SGT Overheard...

[hobie16]

The trouble is no one here considers they have a 'British' accent - we have either of the four constituent country's accents (and that doesn't count the completely different dialects of different regions of any of the countries).

It’s the same anywhere you go. I don’t have an accent but everyone else does. Take a “Southern” accent. There are a lot of different ones. Deep South, Texan, etc.

No idea which other countries you would consider having a 'British' accent??

Australia, New Zealand, India. Most times, it’s easy to tell but there’s the occasional goof. The goof tends to upset those who dislike England.

The only people I've ever heard refer to a 'British' accent are Americans - but then again we are pretty poor at hearing the difference between an American and Canadian accent and lump you all under 'American.

Really? Most Canadians are easy to pick out with their ehs, aboots and hosers.

One question if you think someone has a 'British' accent, why would you ask if they are from England??

Actually it was, “Where in England are you from?” I’ve got former relatives that live here and there in England.

[Main Streeter]

we have either of the four constituent country's accents

J, you "might" want to read more on this site. I had to read your post 3xs. Can you all even comprehend how darph will struggle with this one ;) He & his ragged coaster have been hit pretty hard this last week. "Constituent country's?" Darph, we're here for ya if translation is needed. :D: Thanks J for the "too good to pass up" phrase. I have horrid problems with British, Aussie, New Zealand, Irish, & Scottish accents. Have learned the hard way not to say; "Are you Irish?" The egg is still on my face.

[hobie16]

[quote="Main Streeter"]Have learned the hard way not to say]
You're lucky it was just egg. I almost got punched by an Irish lass who took great exception when I asked what part of England she was from.

[Big Wallaby]

I once asked someone from London if they were from the North. Mistake if I ever made one. I had to listen to them the whole bus ride.

One thing that gets me, is how many accents England has... just in London, much less the rest of the country.

And of course, a quote I used on another thread, one of my favorite lines in the early Doctor Who 2005, Series 1:

If you are an alien, how come [do] you sound like you're from the North?

Lots of planets have a North!

In fact, I may have used the second part of that quote here somewhere...

[EpcotFan]

Really? Most Canadians are easy to pick out with their ehs, aboots and hosers.

Strange, while I hear the occasional "eh" instead of "huh", I've never heard anyone actually use the term hoser except as a parody of Bob and Doug. Note: I live near Vancouver, BC and have spent most of my life in different parts of BC. I spent a year travelling across Canada and the only time I ever heard "aboot" would have been in the Maritimes, which have their own unique version of English. :-)

Whenever I make it out to Epcot I will stop by the Canada pavillion just to see if there are any BC cast members. I figure they don't get to meet people from close to home that often. I also keep checking to see if they have udpated the "O Canada" film yet--a hold over from the PET era. (I think you'd have to be a Canuck to get the last reference).

[CharliEm]

Hi there, this is my first post but I've been lurking for a little while. Love the site!

Anyway, this whole conversation has me a little...confused. I'm British (from the English part of Britain :p :)

First of all, if someone asked what part of the "Empire" I was from, once I got over the "what Empire?" bit and understood what you were on about...I'd probably just fall about laughing! There is no Empire, there hasn't been one for quite a while. And minor point being, many people who WERE from the Empire...weren't a big fan of it! So possibly almost as insulting as asking a Brit where in England they're from! :p: I know you mean well by it, and I appreciate that, but...I think it would be best to just ask where they're from.

And no, I really WOULDN'T know what you were talking about! Even with "former" empire, I would probably just find an excuse to leave as soon as possible to avoid any more odd questions that I don't understand!

Also (sorry this is getting to be quite long, I just have a lot of posts I want to reply to!), I have to say, EVERYONE has an accent, I have one, you have one, that person over there has one! You just can't hear your own. I wouldn't be able to tell you what my accent is (it's a weird hybrid one anyway!), but I accept that I have one. And I really can't see how you would confuse English with, say, Irish or Scottish!

"Actually it was, “Where in England are you from?” I’ve got former relatives that live here and there in England"

But your previous statement was "Don't EVER ask anyone with a "British" accent what part of England they're from.", well if they have a British accent they're not necessarily English, so if you've got to ask...ask where in "Britain" they're from. But that's not always wise, as they could be from the Republic of Ireland, meaning they have an Irish accent but are not British. That has the potential to get messy!

Last thing (!!), I can't really tell the difference between American and Canadian, and have made the grave mistake of getting them mixed up before! I have to wait until they say "about" so I can work it out!! But I guess if you ARE one of the two, then it's easy and so you can't understand why we struggle. Just like I can't understand why you would think a Scottish person was English!

[gertiesquidge]

It’s the same anywhere you go. I don’t have an accent but everyone else does. Take a “Southern” accent. There are a lot of different ones. Deep South, Texan, etc.

Australia, New Zealand, India. Most times, it’s easy to tell but there’s the occasional goof. The goof tends to upset those who dislike England.

Really? Most Canadians are easy to pick out with their ehs, aboots and hosers.

Actually it was, “Where in England are you from?” I’ve got former relatives that live here and there in England.

Hi again Hobie,

I wasn't saying I don't have an accent, I know I do :D: I was just saying there is no such thing as a British accent! There is an English/Irish/Scottish/Welsh accent but not a British - as Britain is made up of all four of those countries.

I'm just as shocked that you would think Australians, New Zealanders and Indians have a 'British' accent and that you couldn't tell the difference, as you are that most British people have trouble telling apart Americans and Canadians. I kid you not - they sound the same to us!!

Don't EVER ask anyone with a "British" accent what part of England they're from.

This was your quote that I referred to (post 23 on this thread - I'm not technical enough to get multiple quotes in one post, sorry). I am just trying to explain that Britain and England aren't interchangeable words. I am British cos I'm English, but being British doesn't make me English, it could mean Irish or Welsh or Scottish. Hope that helps.

Still think the easiest thing is to ask where someone is from rather than try and guess :D:

Love
J

[gertiesquidge]

[quote="Main Streeter"]J, you "might" want to read more on this site. I had to read your post 3xs. Can you all even comprehend how darph will struggle with this one ]
Hi Main Streeter,

Sorry for using long words - I'll revert to the way most English people speak when addressing anyone who doesn't speak English. WE SPEAK VERY SLOOOOOOOWLY AND VERY LOUDLY - don't know why we think that would help, but most of us do it :D:

Its really hard for me to understand how on earth you could mix up Aussie, New Zealand, Irish or Scottish accents - but as I've already said Americans and Canadians sound identical to most of us over here :D:

Love
J

[gertiesquidge]

I once asked someone from London if they were from the North. Mistake if I ever made one. I had to listen to them the whole bus ride.

One thing that gets me, is how many accents England has... just in London, much less the rest of the country.

We might be a small island, but we are complicated :D: Apart from the fact that Britain is four separate countries, there is the North/South divide (as you found lol) and the Lancashire/Yorkshire (and probably lots of other counties) divide!!

Just stick to where are you from?? You have to have lived here for years to be able to work it all out!!!

Love
J

[leftcoaster]

We might be a small island, but we are complicated :D: Apart from the fact that Britain is four separate countries, there is the North/South divide (as you found lol) and the Lancashire/Yorkshire (and probably lots of other counties) divide!!

Just stick to where are you from?? You have to have lived here for years to be able to work it all out!!!

Love
J

Although I am not a CM, I have asked British sounding guests, "What part of the UK are you from?"

Although I do occasionally have some fun with my wife's girlfriends father. He's from Scotland, and I tell him "..you're just a bloody Britian" :D: