Funny Enough

What an interesting post..I know I read something about accents in my Communications class, but I don'y retain too much info there.. But I agree, and yet I wonder if perhaps we listen more carefully to people with accents because if we don't, we may misunderstand some of their words because with an accent, some words are pronounced differently. I also have another theory to throw out, what about the southern accent? I know you are in mid-northern part of the country, but how do you perceive people from Tennessee or Georgia sound? I think some may think they are less intelligent because they have a slow drawl and movies have portrayed them as dumb and ignorant...Makes one wonder now, doesn't it???

hi dear Ambie good morning to you. That post reminds me of my days of high school. We had a teacher teaching British English and English was my fave subject. I was top of the class. As I played th cello back then I enrolled for a 5 day seminar. It was between the German High Schools and the American High Schools. We formed an orchestra and a choir and practised for 5 days and then had a lovely concert in the town where we stayed at the youth hostel. It was really great but when I came back after only five days, one school week my English teacher didnt believe her ears how much American Slang there was after such a short time. Oooooopssssssss........LOL LOL LOL

I do not know if I think it is more intelligent, but I do think of the wit as being more sophisticated. Good window dressing I suppose. Maybe it is that we listen more carefully when it is a different accent.

I do think I listen more closely as if you aren't used to hearing it you sometimes have to decipher what they are saying. I am from Minnesota..and I never thought we had an accent of our own but my daughter says the faster I talk the more it comes out....same with those from the south...or from Brooklyn. But I do love listening to the british with their accents. The do sound a bit more professional or something...

hi AmbiePam I think why I enjoy hearing Brits talk is that they do not run their words together so much as we Americans do. They make'it easier for a personw with a little hearing loss understand what they are saying. After all when someone is communicating the listener should be able to understand what is being said. I do enjoy listening to the British speak also. but I love to hear an ' American orator who does speak clearly without running words together and lets me understand what he is saying.It is the accent and the way they separate words to make real sense. We Americans get sloppy in our speaking.

I agree, I feel that way as well about British accents.

Maybe I shouldn't respond here..being Canadian, and a Commonwealth Country..as growing up, acute English..NOT with influence was so part of my environment, it was just the norm! Many members of my extended family were "proper" English ladies or gents..and I thought them STIFF! They were so proper, we used to mimic them (bad kids) and think it hilarious. We mostly thought them lacking a sense of humour....what a different take??? There expressions seemed to "clipped and short,"!! But remember, that was as a child! Now, in reality, I just don't notice it, but like all other languages it is very regional! I must admit, tho...I do find the "Aussie" intrepretation of British English quite humourous!

not me. i like their accent but no i look at the no accent all american sounding as really the intelligent. i cant explain it. anyway, i used to think country accent sounded like they were dumb, like southern, but then i realised my dad had that accent and he was the most intelligent man i ever knew, even person i ever knew. so i think it has nothing to do with accent. perhaps you just like listening to the accent like i do.

Oh ambiePam - I have a British accent but I am not the sharpest knife in the drawer! Plenty that are brighter than me. I have been ill so haven't been around lately. Cardio problems have increased But I am now working half days and have faith in the Lord.

There is actually a lot more to an accent that people realize. There was a show that was on the other night that followed a Presidential campaign and everywhere that they spoke, they took on a bit of the accent of the area. It was apparently a subconscious way of making the crowd feel like he "was one of them." I like to listen to British accents. I can also see where they could be thought of as sounding intelligent. I also saw where there were classes where people could learn different accents or get rid of their current accents. It is apparently a strong presentation tool.

I live in Minnesota but I've noticed accents since I was three.(really) I go out of way to understand thick foreign accents. Some people know over the phone that I am "from a great lakes state". We had so much Norwegian influence we have their accent. The further into the back woods the more the accent prevails. But living in the twin city area doesn't make us immune to the accent. Words we use for no apparent reason: yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, there, Don't you know, and a bunch of others. Watch the movie Fargo and you'll see what I mean. There are professors that can tell you what influences your own speech and why. I'm sure we are greatly affected by Canadian accents and I've noticed the actors, etc, who have to try to eliminate it for authenticity.

The accent makes me take notice because it is so strange compared to the American English. I don't mean strange in a bad way.. maybe I should say it's unique. Another accent that makes me listen is the Australian accent. I don't think of them as being intelligent or not.. just different. I sometimes watch the show on PBS called Keeping Up Appearances. It's hilarious. I think they are distinguished in a funny sort of way on that show.

Hey there AmbiePam, Wow you are correct, i just watched, pirates of the Caribbean last night and even the extra's that spoke with a British accent seemed intelligent even though they are just speaking about non-sense at all but they really did sound very very intelligent and it was quite mind opening.

A British accent does indeed make me pay more interest to a conversation or what that person is saying, however only if it's a prim and proper type accent. A cockney or Liverpool accent for example makes 'em sound less intelligent. That sounds like a terrible thing to say, but it's just my perception. I'm in Ireland by the way.

Hi Ambie Actually I have a hard time understanding the people on British shows sometimes. I guess Canadians speak much like Americans. Anyway I love the British shows where people speak with an upper class accent like the show Downton Abbey or Doc Martin but there is a show called Coronation Street that deals with lower class and working people. I stopped watching it because I don't understand half of what they are saying. Actually I don't think they are more intelligent only they speak differently.

I always try to listen to whatever people saying, not by considering their accent. :D However, I am always amazed by this British accent as I think this kind of accent is beautiful. But I have this friend from Sunderland, England who keeps saying that my accent is so much better than his as people understand more to what I said. Lol. I think it's because of the accent. :D

"I assume they really are intelligent" --Talking to someone who has an English accent makes me feel so intimidated and I don't know when can I stop it. LOL. In school, we used to having this one English man whom once in a while visit his former colleague who happens to be our instructor. I'm kinda one of their student-observants with regards to listening their accents; but, without any intention to meddle with their communications, of course! LOL..I don't know how my Instructor can speak fluently with an English accent when we are more on American style. My instrutor is a Filipino and I wonder how he managed to accomplish his speaking skills. With regards to writing English I think that every one who is willing to learn can make it by applying in a short courses or even self-studying. Yep I think that as long as writing in English is concern, as long as you really want to pursue it seriously, you can make it easy here in my country... But then again, the speaking fluently with an accent is a much harder thing to accomplish...

The British accent does that or more likely, the fact that other people find it strangely wise too. But, in fact, when you begin to understand British, it's quite enjoyable, myself included. British people can actually be very amusing and yet serious too. I'm a fan of British English and plan to speak it too. :D (Hope this helped)

As a British national, I am Scottish not english, Its good to discover that with being brought up to speak the queens english has a good effect on those over the pond. I think people presume, If you have an english accent and speak well and clear, they have had high educated backgrounds, but not always true. Britian has a multi cultured society like any other country, different languages, dielects and accents, doesn't mean to say that they are less uneducated or intelligent. Some parts of the country I can not understand the local accents, depends what part of the counrty you are brought up. I also think that its because we have a very long line of history and links to europe and other parts of the world, for such a small country. I know what you mean by your post, If I hear a south london accent compaired to a glaswegian accent, I am more likely to listen to the english guy..lol sad but true, so it does help to speak clear propper pronounced words, you are likely to be taken more serious. So listen to what your grandparents told you sit up straight and speak propperly!

i'm Cinese and i think British accent is more attracting and we like imitating it whenever we watch British show. British accent sounds more elegant and funny to me .however, i think American English is more natural and informal.so basically, surely i will pay more attention to a speaker with a British accent which i think is because we could possibly not be able to understand the every single word ,but i like American English moreh