What's your own accent like?

[thenoise]

Neutral. A bit like Adam Buxton, complete with lapsing into various silly accents for no apparent reason (probably bored with the overwhelming neutrality of my own voice).

[Icehaven]

I grew up in Coventry, which has no accent, so having lived in Birmingham and the Black Country for the last 17 years I now have a mix of nothing and Coventry people telling me how Birmingham I sound. I don't think I do but you can't really hear yourself, can you. At least not as others hear you.

[Johnny Foreigner]

Not foreign. I did a degree in English linguistics, which involved in-depth study of English phonology. I am therefore able to speak posh, traditional RP, but only do so when I wish to intimidate people who are annoying me. Amongst my friends in Yorkshire, I sound rather more northern. Here in Scotland, I sound like a nondescript, albeit well-heeled Englishman. Sir Patrick Moore, however, only comes out when I am really quite crawss.

[WhoMe]

Definitely close to that hybrid east London/Essex twang that's been getting canned on here, but thankfully not as rounded out as the 'oor look'a that lavley micro-pig in'e nawice' Romford/Brentwood travesty.

[Phoenix Lazarus]

I'm from Inkleh

For the uninitiated, that's the town of Hinckley as it's name is voiced by those living round there.

[An tSaoi]

Liam Neeson meets Father Dougal.

"I have a very particular set of skills, Ted."

[Durance Vile]

As mentioned in the other thread, deepest Chathamese cunt. An Irish friend, the first time we met, was conviced I was putting on an act.

[Steven88]

South Yorkshire, somewhere between a Barnsley and Doncaster accent.

[Poirots BigGarlickyCorpse]

"Howayeh huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun"

[buttgammon]

What does that sound like? I'm intrigued.

Part Welsh, part Scouse basically!

[buzby]

South Liverpool Beatlesy Scouse that's been chewed too long and comes out as formless mush. Southerners hate him for this one weird trick! (The trick is bad diction)

Mine is North Liverpool, so a bit harsher, but not as harsh as the Kirkby/Huyton 'Lid' concentrated Scouse. A bit like Alexei Sayle when he slips back into his full native accent. I've got friends from Derbyshire and Cambridgeshire and whenever I'm around them and their families I have to make a mental effort to slow myself down. When I first met my mate from Derbyshire's dad, I had conversation with him about cars (he was a classic car restorer) and after a couple of minutes he said 'I'm sorry, I only understood about half of what you have said so far'. My friends from Newcastle have no trouble with my accent though.

[Kankurette]

All over the place. I've been mistaken for Brummie a couple of times. Apparently autistic people pick up accents very easily. People thought I was faking it when my accent changed in Manchester, but it just came out like that. It was weird.

ETA: Mark Hughes is from Ruabon which is in Wrexham, this is what he sounds like.

[Replies From View]

My accent doesn't make sense in the context of my parents, so I think I must have got mine from listening to Radio 4 or something.

[famethrowa]

I've been asked many times if I'm Canadian: no, it's basically educated country Australian (but "country" meaning a bit isolated and spending your young years listening to 70s/80s British/American media). I sound a bit posh to everyone here but to you lot I probably sound like Paul Hogan doing Barry McKenzie.

[Dr Rock]

Terry Thomas

[mothman]

Terry Thomas

I thought I was the only one! This must be what it feels like when doves cry...

[Pancake]

middle-class upbringing in the Manchester

How?

[Pancake]

I've just got a generic Cotswolds accent, somewhere between David Cameron and Clarkson

[Small Potatoes]

Full on border Northern Irish ("power shower" comes out as "paar shaar") but 15 years living on the mainland has forced me - part consciously, part unconsciously - to flatten it out a bit and slow down so that students can understand what the fuck I'm on about.

[Kankurette]

On the subject of accents, Madhair's voice is very pleasing to the ear. He sounds like he should be on Radio 4.

Small Potatoes, I love the Belfast/NI accent, and I'm not taking the piss. I used to go out with a bloke from Derry. I also like the much-maligned Scouse accent. It's amazing how many varieties of it there are. The original line-up of Space all had very different accents despite all being from the same city. Tommy and Andy were easy to understand, Jamie - who's from Huyton - less so, and Franny needed subtitles. I couldn't understand a bloody thing he said when I first heard him speak.

[The Culture Bunker]

ETA: Mark Hughes is from Ruabon which is in Wrexham, this is what he sounds like.

Sparky did move to Manchester when he'd have been about 16, though, which is what I put his slightly soft Welsh accent down to. I used to go out with a girl from not far from Wrexham who had a very non-specific English accent - but that was because she exclusively spoke Welsh till she was about 11 or 12 and when learning our language, did so from people this side of the border.

The thread has reminded me that when I first moved away from home as a student, a lot of the overseas students though I was from Norway or Sweden due to my surname, appearance (tall, blue eyed) and manner of speech.

[canadagoose]

The thread has reminded me that when I first moved away from home as a student, a lot of the overseas students though I was from Norway or Sweden due to my surname, appearance (tall, blue eyed) and manner of speech.

Well, Cumbria has a lot of placenames of Scandinavian origin (all the -by, -thwaite, -beck, -holme ones), so you might have a bit of it in you.

[Kankurette]

Sparky did move to Manchester when he'd have been about 16, though, which is what I put his slightly soft Welsh accent down to. I used to go out with a girl from not far from Wrexham who had a very non-specific English accent - but that was because she exclusively spoke Welsh till she was about 11 or 12 and when learning our language, did so from people this side of the border.

The thread has reminded me that when I first moved away from home as a student, a lot of the overseas students though I was from Norway or Sweden due to my surname, appearance (tall, blue eyed) and manner of speech.

Speaking of Scandinavians, Peter Schmeichel. The most Mancunian Dane ever. Solskjær's got a bit of a Manc twang as well. I think Scandis tend to pick up British accents quite easily, Tommy Myhre and Tommy Gravesen both sounded pretty Scouse after playing for Everton.

[buzby]

I also like the much-maligned Scouse accent. It's amazing how many varieties of it there are. The original line-up of Space all had very different accents despite all being from the same city. Tommy and Andy were easy to understand, Jamie - who's from Huyton - less so, and Franny needed subtitles. I couldn't understand a bloody thing he said when I first heard him speak.

Franny's from Everton, which is probably between mine and the Kirkby accent in terms of harshness. Tommy's from Cantril Farm (which at one time was known as 'Cannibal Farm', and was renamed Stockbridge Village in the late 80s to try and improve it's image) which is the newest of the slum clearance estates (it was built in the early 60s, after Huyton and Kirkby) so when he grew up there the accent wouldn't have been that harsh.

I think Scandis tend to pick up British accents quite easily, Tommy Myhre and Tommy Gravesen both sounded pretty Scouse after playing for Everton.

As did Jan Molby, on the other side of Stanley Park.

[The Culture Bunker]

Well, Cumbria has a lot of placenames of Scandinavian origin (all the -by, -thwaite, -beck, -holme ones), so you might have a bit of it in you.

I'm sure there is - as far back as we can make out, my paternal family line has been in Cumbria. But I think in the instance I gave, it was that my natural accent sound completely bizarre to someone from France or Italy. From others, I got plenty of the kind of reaction Partridge has to Michael when discussing the vandalism on the car, but they recognised I was from the same country as them.

Speaking of Scandinavians, Peter Schmeichel. The most Mancunian Dane ever. Solskjær's got a bit of a Manc twang as well. I think Scandis tend to pick up British accents quite easily, Tommy Myhre and Tommy Gravesen both sounded pretty Scouse after playing for Everton.

Jan Molby as well, of course. Maybe the Dutch too, as I heard Japp Stam on TV when he was managing Reading and he was speaking like he was dossing about Oldham Street, despite only being at United three years.

[studpuppet]

Speaking of Scandinavians, Peter Schmeichel. The most Mancunian Dane ever. Solskjær's got a bit of a Manc twang as well. I think Scandis tend to pick up British accents quite easily, Tommy Myhre and Tommy Gravesen both sounded pretty Scouse after playing for Everton.

cf. "He's big, he's round, his car is in the pound - Jan Molby! Jan Molby!"

Edit: beaten to the punch...

[QDRPHNC]

I have no idea. People from Northern Ireland think I sound Canadian, Canadians either don't hear any accent, or think I'm Irish or Scottish, or think I'm mispronouncing words for fun.

Which shape do you prefer?
Ship?
Which shape do you prefer?
What ship?
Sorry, which shayyyyype do you prefer?

[Kankurette]

Franny's from Everton, which is probably between mine and the Kirkby accent in terms of harshness. Tommy's from Cantril Farm (which at one time was known as 'Cannibal Farm', and was renamed Stockbridge Village in the late 80s to try and improve it's image) which is the newest of the slum clearance estates (it was built in the early 60s, after Huyton and Kirkby) so when he grew up there the accent wouldn't have been that harsh.
As did Jan Molby, on the other side of Stanley Park.

Yep, sounds about right. Neighbourhood is about Cantril Farm. Of the new members, Phil is from Kirkby - I think Leon, the previous drummer, was also from there. I don't know where Allan's from.

I actually like Franny's voice but holy fuck, he was a nightmare to transcribe when I was studying the Scouse accent for my English Language A-Level (we were doing an assignment on regional accents). It took a few listens to understand.

I forgot about the chonky Dane. And there was Stig Inge Bjornebye too, though I have no idea what he sounded like. Btw if badaids or any other Everton fans are reading this, you might remember Roberto Martinez had a bit of a Scouse/Lancastrian twang, I guess cos he's lived in the UK for years.

[Tony Tony Tony]

I have retained my Manchistor accent despite having lived longer darn Sarf now than I spent in Manchester.

It seems to be so distinctive that when I call up my local curry house for my regular Friday night order they know it is me within the first sentence. (Sadly they also know exactly what I am going to order)   

[An tSaoi]

I love the Belfast/NI accent, and I'm not taking the piss.

I don't think I've ever heard anyone say this. Cool.