Bad American accents tend to have too much R.
Heh. From where I'm sitting, so do good ones.
It's just an object. It doesn't mean what you think.
River ,'Objects In Space'
All Ogle, No Cash -- It's Not Just Annoying, It's Un-American
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billytea - Feb 26, 2003 10:26:14 pm PST #2210 of 9843
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
DavidS - Feb 26, 2003 10:26:55 pm PST #2211 of 9843
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
A long time ago I read an interview with Jackson Browne talking about the drawn-out "R" in the California accent. He pointed to the Beach Boys "California Girls" as an example: "Well East Coat gurrrrrlls are hip..." etc.
Hil R. - Feb 26, 2003 10:27:27 pm PST #2212 of 9843
Sometimes I think I might just move up to Vermont, open a bookstore or a vegan restaurant. Adam Schlesinger, z''l
A lot of fake American accents sound way too flat to my ear. Also, a lot of people seem to be trying for "standard American" and end up with some weird amalgamation of regional accents that sounds nothing like how anyone actually talks. (I just saw some example of this that was really annoying me, but now I can't remember where.)
DavidS - Feb 26, 2003 10:29:14 pm PST #2213 of 9843
"Look, son, if it's good enough for Shirley Bassey, it's good enough for you."
Also, a lot of people seem to be trying for "standard American" and end up with some weird amalgamation of regional accents that sounds nothing like how anyone actually talks.
Gary Oldman has said the key is to go for the regional accent since there is not a generic American accent. (Though there's the National TV News Midwestern Accent which might be comparable to BBC English.)
§ ita § - Feb 26, 2003 10:30:14 pm PST #2214 of 9843
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
I'd love to hear a good non-comedic, non-Quebecois Canadian impression. I don't know that I ever have.
P.M. Marc - Feb 26, 2003 10:31:58 pm PST #2215 of 9843
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear
I'd love to hear a good non-comedic, non-Quebecois Canadian impression. I don't know that I ever have.
Hrrm. Which coast?
§ ita § - Feb 26, 2003 10:33:45 pm PST #2216 of 9843
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.
Hrrm. Which coast?
Either. Or inbetween. Mostly I've heard might-as-well-be Midwestern accents, and that's passing, but not an impression.
P.M. Marc - Feb 26, 2003 10:41:05 pm PST #2217 of 9843
So come, my friends, be not afraid/We are so lightly here/It is in love that we are made; In love we disappear
Either. Or inbetween. Mostly I've heard might-as-well-be Midwestern accents, and that's passing, but not an impression.
Huh.
Close as I've come to hearing one would be either parent after they've been back up, but that's not an impression, that's just backsliding.
I think people concentrate on the About and out and eh?, and miss the essentials like Pasta and Mazda.
Caroma - Feb 26, 2003 10:44:57 pm PST #2218 of 9843
Hello! I must be going.
I think I speak for most Americans when I say that I wouldn't know if somebody was imitating a Canadian unless I know that they are. However, if I'm listening to a Canadian I can tell after a while. To me most of them sound a little Scottish.
billytea - Feb 26, 2003 11:15:33 pm PST #2219 of 9843
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
I think I speak for most Americans when I say that I wouldn't know if somebody was imitating a Canadian unless I know that they are. However, if I'm listening to a Canadian I can tell after a while. To me most of them sound a little Scottish.
I find a remarkable number of Americans can't distinguish between British and Australian accents (anything less broad than Steve Irwin's, at least). I've had Americans listen to me and Dave the office Brit carry on a whole conversation, and still be unable to hear a difference.
We actually find that African-Americans have better success on average in picking our accents. Not sure why that should be.