difficulties understanding british accent

English is my mother tongue and I was brought up speaking what is called 'received' British English, sometimes called the 'King's English' or the 'Queen's English' (really a dialect spoken by certain people mostly living in the South-East of England). Nearly every language has regional variations in accent, emphasis pattern (or 'music'), idiomatic usage and vocabulary, and English is no exception. Besides the regional accents of Australia, New Zealand, USA (in which there are several very distinct accents) and Canada, there are also wide variations in regional and local accents in Britain itself and many English speakers have trouble in understanding people from other parts of even our small island! How intelligible a spoken language is to anyone depends on how familiar they are with the accent but mostly on how clearly the words are enunciated and the general rhythm and pitch variations of the speaker. A flat, even tone with little difference in either pitch or speed, with few 'punctuation' pauses is very hard to listen to, even for someone who understands and speaks the language as a native. Popular music from Britain tends to use a slightly 'American' accent (rolled 'r's, in particular) because much of that style of music originated in the States and it has become a sort of 'tradition' for British artists to affect a slightly American accent (which has been referred to as 'mid-Atlantic') when singing. Recently - and especially since the Beatles - there has been a trend for British singers to use a British accent (and British idiom in the lyrics). Listen, for example, to Lily Allen who consciously uses a strong London accent.

me too sometimes it is quite hard to pick up and understand if english were spoken by british because of the way they pronounce it..compare to american english which quite clear..but when british sing in english they sound clear but on talking the words sound different..i don't why? but that's just how it is with them..i wish they could sound clear when spoken like the way i hear it on songs or when they sing,,

You have to immerse yourself in it. If you lived in Great Britain, or Australia, you would pick up on it, and wouldn't be thinking about the differences, lol! My husband is from Great Britain, and we have been together for about fifteen years, so I am used to it, I guess. The accents I have problems with are from scotland or Liverpool. Once when we were visiting my husband's Mother, her neighbor came into the house from Liverpool. She spoke to me, and I couldn't understand a word she was saying to me!!! My husband told me after the woman left that sometimes he and his Mother couldn't understand her, either! Sometimes I have problems understanding people from Boston. I had a coworker from Boston, and I had to concentrate when he spoke to me, his accent was so thick, lol! I think it's just a matter of training your ear when you are learning a language.

If you are used to interact with different people who speak different accent. Iam sure you won't have problem with accent. The problem with you is that you get used to been with those who speak American accent. That is why you find it hard to understand other. British grammar is original and very nice and easy to understand. I have used both the American and British Curriculum and I can tell you knowing British grammar is the best thing you can do to yourself.