NationStates Jolt Archive

This is a general survey of the dialects of English used by posters on NS. There will be 4 separate polls - 1 for the British Isles, 1 for North America, 1 for other native speakers, and 1 for non-native speakers. Please hold off until I've posted the appropriate poll - you'll look foolish complaining that I haven't included you dialect, when it's on another thread.


What dialects do you speak?

What would a South American dialect of English be? I guess it means Falkland Islander, as that is the only English speaking area that is counted as South America.

I speak Portuguese with an English accent, does that count?

What would a South American dialect of English be? I guess it means Falkland Islander, as that is the only English speaking area that is counted as South America.

I speak Portuguese with an English accent, does that count?

Note that this is the Non-Native poll. See the poll three for where Falklanders might be noted.

Poll III: http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showthread.php?t=474747

こんにちは　ダイスタッリアさん。お元気ですか。
私は英国RP英語を話す、でもエスツアリとコクニはちょっと影響します。

I'm speaking British RP English, although slightly influenced by Estuary and Cockney (most notable on the replacement of [θ, ð] with [f, v], e.g. [fɪŋk] for think).

I've been told I have a mid-atlantic accent in english.

That is, brits always think I am an american and americans always think I am a brit.

Silly english speakers that can't even tell a non-native from a native speaker.

I don't get it.

Won't you have the accent of your country of birth? A Frenchman with a French English accent, an Italian with an Italian accent, etc?

I have a slite tchermän äcktzent. I managed to soften the consonants by now, that is my "bad" doesn't sound like my "bat" and I don't pronounce "have" as "haff", like many of my fellow countryfolks. I also I get "v" and "w" right, something most Germans have a problem with. But my vowels give me away. I live in the UK, but I still pronounce words like "can't", "dance", glass" in the American way. I don't pronounce the "r"s, though. No idea why, consistent it is not. Result: an awful kraut-yank-southern brit melange. Sometimes people think I'm Irish. British people, that is. Real Irishmen can tell I'm none of them.

So, all in all....European, I guess.

I don't get it.

Won't you have the accent of your country of birth? A Frenchman with a French English accent, an Italian with an Italian accent, etc?

So, all in all....European, I guess.

That's exactly why there's this part of the poll - for the non-native speakers. Actually, to me, it's the most interesting part, as I teach ES/FL

(And Heavenly Sex, no need to reply in Japanese. I am myself a native English speaker. ;))

I learned British English between 5th and 11th grade, then American English in my senior year (12th grade) abroad (which I spent in NC, USA), and from then on speak English with a slight Southern accent (so I've been told). I opted for the American English spelling in 12th and 13th grade in Germany since I was more used to it then.

So, honestly, I really don't know where my accent would be placed. It surely has some German influence in it, I bet it still has some British pronunciation in it as well, and some of it is heavily influenced by the American English I picked up while over there.

I believe it all depends on whether I've learned the word or phrase early on (BE) or later on (AE), but when it comes to sayings and more special differences (e.g. autumn/fall) American English is more influential.

I don't get it.

Won't you have the accent of your country of birth? A Frenchman with a French English accent, an Italian with an Italian accent, etc?

Not necessarily. I do not. I can tell, it's very easy to tell that I do not.

I absolutely hate the danish-english accent, but at least it's more comprehensible than most accents (for example, the french). If you do have the Danish one (woe be upon you then), at least with a good vocabulary and mastery of the english language, communication will always be easy. With the french accent, even mastery can prove to be a problem and losing your accent might be a necessity.

Thankfully, I do not have the accent of my country of birth or my country of origin.

Not necessarily. I do not. I can tell, it's very easy to tell that I do not.
Thankfully, I do not have the accent of my country of birth or my country of origin.
Are you in that "hear me" thread? I wanna check, I'm extra anal when it comes to Nordic accents.

Are you in that "hear me" thread? I wanna check, I'm extra anal when it comes to Nordic accents.

Nope, can you give me a link please?

btw - won't be posting today, g2g

Started of with British english, then slowly moved towards american, but i think its moving back a little to the british english again

On topic:

I find it a tad bold to say that one's accent doesn't sound of the country of your linguistic socialisation. It can be true for people who have lived in an English-speaking country for many years. Most folks will keep their native language accent for life, though.

Off topic:

Like many Germans, I find the American accent easier to pronounce.

When you pronounce all the "r"s, you automatically drawl a little, which gives you more time to think about grammar, vocabulary and what you actually want to say.

The same applies to words like "extraordinary". US pronunciation has the full six syllables, UK pronunciation has about three "iksTROdn'ri".

The US "u" sound is closer to the German U, in words like in "new" or "doom".
The US "o" diphtong is also closer to (low) German, in words like "don't" or "home".

As people have said above, they teach us British English first (I wonder why, they are only 60 million British speakers versus 280 million US speakers). US English is introduced later. Most of us get stuck somewhere in the middle.

I have a British/South African English accent...quite a strange mix, but some of us from yonder land pull it off quite well.

I've never had anyone describe my accent to me, so I don't really know.

I've never had anyone describe my accent to me, so I don't really know.
Perhaps a Swedish English accent? Or maybe not. Those are extremely sexy.

Perhaps a Swedish English accent? Or maybe not. Those are extremely sexy.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10590156&postcount=26
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10591013&postcount=119
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10591087&postcount=127

I don't know what I have, but it's not Swedish. At least, I don't think it is.

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10590156&postcount=26
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10591013&postcount=119
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10591087&postcount=127

I don't know what I have, but it's not Swedish. At least, I don't think it is.
You sound so different to what I'd imagine you, but yes there is a definite Swedish undertone. Adorable accent either way.

You sound so different to what I'd imagine you,

Do I want to know what you imagined?

but yes there is a definite Swedish undertone.

Damn. I thought I hid it well.

Adorable accent either way.

:\

On topic:

I find it a tad bold to say that one's accent doesn't sound of the country of your linguistic socialisation. It can be true for people who have lived in an English-speaking country for many years. Most folks will keep their native language accent for life, though.

I grew up with english.

I go to a european school where my english teacher is british.

I have several native english-speakers who have told me I have a native-english accent. At the very worst, my accent is neutral.

but yes, it is a tad bold :p

Do I want to know what you imagined?
Having seen some of your more carnally centred posts, I doubt anything I could imagine would leave you aghast. No, I simply thought your voice would be more cold and perhaps more condescending in its tone.

Damn. I thought I hid it well.
Why hide it? You're perfectly comprehensible whilst retaining the sexual allure of a nordic accent.


:\
Why sad?

Having seen some of your more carnally centred posts, I doubt anything I could imagine would leave you aghast. No, I simply thought your voice would be more cold and perhaps more condescending in its tone.

And instead I proved to be a happy go lucky type of person filled with bubbly awesome.

Why hide it? You're perfectly comprehensible whilst retaining the sexual allure of a nordic accent.

Because it's so awful. Makes me cringe to hear some people I know speak English.

Why sad?

Adorable is libido poison.

And instead I proved to be a go lucky type of person filled bubbly awesome.
I wouldn't go that far :p

Because it's so awful. Makes me cringe to hear some people I know speak English.
True. In some cases even native speakers of it can make me shudder.


Adorable is libido poison.
Alluring, then.

I grew up with english.

I go to a european school where my english teacher is british.

I have several native english-speakers who have told me I have a native-english accent. At the very worst, my accent is neutral.

but yes, it is a tad bold :p

That explains it well. I believe you!

I prbly speak w/e the dialect in eastern Canada is

I grew up on Canada's East Coast for the most part, a place known for its accents (Particularly the spot from where my parents hail, Cape Breton Island). Now that I have been in Ontario for the last few months, though, I do not think that I have any accent distinguishable from others here.

Certain folks (ie. my sister) make fun of me for having a "choir accent"; I often flip my 'r' and take care to come to a full stop on plosives. Overall, I would say I have the standard accent for central Canada/Northeastern USA.

As far as word choice goes, however, I tend to mix a few odds ones into the stream... All those essays lengthened through the employment of a thesaurus... I overwhelmingly substitute "spargel" for "asparagus", just because it reminds me of Germany.


P.S.: Fass, when I first met my Swedish pals who live across the corridor from me, I thought of you reading that Stella-paragraph with the snow peas. It was a happy thought. Swedish accents are cool!

I speak redneck. Amen to the semi-South. Though I usually have a British accent mingled with French. How confusing.

I've never had anyone describe my accent to me, so I don't really know.
True.

Well, I don't really know what I sound like. People sometimes ask me whether I'm French, Dutch or South African...no one ever picks German, so I suppose I have a strange accent.

I like to pronounce vowels the Australian way though. And from time to time (not as often as it used to be) I learn a neat new word and use it all the time, to the point of it being ridiculous.

True.

Well, I don't really know what I sound like. People sometimes ask me whether I'm French, Dutch or South African...no one ever picks German, so I suppose I have a strange accent.

I like to pronounce vowels the Australian way though. And from time to time (not as often as it used to be) I learn a neat new word and use it all the time, to the point of it being ridiculous.
You never got "You sound like that Hitler dude" then?

You never got "You sound like that Hitler dude" then?
Nope.

I've always been horrified of sounding like one of those Germans with their accents (my dad sounds like that). Plus, I don't have the violent voice for it.

I have however been greeted by people with outstretched hands at school when people found out. It just makes you wanna bash people.

Nope.

I've always been horrified of sounding like one of those Germans with their accents (my dad sounds like that). Plus, I don't have the violent voice for it.

I have however been greeted by people with outstretched hands at school when people found out. It just makes you wanna bash people.
I know. People always ask me "do you hate black people?" when they pick up on my accent or realise I am South African. Often these very same people are far more racist than they would think me to be.

I don't speak a dialect. I do speak with an accent, but that's not the same thing.

My Japanese fiancee's accent has shifted quite a bit to be a strange mixture of Japanese stresses, British English, and Western American English. She will still use some British words, like petrol and I managed to really confuse her when I said that I would be making biscuits for breakfast one morning (the American breakfast food, not the snack). I have trained her well enough on how to properly say Nevada though that she managed to fool a class of native Nevadans. She was rather proud of that.

A Spanish friend of mine once asked an Irish friend of hers who I hadn't met before to guess by my accent where I was from. It gave him one hell of a headache, as I seem to have picked up every accent I came into contact with and just sort of pronounce one word Welsh, two words Irish, one word Scottish, one word Canadian, one word American, one word with (seemingly) a French accent.....

So I went for "Other" in the poll.

edit : BTW, that's accents. English dialects can only be found in Britain itself....

edit : BTW, that's accents. English dialects can only be found in Britain itself....

Please tell me I misunderstand you and you're not saying that all English spoken outside of the British Isles is an accent?

My Japanese fiancee's accent has shifted quite a bit to be a strange mixture of Japanese stresses, British English, and Western American English. She will still use some British words, like petrol and I managed to really confuse her when I said that I would be making biscuits for breakfast one morning (the American breakfast food, not the snack). I have trained her well enough on how to properly say Nevada though that she managed to fool a class of native Nevadans. She was rather proud of that.

If you're making real biscuits, I'm so dropping in on you at GW. I'll see if I can scrounge up grits and make ya'll your choice of either my Nana's or my Grandpa's red-eye gravy if you can make good biscuits... :D

I don't speak a dialect. I do speak with an accent, but that's not the same thing.

Sorry, but as there's no academic set standard English, you do speak in a dialect. Even RP and Standard Midwestern are dialects.

I've always been horrified of sounding like one of those Germans with their accents (my dad sounds like that). Plus, I don't have the violent voice for it.

But that's half the fun once they realize you're German but couldn't tell from your accent. Zen it'z time to shpeak wiz zee Jerrman akzent :D


I have however been greeted by people with outstretched hands at school when people found out. It just makes you wanna bash people.
Yeah. They also asked whether I was only wearing my uniform at home and whether we had cars and television in Germany, and if Hitler was still chancellor http://www.studip.uni-goettingen.de/pictures/smile/ohman.gif
(Considering that the car and television are German inventions and Hitler's been dead for over 60 years, they really showed their superior stupidity!).
Anyway, they soon regretted the nazi greeting when I let my irresistable charm take over http://www.studip.uni-goettingen.de/pictures/smile/ticking.gif.

Sorry, but as there's no academic set standard English, you do speak in a dialect. Even RP and Standard Midwestern are dialects.
A dialect is a set of idiomatic expressions shared by a group of people. Not being a native English speaker my English lacks most of these idiomatic expressions. I may have picked up one or two here and there but it can't be said to be a dialect since I'm the only one speaking this particular combination.

Talking about a heavy German accent - how about this:

http://videosift.com/story.php?id=202

http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10590156&postcount=26
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10591013&postcount=119
http://forums.jolt.co.uk/showpost.php?p=10591087&postcount=127

I don't know what I have, but it's not Swedish. At least, I don't think it is.
No really notable Swedish accent there :D

I've always been horrified of sounding like one of those Germans with their accents (my dad sounds like that). Plus, I don't have the violent voice for it.
I don't like that stereotypical German accent either, so I've spent quite some effort on losing it.

Talking about a heavy German accent - how about this:

http://videosift.com/story.php?id=202
Oh my, that ad is so horribly bad... :rolleyes:

I don't know what I have, but it's not Swedish. At least, I don't think it is.
You sound almost exactly like my hair dresser with a notable unidentifiable accent.
If that doesn't mean anything to you, I will be attempting to formulate a response over the next few hours, upon requrest.

Oh my, that ad is so horribly bad... :rolleyes:
Heh, I liked it.:p (this was the first time I saw it, so maybe you're just suffering overkill)

English dialects can only be found in Britain itself....

I heartily disagree with you. While I agree that the English spoken in North America can be divided into accents much more than it can be divided into dialects, the same does not hold true if you expand it onto other places. Indulge me by letting me use an anecdotal illustration. My sister once out of curiosity asked some patrons at her store what language they were speaking amongst themselves. One smiled and explained that it was actually English, but a dialect from somwhere in Africa (Sorry that I cannot be more specific, but my memory of the retelling only goes so far). My guess is that there are also real honest-to-goodness dialects (Not just accents) in other places, too. Try Asia. They do everything in Asia.

And for the record, even in Canada dialects appear. The accent in Newfoundland verges on a dialect in some outports, for example.

If you're making real biscuits, I'm so dropping in on you at GW. I'll see if I can scrounge up grits and make ya'll your choice of either my Nana's or my Grandpa's red-eye gravy if you can make good biscuits... :D
I make excellent biscuits. The problem is that my ランジ/オブーン is so small that I have to make about 4 biscuits at a time. *sigh* :p

I speak 'Canadian', eh!

I speak 'Canadian', eh!

Then you should be posting that information on the appropriate thread - the one for North America. Or maybe not - your inability to read the thread title and OP may indicate you are a non-native speaker after all. ;)

There are no non-native dialects. Those are called accents.

I heartily disagree with you. While I agree that the English spoken in North America can be divided into accents much more than it can be divided into dialects, the same does not hold true if you expand it onto other places. Indulge me by letting me use an anecdotal illustration. My sister once out of curiosity asked some patrons at her store what language they were speaking amongst themselves. One smiled and explained that it was actually English, but a dialect from somwhere in Africa (Sorry that I cannot be more specific, but my memory of the retelling only goes so far). My guess is that there are also real honest-to-goodness dialects (Not just accents) in other places, too. Try Asia. They do everything in Asia.

And for the record, even in Canada dialects appear. The accent in Newfoundland verges on a dialect in some outports, for example.

Mmm. Nope. The English found in North America can be quite easily divided into 25-30 different dialects. Don't confuse dialect with accent.
Here's a nice run down:
http://www.geocities.com/yvain.geo/dialects.html

The Soda/Pop/Coke divide is always a fun indicator. :D http://www.popvssoda.com/countystats/total-county.html

There are no non-native dialects. Those are called accents.

Yeah, I know, but it just fit in better with the other polls that way.