accent.

[dewmuw]

I agree with what you're saying, but I don't understand it. I have difficulty distinguishing between some of the various UK accents, but I think Aussie accents are very distinct and obvious.

By the way ... since we're discussing accents ... what's your favorite (for whatever reason)? For some reason I really like an Irish accent ... although there's something to be said for an English language Spanish accent - from certain individuals (Paz Vega! Penelope Cruz!).

On the other hand, for no particular reason, I don't at all like the accent of English with a French accent.

Personally I like West Highlands (Scottish) accents. Probably because they remind me of holidays! :)

[vcutag]

250 miles is almost a daily commuting distance for Americans and Canadians :)

I dunno about that, 250 miles puts me through Washington and Baltimore and smack in downtown Philly.

Maybe on the West Coast ;-)

[HJMinard]

I dunno about that, 250 miles puts me through Washington and Baltimore and smack in downtown Philly.

Maybe on the West Coast ;-)

I have, of course, exaggerated, but the point is the U.S. and Canada are waaaay more spread out than a place like Great Britain or Japan, so distances are perceived very differently. You're right, the northeast U.S. is probably similar to the UK with the close proximity of relatively large metropolitan areas. Go south ... or west ... and things get (a lot) more spread out. My commute is about 50 miles one way ... I know others with longer.

But we digress ... :)

[cruzyn56]

Read through these and didn't see New Jersey represented. My accent isn't heavy and is not easily picked out when I trave, but here goes...

Youse guys....
New Joisey
winder
terlet


I hope this sparks a bunch of New Jersey jokes... they are pretty good. Somewhere in my one of my computers I have an application to live in New Jersey.. How high is your hair? How many leather jackets do you own?

Out of all the cliches I like youse guys the best.

[jfrancho]

My accent is on the 2 and 4.

[cmM]

I was born and raised in Europe, but have been studying English since 2nd grade.
I have a slight Eastern european accent

[Rob612]

bwahaha! thats us americans, its funny how some people cant tell the difference between uk and aussie accents.

Tell you what... Albeit not my mothertongue, I do believe that my English is good enough to track down "some" accents. But Aussies are quite easy, at least for me, they are the only one where my conversation is full of "pardon ?".

No pun intended, of course, its just me that I'm not used to that accent - we really see very little Aussies over here, But everytime I meet one, I can tell because I really have problems in getting what they say.

I used to have a pub here in Rome several years ago and we had a couple of Australian guys that were coming in often to have some beer. After I while, with some exercise, I managed to get almost 90% of what they were saying. But after i sold the place my Ausiie training got lost in time. And now I'm back in troubles :D

I must say, perhaps, that I really liked the few Aussies I had a chance to meet and spend some time with. Friendly people and definitely always available for a good laugh. Wish to visit the place, sooner or later.

[Rob612]

On the other hand, for no particular reason, I don't at all like English with a French accent.

I like a lot French people and French language - that I speak, at least a little - but I must say that English with a Frech accent is really tough to manage. With a German accent get a little better, but not that much.

Still, English is not my mothertongue, so I can be completely wrong.

[vcutag]

On the other hand, for no particular reason, I don't at all like English with a French accent.

I think the only thing worse is English with a Québecois French accent. I've only heard it three or four times, but I couldn't follow in either English or my marginal French. I didn't know it was possible to speak through your nose... ;-)

(Said very tongue-in-cheek, of course. I'd love to learn the dialect eventually, but I don't think I could manage it without being dropped in the Sanguenay in the dead of night.)

[FlyingPete]

Being a NZ'er, probably sound a little like Peter Jackson with and little bit of a English twang due to one of my parents being from that part of the world.

Incidentally the accent, in the movie Star Wars Episode II, Jango Fett and Boba Fett (and hence all the clones) have is from South Auckland NZ, which is very different from your typical kiwi accent.