What British accent do you have?

[bluehillside Retd.]

Wiggs,

No, it's the opposite.  I am a chameleon, and always adopt the accent nearest me.   Now I have a strangled Manchester/Fulham/Norfolk mongrel accent.

Cheer up - you're in good company. Here's Steve McClaren suddenly becoming Dutch:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZnoP4sUV90

Coda - sorry, link might not work because I'm using the proxy thingy just now 

[Maeght]

Said I was from Sunderland but I'm from the South West!

[ad_orientem]

No!  South London accent is quite different to other parts and in all honesty, not a particularly attractive accent. Think (for 'Strictly' fans) James Jordan who is from Chatham. There are some in SE London whose parents/grandparents originated in East End or Bermondsey areas and they retain traces of that type of speech, occasionally difficult to understand, but they are different to the general S/SE London. SW London is different altogether!

The test said I come from West London, which I don't (youngest daughter and niece live there, not noticed anything special from them).

When as child and younger person I suppose I spoke RP but now I have a bit of S London in my accent just from mixing with people at work, of which I am glad!

Quite honestly I don't give a fig; if someone speaks in a way that can be understood, that's all that matters.

My cousins lived in Lewisham and their parents were from west London same as my dad. Mind you, I havent seen them for nearly thirty years so I could be wrong. One thing that always bothered be (something unrelated to accents) is why my cousins were Chelsea fans. Coming from Lewishan you'd think they'd be Milwall fans.

[Gordon]

Did the test: said I was from Glasgow, which is correct.

[Walt Zingmatilder]

No, it's the opposite.  I am a chameleon, and always adopt the accent nearest me.   Now I have a strangled Manchester/Fulham/Norfolk mongrel accent.

You lived on the Isle of Dogs?

[Aruntraveller]

Apparently I sound as if I am from West London and talk like Kate Winslet or Hugh's Laurie & Grant.

This is crap. I sound like Peggy from Hi di hi.

[Rhiannon]

Apparently I sound as if I am from West London and talk like Kate Winslet or Hugh's Laurie & Grant.

This is crap. I sound like Peggy from Hi di hi.

I had the same thing, although my accent is more Pat Butcher. But my mum went to grammar school and taught me to speak like her before I picked up the accent of my peers which may account for the test being skewed - some things I don’t pronounce in the typical east end/estuary way and that’s got more noticeable since moving out. Now I live with three very well spoken kids who take the mick out of the fact that within five minutes of talking to my old east end mates I sound like I’m about the throw everyone out of the Queen Vic.

[ad_orientem]

I find my accent changes uf I speak englush to a non-native english speaker, which though work I have to do alot.

[Nearly Sane]

I find my accent changes uf I speak englush to a non-native english speaker, which though work I have to do alot.

I have telephone voice but that's not just about non native speakers, it's covering a general approach to having to talk to people with different accents.


On occasion, though in such circumstances I will play up and exaggerate the accent in a different way, and choose to sound like Iain Cuthbertson playing Charles Endell Esq.

[Walter]

I had the same thing, although my accent is more Pat Butcher. But my mum went to grammar school and taught me to speak like her before I picked up the accent of my peers which may account for the test being skewed - some things I don’t pronounce in the typical east end/estuary way and that’s got more noticeable since moving out. Now I live with three very well spoken kids who take the mick out of the fact that within five minutes of talking to my old east end mates I sound like I’m about the throw everyone out of the Queen Vic.

love the little story Rhi, totally blown my mental image of you now . I thought you were a posh bird from Buckinghamshire   

[Robbie]

Accents can only really be identified by the way vowels are pronounced, that test cannot give an accurate assessment.

[Harrowby Hall]

I took the test.

So, my accent is West London? I lived for a couple of years in Ilford and then for rather longer in Windsor. West London is about mid-way between them.

 I cannot even imitate the accent of my native Nottingham, nor that of my eventual hometown, Grantham. In fact, I recall, when I was about 12, deciding to talk without (as I saw it) any accent and copy the voices I heard on the Home Service.

My accent is RP. Perhaps its chief advantage is that I can be understood in every part of the United Kingdom.

[Nearly Sane]

I took the test.

So, my accent is West London? I lived for a couple of years in Ilford and then for rather longer in Windsor. West London is about mid-way between them.

 I cannot even imitate the accent of my native Nottingham, nor that of my eventual hometown, Grantham. In fact, I recall, when I was about 12, deciding to talk without (as I saw it) any accent and copy the voices I heard on the Home Service.

My accent is RP. Perhaps its chief advantage is that I can be understood in every part of the United Kingdom.

Can you?

[Harrowby Hall]

I spent the best part of a year in Huddersfield and had no problems at all.

[floo]

I speak received English as I was taught to do by my mother. As a kid I used to put on the accent of my home island just to wind her up!

[Grace of God]

Not sure that asking what words you use necessarily tells you an accent, which is, I think, easier for change to happen to than vocabulary



http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20180205-which-british-accent-is-closest-to-your-own

we have what could be best described as hard "A"s , car, mars bar all make the accent strong..lol

[ippy]

I'm from north London, I've got a Londonish accent, I do pronounce my H, cannot stand that southern Plaaarstic elaaarstic, I even heard someone on the radio say Chaaartum when she meant Chatam Kent, talk about chalk squeaking across the blackboard, oh yes, and a Lancaaarster Bomber, orrible. 

I have a relative that drops his H almost all of the time, except for when he refers to an arris rail on a wooden fence, which in fact doesn't have an H, I daren't catch my wife's eye when he says it.

Regards ippy

[Grace of God]

I'm from north London, I've got a Londonish accent, I do pronounce my H, cannot stand that southern Plaaarstic elaaarstic, I even heard someone on the radio say Chaaartum when she meant Chatam Kent, talk about chalk squeaking across the blackboard, oh yes, and a Lancaaarster Bomber, orrible. 

I have a relative that drops his H almost all of the time, except for when he refers to an arris rail on a wooden fence, which in fact doesn't have an H, I daren't catch my wife's eye when he says it.

Regards ippy

I love hearing accents, I worked with a gang of geordies for nearly a year, it's like another language..lol

[ippy]

I love hear

I have a lot of family in Grimsby/Cleethorps, I translate for them when they visit us lot down souf, one of them is my great great great niece, scary.

Regards ippy

[Grace of God]

I love hear

I have a lot of family in Grimsby/Cleethorps, I translate for them when they visit us lot down souf, one of them is my great great great niece, scary.

Regards ippy

The accent isn't that bad lol but it is funny..

[Robbie]

I love regional accents especially if they are not too strong (not that I mind stronger ones but they are often difficult to understand); a regional 'inflection' can be very attractive in my opinion. Scots, Welsh, Irish, Cheshire - even 'educated' Merseyside - sounds good to me.

If I had lived with people from other parts I certainly would have picked up bits of how they spoke, heard that in others & can be pleasant.  Unfortunately I've not been so exposed. Always wanted an accent so somewhat deprived  .  Parents and older immediate family never had one but many cousins from Yorkshire have a pleasant inflection.

[Nearly Sane]

I love regional accents especially if they are not too strong (not that I mind stronger ones but they are often difficult to understand); a regional 'inflection' can be very attractive in my opinion. Scots, Welsh, Irish, Cheshire - even 'educated' Merseyside - sounds good to me.

If I had lived with people from other parts I certainly would have picked up bits of how they spoke, heard that in others & can be pleasant.  Unfortunately I've not been so exposed. Always wanted an accent so somewhat deprived  .  Parents and older immediate family never had one but many cousins from Yorkshire have a pleasant inflection.

You have an accent. There isn't a non accent.

[ippy]

The accent isn't that bad lol but it is funny..

They don't live up there in the north, apparently they live 'way up yonder'.

Accent's not that bad but it's family so we don't need to tell them.

Regards ippy

[Harrowby Hall]

As NS says, Robbie, you have an accent. It is most probably one called RP - Received Pronunciation. RP is essentially simply a way of pronouncing English utterances and appears to have been invented in public schools. It has no grammar and usage but is usually associated with Standard English.

[Robbie]

You have an accent. There isn't a non accent.

Most likely NS, just not recognised as such where I live. As you and HH say, standard English, nothing distinctive.