Observations I'm sure mean something but probably don't warrant a whole thread

[Smackhead Kangaroo]

I was considering why in American-english modern african-americans have their own dialect that is so obviously and easily distinguishable from a standard american accent (in a very general sense obviously). In contrast to here where if I heard a young black fellow speak I'd most likely be unable to distinguish anything in his accent that differs from any other local joe.

i'm reasonably sure this must be analogous in other countries and excludes people who speak with an accent in a second language. I can understand people of an older generation speaking with some kind of afro-accent, but young natives? No doubt it's a deliberate and dare I say wanky desire to embrace the whole "my ancestors were oppressed" thing. That said there are wiggas who speak with the ghetto accent but in such cases most will frown upon such faddy wankery.

Anyone got anything else? Or perhaps more on this?

[El Unicornio, mang]

I think it's probably because blacks in America were a lot more segregated than they ever have been here. They have very large communities in America which are 100% black, so obviously they get their own dialect springing up.
To be honest, I can't stand it. Hearing people go "Wassup dawg" and "aaaigghtt" and "thas' off tha chain" and "fuzzizzle ma bizzle" annoys the hell out of me.
It's also to do with poor areas. Go to any poor neighbourhood anywhere in the world and you'll hear lots of slang which you don't hear anywhere else.

[Jet Set Willy]

It's also to do with poor areas. Go to any poor neighbourhood anywhere in the world and you'll hear lots of slang which you don't hear anywhere else.

ie "Chah bloodclot less tax up dat honky ting"

[thomasina]

I'm not so sure.  Accents are far more refined to very specific areas and groups than it seems at first but you have to hear a lot of them.

There is, in Teesside, a very specific 'Middlesbrough Asian' accent which is absolutely unmistakeable and loads of people speak it, even if their grandparents have never lived further East than Thornaby.

i watched a thing last year about people doing the Haj thing for Eid and as soon as i heard this one guy talking I could tell he was from Middlesbrough - but its a subtly different accent to someone from a white background who grew up in middlesbrough.

[Mister Six]

I can sometimes tell if a person is black, even if they have a proper cockney/whatever accent. There's just something about the voice that gives it away. Dunno what, though.

That's not very helpful is it?

[thomasina]

i sometimes can too, but its easier if they come from a place that i know well.   My friends with Asian parents who come from London sound, to me, exactly like other Londoners.  There is a special London 'Black guy' accent thats different, but not all black guys from London have it.  Confused? i am..

[Crazy Penis]

I can sometimes tell if a person is black, even if they have a proper cockney/whatever accent. There's just something about the voice that gives it away. Dunno what, though.

I think I know what you mean. It's the same the other way round, like when people say a white singer, like the guy out of UB40 (probably a poor example), sounds black and has a soulful voice. You can listen and say yeah he does but there is still something missing.

[Capuchin]

I was considering why in American-english modern african-americans have their own dialect that is so obviously and easily distinguishable from a standard american accent (in a very general sense obviously). In contrast to here where if I heard a young black fellow speak I'd most likely be unable to distinguish anything in his accent that differs from any other local joe.

i'm reasonably sure this must be analogous in other countries and excludes people who speak with an accent in a second language. I can understand people of an older generation speaking with some kind of afro-accent, but young natives? No doubt it's a deliberate and dare I say wanky desire to embrace the whole "my ancestors were oppressed" thing. That said there are wiggas who speak with the ghetto accent but in such cases most will frown upon such faddy wankery.

Anyone got anything else? Or perhaps more on this?

To echo the Unicorn I'd say a lot of the explanation will be the segregation element, an the length of time with which to build up a different dialect over time.
The black population of England mostly stems from the 60's, and added to the fact that segregation is nothing like it is in the states (here it's based on rich/poor class divides more than race) so there hasn't been the time and space seperate from the local culture to develop a distinct dialect.

From what I can tell, most of what's spoken on 'the street' in England seems to stem from Jamaican patois, though heavily anglicised.
Which kind of makes it sound stupid, like kids with West Country accents trying to act hard.

That's more the 'how', I suppose, do you want to talk about the 'why'?

[Pinball]

I can sometimes tell if a person is black, even if they have a proper cockney/whatever accent. There's just something about the voice that gives it away. Dunno what, though.

I think I know what you mean. It's the same the other way round, like when people say a white singer, like the guy out of UB40 (probably a poor example), sounds black and has a soulful voice. You can listen and say yeah he does but there is still something missing.

More nasal. Also female black singers tend to have a more powerful voice than white equivalents.

[hencole]

In contrast to here where if I heard a young black fellow speak I'd most likely be unable to distinguish anything in his accent that differs from any other local joe.

Really? I can almost always tell a black persons voice from a white person. The only time its difficult is if  they are very posh, and then thats not very often.

[Lady Beany]

Slightly off topic, but I was in a bar the other night, went to the loo and it had a toilet attendant (obligatory in London for some dumb fucking reason).  Anyway, she was black, and as I went to wash my hands she said :

'Where are you from?'
'Well, the West Country, but my parents are from Mauritius.'
'Oh, you look Caribbean.'

I have NEVER been told I look black before.  Arabic, Indian and Greek maybe, but Black?!  

...Maybe I overdid the foundation that day...

[Uncle_Z]

It's the only way of demonstrating coolness and getting laid.  Have none of you seen the Fresh Prince of Bel Air?  From this it can be extrapolated that Colin Powell never gets his jollies cos he aint down wid it.

[A Passing Turk Slipper]

I remember years ago, when I was a kid the radio was on and I made a comment like 'that guy sounds like he's black' and my brother and his friend were laughing at me for ages because they thought it was a stupid thing to say. But I agree with the people here who say you can tell to an extent whether a voice belongs to a white or black person. There are exceptions obviously, like the guy out of UB40 who I think does sound black, and if I didn't know otherwise I would believe that.

[Morrisfan82]

Perhaps she actually said "Oh, you look curried, Bean".

God I am SO sorry

[Lady Beany]

Perhaps she actually said "Oh, you look curried, Bean".

God I am SO sorry

Cuh. Racist.  ;-)

[Krang]

Bareman be talkin shit n ting like he bin blazin bare spliffs.