161 réponses à ce sujet

[Elhanan]

Stanley Woo wrote...

I've toyed with the "Standard American" accent, and being a Chinese-Canadian (who's also pedantic and wants to be right all the time), I find it difficult to manage. I'm simply not used to opening up my vowels so much, except when I'm singing, which is neat.

I suppose I'm accustomed to the American accent because I'm exposed to it all the time. My singing group had a workshop last week, and we got to talking about the American accent. The guy leading the workshop remarked how impressed he was that we all pronounced "sorrow" the same way (sore-row) and how Americans have trouble pronouncing it that way, pronouncing it sahr-row, with a more open ah sound. He told us that his wife was instructed by her singing group (in L.A.) to pronounce it sahr-row to match everyone else. That'd be weird to a Canadian, but I hear it's the same for voice actors. To get work for larger companies, you have to be able to at least simulate an "American" accent.

Here's actress Amy Walker demonstrating various accents.

I am constantly amazed by those in the acting profession that pass for American in film, games, and TV. Some of those that never fail to impress are Lucy Lawless, Hugh Jackman, Mel Gibson, and Damian Lewis.

But Woo is a crazy man if he does not seek assistance from Bioware contributor Yvonne Strahovski ....

[Menycet]

I'm from a Northern European country.

American accents don't sound annoying or strange to me at all. I've got used to a lot of them, because I hear them on TV every day. However, I tend to feel a bit intimidated when I speak to an American, 'cause their accent is just so much better than mine. It's way easier to speak to a person who isn't a native English speaker.

In my opinion, some of the weirdest and funniest sounding accents come from European countries actually, for example France, Germany, Russia (there's nothing sexy about them, they just sound really funny to me, no offense XD). I have a huge weakness for the posh English accent, though. Yum.

[Ryllen Laerth Kriel]

Don't be intimidated when speaking with an American, American's love accents for the most part since we either are immigrants or the descendants of immigrants.

[Menycet]

Yeah, I know that I shouldn't feel intimidated. From my experience, some Americans consider the non-American accents to be interesting, and think that it's awesome that we know how to speak two languages at the same time (sometimes even more than two).

But for some reason I just can't shake the feeling that I'm not on the same level as them. That's why I feel intimidated. :/

Modifié par Menycet, 24 juin 2011 - 12:16 .

[mousestalker]

North American Map of Dialects (and Accents)

[por favor]

Menycet wrote...

Yeah, I know that I shouldn't feel intimidated. From my experience, some Americans consider the non-American accents to be interesting, and think that it's awesome that we know how to speak two languages at the same time (sometimes even more than two).

But for some reason I just can't shake the feeling that I'm not on the same level as them. That's why I feel intimidated. :/

I know how you feel. Whenever I speak in someone else's language, I always feel a little insecure because I can never pronounce the words quite like them. No matter how hard I try to speak perfect Spanish, I always sound like a "guera."

Like someone else said, though, don't feel insecure. Your accent doesn't make you inferior. It makes you unique and interesting. In a group of Americans, you'd be the only one that would think negatively of your accent. Trust me! 

And if you speak more than one language, you're not only on the same level as most Americans...but above level. 

[Rawke]

Menycet wrote...

I'm from a Northern European country.

American accents don't sound annoying or strange to me at all. I've got used to a lot of them, because I hear them on TV every day. However, I tend to feel a bit intimidated when I speak to an American, 'cause their accent is just so much better than mine. It's way easier to speak to a person who isn't a native English speaker.

In my opinion, some of the weirdest and funniest sounding accents come from European countries actually, for example France, Germany, Russia (there's nothing sexy about them, they just sound really funny to me, no offense XD). I have a huge weakness for the posh English accent, though. Yum.

QFT. I'm so glad I don't speak with an accent. You're lucky if you find someone who can actually pronounce "th" in Germany. Or ask someone to say "Massachusetts." Tongue-twister for many Germans. Sometimes it's hard to believe English and German are closely related.

[Naughty Bear]

I like the Texan accent with the 'yeehaw' in it, find it amusing. I gotta have neighbours like that one day.

Oh and i mean this in a positive way and not negative, i bet Americans will think my accent is posh as i have been called posh by a group of Americans before when i was in France.

Modifié par Naughty Bear, 24 juin 2011 - 01:42 .

[Kaiser Arian XVII]

Rawke wrote...
Sometimes it's hard to believe English and German are closely related.

Sometimes it's hard to believe Pashto and Persian are closely related.

[Rawke]

Garbage Master wrote...

Rawke wrote...
Sometimes it's hard to believe English and German are closely related.

Sometimes it's hard to believe Pashto and Persian are closely related.

Touché.

[ReallyRue]

I don't find odd, because so many of the programmes on our TV channnels (here in the UK) are American. Whether or not it's annoying depends on the person, as much as it does with anyone, I suppose (Alba's accent isn't especially annoying). I don't like or hate it. There are a couple of American voices I really like though. They tend to be on games.

I've noticed whenever Americans are interviewed/on 'reality' TV, they sound much different to actors on dramas/films, etc. To me, anyway. Which is odd.

[Lord Phoebus]

The only one I find hard to understand is the Louisiana patois. Most of the rest don't annoy me except for the southern accent and Texan accent. The standard TV accent is more of a non-accent though, it's the sort of accent you get when people from different countries learn to speak the same language and live in the same area and there hasn't been enough time for regional dialect to form. There are some Carribean creole accents and UK (cockney) that I find really hard to understand.

[slimgrin]

I'm safe from criticism as being from Montana means I don't have a discernible accent.

And that Amy Walker clip is amazing. Woman has talent.

[AllThatJazz]

I really, really like most of the American accents I've heard. But then, I'm a big fan of regional accents and dialects in general. My own accent is pretty standardised, placeless 'English', though not as posh as RP, with just a touch left from South Wales on occasion (mostly when I'm drunk), which is where I grew up. I love trying to 'place' people based on their accent.

Modifié par AllThatJazz, 24 juin 2011 - 06:24 .

[Siansonea]

I have found that American accents are becoming more homogeneous, probably as a result of television. I'm from Texas, but you would never know it to hear me talk. No one here in Colorado can tell I'm a native Texan unless I "put on" a Texas accent. I put on all sorts of other accents too, like the Midwestern "Fargo" accent, California Valley Girl, Deep South, and New York accents. Accents are fun!

[AllThatJazz]

Elhanan wrote...

Stanley Woo wrote...

I've toyed with the "Standard American" accent, and being a Chinese-Canadian (who's also pedantic and wants to be right all the time), I find it difficult to manage. I'm simply not used to opening up my vowels so much, except when I'm singing, which is neat.

I suppose I'm accustomed to the American accent because I'm exposed to it all the time. My singing group had a workshop last week, and we got to talking about the American accent. The guy leading the workshop remarked how impressed he was that we all pronounced "sorrow" the same way (sore-row) and how Americans have trouble pronouncing it that way, pronouncing it sahr-row, with a more open ah sound. He told us that his wife was instructed by her singing group (in L.A.) to pronounce it sahr-row to match everyone else. That'd be weird to a Canadian, but I hear it's the same for voice actors. To get work for larger companies, you have to be able to at least simulate an "American" accent.

Here's actress Amy Walker demonstrating various accents.

I am constantly amazed by those in the acting profession that pass for American in film, games, and TV. Some of those that never fail to impress are Lucy Lawless, Hugh Jackman, Mel Gibson, and Damian Lewis.

But Woo is a crazy man if he does not seek assistance from Bioware contributor Yvonne Strahovski ....

Agreed (didn't know about Lucy Lawless, heh). Also, Hugh Laurie sounds incredible in 'House'. To be honest, though, I can't think of as many North American actors who do a decent English RP. The only two who really spring to my mind are Jennifer Hale and Johnny Depp. Maybe Gwyneth Paltrow, but she doesn't have a particularly pronounced accent anyway.

Edit: And Mike Myers

Modifié par AllThatJazz, 24 juin 2011 - 03:13 .

[NICKjnp]

Yeah...even California has an accent. Most people assume it is what is on TV/Film but that is actually a specific accent you find in Hollywood.

[KenKenpachi]

Siansonea II wrote...

I have found that American accents are becoming more homogeneous, probably as a result of television. I'm from Texas, but you would never know it to hear me talk. No one here in Colorado can tell I'm a native Texan unless I "put on" a Texas accent. I put on all sorts of other accents too, like the Midwestern "Fargo" accent, California Valley Girl, Deep South, and New York accents. Accents are fun!

Hmm another reason its becoming homogeneous as you say is as the Schools try and beat the accents out of the kids, plus regional dialects. Well least here they do. I used to be repreminded all the time for using the dialect I grew up around and used. And at first they attempted to drown out my accent by making fun of me or by use of public speaking. Funny enough that last bit backfired on them, as I knew how to carry my tone and thus was a very engaging speaker.
 
From spending time with various people and what not, more so my wife, I can actully hide or drown out my accent. But I do have one, Its kinda like Andy Griffin, just more Southern Gentelman too it. Whats hillarious is when I use it around people not from my region they love it. Here though people laugh at it. I can do some other Accents, very damn good Russian one, I actully fooled a Russian once with it, mainly other foreign ones though. But very few US accents. And when I was in pratice speaking German and Japanese, I could speak them with something of a native dialect, or so I've been told...but thats fallen so far out of use I remember so little of it. I can make the proper sounds and such for Mandrin and Cantonese but short of basic prhases and what my wife tries to teach me I don't really "know it". But I love accents, they tell you where a person is from, even Canadians differ. Meet someone from Quebec, Vancouver, and Albert, rarely will they sound the same. And by telling where a person is from or currently lives and a bit of geographic knowladge you can know a great deal about that person and what to expect to an extent culturally. People around here never understood my facination with such things, more so that I botherd befriending the exchange students.

You can learn a wealth of information if your not worried to ask, and listen. Funny enough I prefer solitude...or maybe its just the locals that make me that way.

[happy_daiz]

Siansonea II wrote...

I have found that American accents are becoming more homogeneous, probably as a result of television. I'm from Texas, but you would never know it to hear me talk. No one here in Colorado can tell I'm a native Texan unless I "put on" a Texas accent. I put on all sorts of other accents too, like the Midwestern "Fargo" accent, California Valley Girl, Deep South, and New York accents. Accents are fun!

Hey, now, not all Midwesterners have that "Fargo" accent! That's mostly Minnesota and North Dakota. If you go a little South from that, we don't have an accent at all, at least from what I'm told (I'm from Iowa).

[mousestalker]

If anyone is interested, this is my native accent (No bad language). I usually use a neutral North American accent, but that's how I sound with family.

Edited for a better sound bite.

Modifié par mousestalker, 24 juin 2011 - 03:31 .

[AllThatJazz]

KenKenpachi wrote...

Siansonea II wrote...

I have found that American accents are becoming more homogeneous, probably as a result of television. I'm from Texas, but you would never know it to hear me talk. No one here in Colorado can tell I'm a native Texan unless I "put on" a Texas accent. I put on all sorts of other accents too, like the Midwestern "Fargo" accent, California Valley Girl, Deep South, and New York accents. Accents are fun!

Hmm another reason its becoming homogeneous as you say is as the Schools try and beat the accents out of the kids, plus regional dialects. Well least here they do. I used to be repreminded all the time for using the dialect I grew up around and used. And at first they attempted to drown out my accent by making fun of me or by use of public speaking. Funny enough that last bit backfired on them, as I knew how to carry my tone and thus was a very engaging speaker.
 
From spending time with various people and what not, more so my wife, I can actully hide or drown out my accent. But I do have one, Its kinda like Andy Griffin, just more Southern Gentelman too it. Whats hillarious is when I use it around people not from my region they love it. Here though people laugh at it. I can do some other Accents, very damn good Russian one, I actully fooled a Russian once with it, mainly other foreign ones though. But very few US accents. And when I was in pratice speaking German and Japanese, I could speak them with something of a native dialect, or so I've been told...but thats fallen so far out of use I remember so little of it. I can make the proper sounds and such for Mandrin and Cantonese but short of basic prhases and what my wife tries to teach me I don't really "know it". But I love accents, they tell you where a person is from, even Canadians differ. Meet someone from Quebec, Vancouver, and Albert, rarely will they sound the same. And by telling where a person is from or currently lives and a bit of geographic knowladge you can know a great deal about that person and what to expect to an extent culturally. People around here never understood my facination with such things, more so that I botherd befriending the exchange students.

You can learn a wealth of information if your not worried to ask, and listen. Funny enough I prefer solitude...or maybe its just the locals that make me that way.

That's awful! The day we all sound the same would be a very sad day indeed, imo   In Wales at the turn of the last century, there was a punishment in schools for speaking the Welsh language. A piece of wood called the 'Welsh Not' would be hung around the neck of any kid daring to speak Welsh instead of English at school. As a result, the Welsh language almost died out completely in many parts of Wales, and has only begun to enjoy a resurgence in the past couple of decades. I really hope that doesn't happen to our regional accents.

[happy_daiz]

AllThatJazz wrote...

That's awful! The day we all sound the same would be a very sad day indeed, imo   In Wales at the turn of the last century, there was a punishment in schools for speaking the Welsh language. A piece of wood called the 'Welsh Not' would be hung around the neck of any kid daring to speak Welsh instead of English at school. As a result, the Welsh language almost died out completely in many parts of Wales, and has only begun to enjoy a resurgence in the past couple of decades. I really hope that doesn't happen to our regional accents.

No, THAT is awful. 

[Eternal Phoenix]

The american texas accent is odd and so is the rough hero american accent you hear in so many movies.

[Ryllen Laerth Kriel]

Garbage Master wrote...

Rawke wrote...
Sometimes it's hard to believe English and German are closely related.

Sometimes it's hard to believe Pashto and Persian are closely related.

Actually English and German's simliarities suprise me sometimes. There are more than with French and English I feel, which also suprises due to the Frankish occupation in 1066. French of course has it's influences. The evolution of modern languages is a fascinating thing. Unfortunately I have no real talent for learning them, despite my clumsy attempts.