NationStates Jolt Archive

To those people from English-speaking countries, I ask, how easily do you understand the English spoken or written by someone from a different English-speaking country?

Personally, I have very little difficulty understanding American English, but I've noticed a lot of Americans (not necessarily on this site) having difficulty with common British slang.

Also, I once saw an American news programme (or maybe a documentary) in which there were subtitles because the person speaking was from the north of England.

I generally find it pretty easy to understand even some pretty divergent accents/dialects, like Jamaican English or Scots. It always annoys me when documentaries etc subtitle people speaking English, just because they've got heavy foreign or even regional accents. It feels so condescending. The common ignorance and confusion about British accents from people in the US also gets on my nerves - I once heard the west country dialect being described as Cockney :rolleyes:

Nah problem at aw, actually I'm quite Robin Hood wif the bloomin' old rhymin' Matheson Lang as it where. In fact, I could Scapa Fla on loike this aw day long nah wahn would 'ave any danny la rue wot the chuffin' donald duck i'm garn on abaht. 'A mother's pearly gate is that?

Spoken not so much of a problem, written will slow me up a bit sometimes though. My doctor just happens to be from Pakistan(sp?), with a thick accent. My husband can't understand a word she says, but she's clear as day to me.

When I went to basic training there was a kid there from the backwoods of Mississippi. No one could understand what the hell he was saying. By the end of basic his accent was at least intelligable, but barely.

That being said, I don't have much problem with most dialects of English.

Although I do remember two friends of mine in the Army. Meridith was from Boston, and Zack was from Louisiana, and they got married. I think the reason that they got along so well is that they couldn't understand what the hell the other was saying.

Yes, unless it's an incredibly heavy US/UK accent or an ESL speaker that has a heavy accent from their native language. However, I do have problems with large use of regional slang and idioms, but those can be picked up on pretty easily if you talk to people from the region.

There are a few accents that make it difficult for me to understand - think skinny guy in Snatch who gets pulled along beside the car by his tie. The most trouble I've had - in person at least - was talking to a guy who truly speaks "Ebonics." I had thought, before, that the word referred to adding in a lot of slang and dropping the g on -ing words and such, but that actually isn't the whole of it. Someone speaking in this way actually pronounces words differently enough that I couldn't understand half of what the guy was saying - which was a pain, since I was trying to help him out after his car broke down, but I had to keep asking him to repeat everything 2 or 3 times so that I could get enough words out of it to get at the meaning.

Ah've reid Trainspotting and the likes, ken?

With some difficulty, I can understand most of most.

Damn, I just noticed this ISN'T for us, non-Anglo-Saxons. Could I ask WHY? What if we can?

Nah problem at aw, actually I'm quite Robin Hood wif the bloomin' old rhymin' Matheson Lang as it where. In fact, I could Scapa Fla on loike this aw day long nah wahn would 'ave any danny la rue wot the chuffin' donald duck i'm garn on abaht. 'A mother's pearly gate is that?

Not bad - some of that slang is new to me and I'm English, however, I'm pretty sure nobody in England pronounces "like" as "loike". At least, no-one I've met or seen on TV does.

Yes, I can.
(Though in the case of Geordies, this is mostly because they talk with their hands.)

Not bad - some of that slang is new to me and I'm English, however, I'm pretty sure nobody in England pronounces "like" as "loike". At least, no-one I've met or seen on TV does.

The only time I've seen "loike" used was by a friend of mine from England that I used to converse with like that for the shear unadulterated hell of it. :D

Yes I can and I love to hear all varieties. accents=*drool*

I once heard the west country dialect being described as Cockney :rolleyes:

A lot of Americans think that the only accents that exist in Britain are cockney, and the royal family's.

A lot of Americans think that the only accents that exist in Britain are cockney, and the royal family's.
You're forgetting The Beatles. Mind you, I wouldn't be surprised if a few Americans did think they lived near Dirty Den...

I can understand most accents. Sometimes I have a bit of trouble with really strong Irish and American "gangsta" accents.

American "gangsta" accents.
That's no more an accent than the stuff Stanley Unwin used to come out with is.

The only time I have trouble is with people from the deep south (like that backwoods Mississippi guy) or from up in the highlands in scotland, if they're deliberately trying to use a very broad scots. Even with those, all I have to do is concentrate. At least, everything else I've heard was easily understandable.

Well, reading other english dialects I have very little problem. But listening to an accent is my problem. I have poor clarity due to chronic ear infections as a child. I'm only 23 and it sounds like everyone mumbles...
But I have problems with my own accent from onother person...
If someone has a REALLY strong accent I can't understand them. I feel really bad too! I have to keep asking them to repeat themselves. Then a friend of mine will yell it at me... LOL
But after I get used to the accent after a month or so I have very little problem.
On the other hand... I find british accents REALLY sexy!!!
Yummy british guys. :D

I find british accents REALLY sexy!!!

Which kind? I've heard Americans say that before, but I'm not sure what kind of accent they mean. Do you mean the posh accent?

Which kind? I've heard Americans say that before, but I'm not sure what kind of accent they mean. Do you mean the posh accent?
She probably means Hugh Grant. Or maybe Christopher Ecclestone if they've shown the last series of Doctor Who over there...

A lot of Americans think that the only accents that exist in Britain are cockney, and the royal family's.

I am ex forces and was surrounded by many different accents, some stronger than others but all fun to understand eventually.:p

I have to say that I watched "murder she wrote" :sniper: recently and it really bugged me that the only two english accents they did was a plum english accent or the most embarrassing cockney (and I say cockney loosely). Oh and of course Irish!

Why oh why, I am english and I know that I can't do an american accent so why do they try!!!:headbang:

For about three weeks I was the only person in my department who understood what an Australian colleague was saying (it's in a US school).

I chalk it up to watching MANY MANY BBC programs and travelling extensively in the States ... hearing different regional accents helps.

Why oh why, I am english and I know that I can't do an american accent so why do they try!!![

Actually, Bob Hoskins and Cary Elwes are two British actors I can think of off the top of my head who do creditable US accents.

I understand people from outta of the UK just fine. I cannot imagine not understanding australian accents, but people from the UK I just dont understand some times. The thick Geordy or Scottish accents maybe.

In person, I can mainly understand them fine. Over the phone, I find that it can be a lot more difficult. I find that the Indian call centre woman dialect of english to be the one that consistently defeats me, much to my embarassment.

Which kind? I've heard Americans say that before, but I'm not sure what kind of accent they mean. Do you mean the posh accent?

A lot of Americans find most of the Southern accents 'proper' sounding (because of our 'received' pronunciation)... and that seems to be considered quite attractive.

Think... Giles (real English accent) and Spike (fake English accent), in Buffy.

That's no more an accent than the stuff Stanley Unwin used to come out with is.

Who is Stanley Unwin? I've never heard of him.

Heh, since one of my grandfather's is scottish and another part of my family come from Ireland and I live in leicester (which has a lot of people who have strong foreign accents) and I lived in the north west for most of my life.

No, I dont have much trouble understanding any dialect. Unless it is over the phone.

A lot of Americans find most of the Southern accents 'proper' sounding (because of our 'received' pronunciation)... and that seems to be considered quite attractive.

Think... Giles (real English accent) and Spike (fake English accent), in Buffy.

yes..QUITE!

Think... Giles (real English accent) and Spike (fake English accent), in Buffy.

Yeah, I was gonna ask if it was the Giles accent. The spike accent is obviously fake since he pronounces "dance" in a way that rhymes with "ants", but otherwise sounds like he's from London.

Yes, I can.
(Though in the case of Geordies, this is mostly because they talk with their hands.)

The geordie dialect is a purer form of english than is spoken elsewhere in the UK.

And easy to understand to boot. All you have to remember is that the rule with geordie is to pronounce words with as many vowels as possible.

Who is Stanley Unwin? I've never heard of him.
The fellow who talks gibberish in between songs on Ogden's Nut Gone Flake by the Small Faces. He did a lot of television over here, but I have no idea if any of it saw the light of day in the 'States.

I'm from Italy, and my first word was Italian however, I learned English and Italian simultaneously. Which means, I'm used to different dialects of English and I have no problems understanding it.

I generally find it pretty easy to understand even some pretty divergent accents/dialects, like Jamaican English or Scots. It always annoys me when documentaries etc subtitle people speaking English, just because they've got heavy foreign or even regional accents. It feels so condescending. The common ignorance and confusion about British accents from people in the US also gets on my nerves - I once heard the west country dialect being described as Cockney :rolleyes:

Two things always occur to me whenever the subject of the British and accents comes up.

I had a theatre professor who used to say that the British seem to have a natural talent for dialects and inflections. Although an untrained Brit trying sincerely to duplicate a mid-western American accent is pretty funny.

I had a history professor who said that the British have such a strong tendency to mispronounce things that he thinks they do it on purpose as a way of feeling superior.

Putting the two insights together with my own experience, I was born in England, and while my own accent has since faded, I've grown up with my father's accent, a thought occured. When I first got to junior high here in New York I had to take Spanish, and the following account took place with my teacher.

Her: Cero, Uno, Dos.
Me: Cero, Uno, Dos.
Her: Cerrro, Uno, Dos.
Me: Cero, Uno, Dos.
Her: No no no! Your pronunciation is terrible.
Me: My pronunciation's fine. You're just using a Spanish accent.

The fellow who talks gibberish in between songs on Ogden's Nut Gone Flake by the Small Faces. He did a lot of television over here, but I have no idea if any of it saw the light of day in the 'States.

I don't think he made it to Aus.

I don't think he made it to Aus.
I beg your pardon. No, he probably didn't.

lacadaemon: it's the over ennuciation that I have a problem with, to be honest.

Heh, since one of my grandfather's is scottish and another part of my family come from Ireland and I live in leicester (which has a lot of people who have strong foreign accents) and I lived in the north west for most of my life.

No, I dont have much trouble understanding any dialect. Unless it is over the phone.

Surely you mean 'Less-stah'. You should try talking to a rural Georgian, sometime. :)

Surely you mean 'Less-stah'. You should try talking to a rural Georgian, sometime. :)


Hey!

yes..QUITE!

I've heard it said that that variety of English accent quite takes a lady's breath away... ;)

I beg your pardon. No, he probably didn't.

lacadaemon: it's the over ennuciation that I have a problem with, to be honest.

It's so you can still talk when you are paralytic.

I have some problems on another forum about my children's celiac disease, what the heck are biccies?

IRL, I tend to do okay if people are actually talking to me, I can pick up most of it from context clues.

I did have to watch a movie once with the captions on because the accent was so thick that I couldn't catch what they were saying.....but after about 5 minutes I figured it out and understood the rest of the movie.


I have a pretty thick Oklahoma accent though, and people from other states/countries do have a tough time understanding me sometimes. LOL

It's so you can still talk when you are paralytic.
If you put it like that, it's probably a valuable skill in Newcastle.

I have some problems on another forum about my children's celiac disease, what the heck are biccies?
I don't know what it has to do with disease, but to me "biccies" is slang for "biscuits" which is British English for "cookies".

Hey!

Nothing personal, sweety... but, the first month I was in Georgia, I got about one word in three.... and that was about what I could have others understand when I spoke, too.... :)

But, of course, the Southern Drawl on the lips of a lady, is bejewelled speech of the finest colour, cut and clarity.... ;)

Actually, Bob Hoskins and Cary Elwes are two British actors I can think of off the top of my head who do creditable US accents.
Hugh Laurie does pretty good, I didn't realize he was British until I saw him on The Late Show one night. I was shocked.

I don't know what it has to do with disease, but to me "biccies" is slang for "biscuits" which is British English for "cookies".
oh thanks. ;)

Celiac disease. (http://www.celiac.org/cd-main.php)

Hugh Laurie does pretty good, I didn't realize he was British until I saw him on The Late Show one night. I was shocked.

Don't worry, the casting people who watched his audition video for "House" didn't realise he was English either (read that in a magazine).

Nothing personal, sweety... but, the first month I was in Georgia, I got about one word in three.... and that was about what I could have others understand when I spoke, too.... :)

But, of course, the Southern Drawl on the lips of a lady, is bejewelled speech of the finest colour, cut and clarity.... ;)

remember reciting the alphabet? rofl.....

Seriously- GNI has a wonderful accent. It is most excellent.

To those people from English-speaking countries, I ask, how easily do you understand the English spoken or written by someone from a different English-speaking country?

Personally, I have very little difficulty understanding American English, but I've noticed a lot of Americans (not necessarily on this site) having difficulty with common British slang.

Also, I once saw an American news programme (or maybe a documentary) in which there were subtitles because the person speaking was from the north of England.

I have a personal affection for the dialect in my locality, South Wales, which has been christened "Wenglish". Basically, because the first learners of English there were primarily welsh speakers, it's led to some odd contractions of syntax and phrasing. For example (and this is known as the classic Wenglish cliché, but i have heard it uttered), there is the quite marvellous utterance that you get whence leaving a public house. Someone has left an item of clothing on the coathanger. A man will pipe up with the immortal phrase "whose coat is that jacket?". Then there was my granny, who was never ill, she was "bad in bed, under the doctor". There's been a series of celebratory books about the dialect, called (after the phrase one uses when someone is speaking posh) "Talk tidy".

What i've noticed, is that people here in the north-east can understand almost anyone, perfectly fine, but when it comes to others understanding us, then it's a different matter.

(Random fact: In a survey taken a few years ago, Geordies were seen as beign the most capable of learnign German, and the least capable of learning Spanish, than any other peoples in Britian) :p

I don't know what it has to do with disease, but to me "biccies" is slang for "biscuits" which is British English for "cookies".

That's what it means here too.

remember reciting the alphabet? rofl.....

Seriously- GNI has a wonderful accent. It is most excellent.

Why, thank you, sweetness... I'd never encountered a single vowel that had multiple syllables, till I encountered the Georgian accent... ;)

I have a personal affection for the dialect in my locality, South Wales, which has been christened "Wenglish". Basically, because the first learners of English there were primarily welsh speakers, it's led to some odd contractions of syntax and phrasing. For example (and this is known as the classic Wenglish cliché, but i have heard it uttered), there is the quite marvellous utterance that you get whence leaving a public house. Someone has left an item of clothing on the coathanger. A man will pipe up with the immortal phrase "whose coat is that jacket?". Then there was my granny, who was never ill, she was "bad in bed, under the doctor". There's been a series of celebratory books about the dialect, called (after the phrase one uses when someone is speaking posh) "Talk tidy".

Excellent.

Reminds me of a Lancashire lass I once knew... who didn't "close the door"... she "put wood in't th' hole". She didn't "change channels on TV"... she "turned telly over".

Of course, my favourite was when she'd get mad at someone. She'd stamp one foot and exclaim "Ecky-pecky-thump... I go tut foot of stairs"....

Well, i'm ok with most accents, but some american's even have trouble understanding other american's; their example was 'djeetyet' (=did you eat yet)

I am pretty bad at understanding some other people. However, I am fluent in High American English (mid-western), New England(yankee), Southern Drawl(redneck/deep south), Japanglish and Ebonics.

However, I do have difficulty with some of the slang vocabulary of UK English. I had to get a dictionary when I read Harry Potter! I had no idea what "snogging" is, for example.

The dialect that I have the hardest time with is people whose first language is Spanish. In many instances, I cannot understand a single word they say in English. I have to ask them to switch to Spanish just so we can communicate. I have a similar problem with people whose first language is Tagolag.

Excellent.

Reminds me of a Lancashire lass I once knew... who didn't "close the door"... she "put wood in't th' hole". She didn't "change channels on TV"... she "turned telly over".

Of course, my favourite was when she'd get mad at someone. She'd stamp one foot and exclaim "Ecky-pecky-thump... I go tut foot of stairs"....

Oh, we turn telly over. Another good UK dialect is the one in the Black Country, around Birmingham (nb, not Brummie, Brummie is the dialect of Birmingham itself, the Black Country dialect is seperate and somewhat mutated from it). I recall i used to greet a Black Country friend in his dialect with:-
"oiright? ow yow bin?"
to which he would respond
"i bin bostin"

which meant that his life had been pleasant recently.

or
"bey bad"

which meant his life had been mainly indifferent, but nothing to complain about.

Oh, we turn telly over. Another good UK dialect is the one in the Black Country, around Birmingham (nb, not Brummie, Brummie is the dialect of Birmingham itself, the Black Country dialect is seperate and somewhat mutated from it). I recall i used to greet a Black Country friend in his dialect with:-
"oiright? ow yow bin?"
to which he would respond
"i bin bostin"

which meant that his life had been pleasant recently.

or
"bey bad"

which meant his life had been mainly indifferent, but nothing to complain about.

Ah... 'bostin'.... yeah, that one made it to Lincolnshire, when I lived there...

However, I do have difficulty with some of the slang vocabulary of UK English. I had to get a dictionary when I read Harry Potter! I had no idea what "snogging" is, for example.


Bloody Harry Potter...

It offends me that the 'importers' of Potter-y goodness into the US, decided that the average American would be unable to comprehend the term "Philosopher's Stone"...

I have a personal affection for the dialect in my locality, South Wales, which has been christened "Wenglish". Basically, because the first learners of English there were primarily welsh speakers, it's led to some odd contractions of syntax and phrasing. For example (and this is known as the classic Wenglish cliché, but i have heard it uttered), there is the quite marvellous utterance that you get whence leaving a public house. Someone has left an item of clothing on the coathanger. A man will pipe up with the immortal phrase "whose coat is that jacket?". Then there was my granny, who was never ill, she was "bad in bed, under the doctor". There's been a series of celebratory books about the dialect, called (after the phrase one uses when someone is speaking posh) "Talk tidy".
You have to give the Welsh credit for the fact that most of them speak Welsh: it isn't like most of the irish or the Scots have the appropiate flavour of Gaelic.

Bloody Harry Potter...

It offends me that the 'importers' of Potter-y goodness into the US, decided that the average American would be unable to comprehend the term "Philosopher's Stone"...

I heard it was the other way around...that J.K. wanted to call it the Sorcerer's Stone, but the word "Sorcerer" has some very negative connotation in UK English. So she had to change it to Philosopher's Stone there. I mean, come on, who do see making a rock that gives immortality- Aristotle or Merlin?

I SPEAK English in many different dialects! :p It always amuses people when I walk up and start talking in Russian English, or English English... or East Indian English. The East Indian one just about got me and my fiancee in a car accident, because I started screaming at her in that voice while she was driving and not listening to me as I was trying to navigate. She was laughing so hard she could hardly see where she was going, at times. ;)
That being said, there are times when I REALLY have a hard time with it... you get some old Italians or Finns in this area, and their English has a REALLY thick accent, not to mention they tend to talk quietly, and it's almost impossible to understand what they're saying.
Or the toothless old guy who comes into my work... looks like he's a hundred years old, and drools all over the place. I can't understand a word he says...

Usually I can figure it out...a few months ago National Geographic had a map of English dialects in the US.

I wonder if Swenglish counts...

I heard it was the other way around...that J.K. wanted to call it the Sorcerer's Stone, but the word "Sorcerer" has some very negative connotation in UK English. So she had to change it to Philosopher's Stone there. I mean, come on, who do see making a rock that gives immortality- Aristotle or Merlin?
Merlin.
If Aristotle had managed it, he'd possibly have mentioned it in writing.

I heard it was the other way around...that J.K. wanted to call it the Sorcerer's Stone, but the word "Sorcerer" has some very negative connotation in UK English. So she had to change it to Philosopher's Stone there. I mean, come on, who do see making a rock that gives immortality- Aristotle or Merlin?

Are you sure? "The philosopher's stone" is a term that already existed:


The philosopher's stone, in Latin lapis philosophorum, is a mythical substance that supposedly could turn inexpensive metals into gold and/or create an elixir that would make humans younger, thus delaying death. It was a longtime "holy grail" of Western alchemy. In the mystic view of alchemy, making the philosopher's stone would bring enlightenment upon the maker and conclude the Great Work. It is also known by several other names, such as materia prima.

I heard it was the other way around...that J.K. wanted to call it the Sorcerer's Stone, but the word "Sorcerer" has some very negative connotation in UK English. So she had to change it to Philosopher's Stone there. I mean, come on, who do see making a rock that gives immortality- Aristotle or Merlin?

The "Philosopher's Stone" is one of the 'standards' of Alchemy... as synonymous with Alchemy as the homunculus or transmutation.

The actual 'purpose' of the Philosopher's Stone, traditionally, was to make gold from base metals... but it was rumoured to be an elixir of eternal youth, also.

You have to give the Welsh credit for the fact that most of them speak Welsh: it isn't like most of the irish or the Scots have the appropiate flavour of Gaelic.

i wouldn't say "most", to be honest. I mean, if you take out the (compulsory) smattering of Welsh you learn in school up to age 13, i'd say maybe 15-20% are proper speakers. If that. The vast majority of the population are not, and know nothing more than a few words. And to be fair, i've never particularly wanted to learn the language, since i find most welsh language speakers (or at least those vociferous in their trumpeting of the welsh language) to be either culturally conservative hidebound idiots scared of incomers, or else rather naive dreamers living in a heritage park version of their history and getting a sanctimonious buzz about "speaking their forefathers tongue" when their forefather was most likelyt from Ireland, England, Denmark or Italy (huge Italian influx into South Wales from the 1890s to the late 30s).

I kind of think that if you can understand a broad Belfast accent, you'll have no bother with the vast majority of accents and dialects of English.

i wouldn't say "most", to be honest. I mean, if you take out the (compulsory) smattering of Welsh you learn in school up to age 13, i'd say maybe 15-20% are proper speakers. If that. The vast majority of the population are not, and know nothing more than a few words. And to be fair, i've never particularly wanted to learn the language, since i find most welsh language speakers (or at least those vociferous in their trumpeting of the welsh language) to be either culturally conservative hidebound idiots scared of incomers, or else rather naive dreamers living in a heritage park version of their history and getting a sanctimonious buzz about "speaking their forefathers tongue" when their forefather was most likelyt from Ireland, England, Denmark or Italy (huge Italian influx into South Wales from the 1890s to the late 30s).
Right. I knew about the Italians, but I thought they may have learned a bit of cymric, and tyou're not far wrong about hidebound reactionaries. I always assumed that a lot more of the welsh had a grasp of the language than was the case with other celts.

What really confuses is sprinkiling irish in with my slight bogger accent, which I'm more that capable of turning up a notch.
It something like t sounds at the end of words aren't pronounced, th is replaced with d, horse sounds exaclt like hearse.
Who's dah ridin de hearse?

Right. I knew about the Italians, but I thought they may have learned a bit of cymric, and tyou're not far wrong about hidebound reactionaries. I always assumed that a lot more of the welsh had a grasp of the language than was the case with other celts.

Nah, thats your basic Taffia propaganda that is. Basically, your average welshman knows a few dozen welsh words, the words (but not the meaning) to the national anthem and Sospan Fach (great rugby song that) and thats pretty much it.

I wouldn't be quite as vicious about the whole language issue if it wasn't for this:-

Imagine you are one of a majority in a country. There's a sizeable, but not massive minority. They speak one language. They claim exclusive rights over the definition of what and what isn't your culture. They - somehow - wangle the political leverage that all decisions are made whilst genuflecting in their direction. And if you complain, you are accused of siding with your former oppressors (never mind the fact that at least 90% of the people born in said country will have some trace of "the former oppressors" blood in them) or having sold your heritage and your birth right.

And THEN...watch the elected representatives of that minority, when they aren't nominating each other to Quango's to spend your tax money on white elephants that benefit nobody but the boys in the little language speaking circle, sell themselves on many occasions during the 80s to a government who - whilst it had many other targets - to many from your locality seemed to have the raison d'etre "destroy anything that makes these communities coherent, stable or pleasant places to live".

Explain why i may occasionally speak a little harshly of said minority? They rule this bloody place. And they rule it for their own gang.

Nah, thats your basic Taffia propaganda that is. Basically, your average welshman knows a few dozen welsh words, the words (but not the meaning) to the national anthem and Sospan Fach (great rugby song that) and thats pretty much it.

I wouldn't be quite as vicious about the whole language issue if it wasn't for this:-

Imagine you are one of a majority in a country. There's a sizeable, but not massive minority. They speak one language. They claim exclusive rights over the definition of what and what isn't your culture. They - somehow - wangle the political leverage that all decisions are made whilst genuflecting in their direction. And if you complain, you are accused of siding with your former oppressors (never mind the fact that at least 90% of the people born in said country will have some trace of "the former oppressors" blood in them) or having sold your heritage and your birth right.

And THEN...watch the elected representatives of that minority, when they aren't nominating each other to Quango's to spend your tax money on white elephants that benefit nobody but the boys in the little language speaking circle, sell themselves on many occasions during the 80s to a government who - whilst it had many other targets - to many from your locality seemed to have the raison d'etre "destroy anything that makes these communities coherent, stable or pleasant places to live".

Explain why i may occasionally speak a little harshly of said minority? They rule this bloody place. And they rule it for their own gang.
That is a terrible state of affairs, it must be admitted. Aren't a few members of the club still bitching about the welsh nightclub in Cardiff (which refused to admit anybody who didn't speak welsh) being told to knock it off?

That is a terrible state of affairs, it must be admitted. Aren't a few members of the club still bitching about the welsh nightclub in Cardiff (which refused to admit anybody who didn't speak welsh) being told to knock it off?

God yeah. And the really funny thing is, there's a few extremist sections of the community who don't realise the power they hold and feel victimised because...shop signs are in the language that the entire country understands. Meanwhile, the rest of the UK has 4 terrestrial tv channels in a language they understand (in some areas, 5), whereas Wales has 3 in a language the majority can understand, and the only halfway decent one of the 4 in question is replaced by a channel which caters solely for the minority.

God yeah. And the really funny thing is, there's a few extremist sections of the community who don't realise the power they hold and feel victimised because...shop signs are in the language that the entire country understands. Meanwhile, the rest of the UK has 4 terrestrial tv channels in a language they understand (in some areas, 5), whereas Wales has 3 in a language the majority can understand, and the only halfway decent one of the 4 in question is replaced by a channel which caters solely for the minority.
I'd not heard that about the shop signs: I thought they had to translate all of the signs into welsh?
(The channel 5 business is a bit of a sore point: the only television script I ever sold was broadcast on channel 5: I spent most of the next day taking phone calls "Was it any good? We can't get it around here...")
I do find this business of the welsh club well out of order, to tell the truth. It's cool that motre of them have the langauge than the irish or the Scots, but if they're just using it to affirm a clique by pissing on the unvbelievers then that's indefensible.

I'm getting better at it as most of the other gaijin around here are Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, and Canadians (Whom I feel very sorry for because they're caught in the middle of the British English/American English war) so I'm picking up a lot more slang and the various accents.

I'm also getting better at understanding Engrish and the absolute mangling the Japanese reguarly put my poor language through.

Best example:
"Thank you for always using a restroom neatly. If there was a mat, the point that mind is with it please order it to a sales clerk. A restroom becomes a prohibition of smoking. Please refrain from a cigarette. The damage of a pervert goes in a peripheral district and now plain clothes policeman goes around it and hits caution Hello. In crime prevention the staff uses a restroom too. Please approve it I beg you to understand my position. -- a store keeper."

I'm getting better at it as most of the other gaijin around here are Brits, Aussies, Kiwis, and Canadians (Whom I feel very sorry for because they're caught in the middle of the British English/American English war) so I'm picking up a lot more slang and the various accents.

I'm also getting better at understanding Engrish and the absolute mangling the Japanese reguarly put my poor language through.

Best example:
"Thank you for always using a restroom neatly. If there was a mat, the point that mind is with it please order it to a sales clerk. A restroom becomes a prohibition of smoking. Please refrain from a cigarette. The damage of a pervert goes in a peripheral district and now plain clothes policeman goes around it and hits caution Hello. In crime prevention the staff uses a restroom too. Please approve it I beg you to understand my position. -- a store keeper."
I've a few records with lyric sheets that have been translated into the Japanese, then translated back and come to harm in transit. Moggles the bind.

Not bad - some of that slang is new to me and I'm English, however, I'm pretty sure nobody in England pronounces "like" as "loike". At least, no-one I've met or seen on TV does.

ah but they do pronounce it JUST like that where I come from, also I should have said 'whar oi comes fram they all talks loike tha' an even tho' oi can't read an' oi can't wriote tha' don' realli ma**er, 'cuz I wuz born on the oisle o' wight an' oi can droive a tractor......

:D

I'm good at understanding dialect, even if it doesn't click right away. That still doesn't make reading the dialect in Huck Finn fun. Great book, annoying dialect.

i have a hard enought time undersanding people as it is... don't get all different-diealect-y on my ass :eek:

i went to newcastle and could hardly understand a word anyone said :p

ah but they do pronounce it JUST like that where I come from, also I should have said 'whar oi comes fram they all talks loike tha' an even tho' oi can't read an' oi can't wriote tha' don' realli ma**er, 'cuz I wuz born on the oisle o' wight an' oi can droive a tractor......

:D

Yeah, but bad impressions of English accents use "like"->"loike" with a London accent.

I usually understand most dialects immediately. Coming from a Southern family, I understand Southern accents as easily as "normal" English, and I can slip an authentic Southern drawl in to my voice at will. I have the most trouble with the accents of native Chinese (or Japanese) speakers.

Doctor Who meets the Dialects:
Eeee lad, Extermoinate!

Which kind? I've heard Americans say that before, but I'm not sure what kind of accent they mean. Do you mean the posh accent?
Mostly, that but really any kind would do...I think...
I can tell there is a difference sometimes but I have no clue about their 'titles'.
But the posh is REALLY nice...:D
I really like all accents...except redneck, deep south, ebonicks, and middle eastern. The middle eastern for the sheer fact that I can NEVER understand them. It is too hard for me to hear them clearly with my bad hearing.
Though I do like Indian. "red dot, not pow wow" (just kidding!!!! I love drawn together...No offense meant. Hugs to everyone.)

Actually, Bob Hoskins and Cary Elwes are two British actors I can think of off the top of my head who do creditable US accents.
What about Wentworth Miller of Prison Break fame?