tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post1689129882966903529..comments2023-10-26T15:34:56.807+01:00Comments on Pond Parleys: Sounding SmartPond Parleyshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03127142379706540812noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-68614007080538355182009-12-04T23:36:41.844+00:002009-12-04T23:36:41.844+00:00I partly agree with Iota's comment about soft ...I partly agree with Iota's comment about soft racism, and admit to being 'accentist'. If I were single, I wouldn't even consider going out with someone with an accent I didn't like. Nor would I go out with someone who said "sumfink" instead of "something"! I just couldn't stand to live with that.<br /><br />I don't actually think that Brummies etc really are thick, but I do cringe when I hear Welsh accents on the telly - I am quite Welsh-ist sometimes, despite coming from there. But don't they realise how awful they sound??! (actually, Welsh accents sound fine when speaking Welsh - it goes with the language. It only sounds awful in English.)<br /><br />I can't distinguish between many American accents, but don't like southern drawly ones. Again, I tend to like the more neutral accents, same as I do with with the British.<br /><br />But then, I'm entitled to my opinions just like everyone else, eh. ;-)Mrs Baumnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-5876493959843191872009-12-03T06:36:41.255+00:002009-12-03T06:36:41.255+00:00I agree, Anonymous, Scully was hot, and smart.I agree, Anonymous, Scully was hot, and smart.MikeHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01530099708429116393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-41318425220769822172009-12-02T22:31:30.449+00:002009-12-02T22:31:30.449+00:00I remember seeing Gillian Anderson being interview...I remember seeing Gillian Anderson being interviewed by Michael Parkinson several years ago. I was aware she had spent some of her childhood in Britain, but had taken for granted when she was playing Agent Scully she was using her natural voice, so it was a big surprise to hear her speaking with a predominantly English accent. (Don't know if she would have naturally switched to a more American sound on American tv.)<br /><br />It was only after a few minutes that I realised I was finding her more intelligent and even more attractive. This was a real shock to me, not least because Scully was hardly a bimbo!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-59190349701778095292009-12-02T20:48:41.835+00:002009-12-02T20:48:41.835+00:00I work in Manhattan and answered the phone to some...I work in Manhattan and answered the phone to someone a couple of weeks ago who said they could tell I was English as I sounded like the "Geico" advert. I wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-81909742416150377872009-12-02T04:55:27.731+00:002009-12-02T04:55:27.731+00:00Totally agree with Mr. Fry and Toni, my accent is ...Totally agree with Mr. Fry and Toni, my accent is positively reverred (sp?) where I am and I get some very odd reactions. But then I am the only Brit in a very large area. It's even funnier when I answer the school phone in a tiny town in Oklahoma with a Brit accent! Last week someone thought I was taking the mickey!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09542425639950850366noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-51106489535719895532009-11-30T20:46:04.310+00:002009-11-30T20:46:04.310+00:00I don't know about sounding intelligent, but e...I don't know about sounding intelligent, but everyone here says how wonderful our accents are and how our English sounds so much better than theirs. I wonder why Americans have such a downer on their own accents? Some are really attractive. Although I am already learning about accent snobbery here - eg Manhattanites being disdainful of Long Island accents (and I can't really tell the difference, I have to say).nappy valley girlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10788949037047084412noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-68452228926465591112009-11-30T20:45:30.260+00:002009-11-30T20:45:30.260+00:00Like Brit in Bosnia my English hubby always points...Like Brit in Bosnia my English hubby always points out the British villain in Hollywood films. <br /><br />Remember A Fish Called Wanda? Jamie Lee Curtis couldn't stay away from Kevin Kline when he started spouting 'Italian' (I think it was those two, right?). And didn't Kline (the American) have an anxiety about being called stupid? And wasn't John Cleese (British) the one to call him stupid? Probably more to do with character than accent but there were a few plays on what accents do to us in that film.<br /><br />And finally, I agree with Iota!! 'Accentism!' A very good point made there! But then again, it is kind of like saying 'blonde bimbo' or 'blondes have more fun' or whatever. Not entirely PC but usually accepted as a joke. And to all my blonde friends (even though I dont know who you are on here) I dont think blondes are bimbos or that they have more fun!Michellouihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16841678308675092702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-11781464976203472492009-11-30T20:43:55.757+00:002009-11-30T20:43:55.757+00:00And probably a good idea to tell them to remember ...And probably a good idea to tell them to remember their sense of humour as everyone will imitate them ad nauseam and usually sound terrible.Expat mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17798190669591053390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-37338415319997737252009-11-30T18:38:39.821+00:002009-11-30T18:38:39.821+00:00We have already told our children that when we mov...We have already told our children that when we move to the US people will initially be taken by them and their accents (they are high school aged), and even though they may stand out as new students, kids seem to like new "foreign" students. At least we all did when we had a German foreign exchange student. But we also told them that that will only get them so far, so they still need to think and be smart, because the accent will only get them so far.Jennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06380937047826954640noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-3550390476532301312009-11-30T09:59:13.274+00:002009-11-30T09:59:13.274+00:00The other thing a British accent qualifies us Brit...The other thing a British accent qualifies us Brits for is the part of cold blooded villian in any Hollywood movie. <br /><br />I always think that outside of America, the American accent sounds really smart.Dorset Dispatcheshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10457466586411004146noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-73289729732348711132009-11-30T07:58:17.636+00:002009-11-30T07:58:17.636+00:00Iota: I did think about the word "Smart"...Iota: I did think about the word "Smart" when I wrote the title, but I thought I'd let it stand. Just so you Brits know, I don't mean "sounding spiffy" ;)<br /><br />Geekymummy: I love the Brummie accent. And well done getting the free bottle of wine. how the f*%k did you manage that?MikeHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01530099708429116393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-66688532176135107352009-11-30T02:14:06.804+00:002009-11-30T02:14:06.804+00:00We're practically on the same page today. See ...We're practically on the same page today. See my latest post <br /><br />http://www.smittenbybritain.com/2009/11/top-10-stupid-things-americans-say-to.html<br /><br />(you'll need to copy and paste of course.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-84103043667432392642009-11-30T01:22:07.941+00:002009-11-30T01:22:07.941+00:00My boss is a Brummie and everyone here in CA lives...My boss is a Brummie and everyone here in CA lives his accent. He and I laugh about the fact he sounds "thick" in the uK. I'm more home counties, and once got a free bottle of wine for my eloquent use of the word "f*ck" in a restaurant!geekymummyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10529149669501249892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-51601605472779826002009-11-29T22:44:27.891+00:002009-11-29T22:44:27.891+00:00Having lived in Paris for a year speaking in Frenc...Having lived in Paris for a year speaking in French with an American accent and getting wooed wherever I went, I kind of expected the same in England. But, I agree with Mike. No one seems to care. Perhaps, if anything, every once in a while I get the young kids thinking I'm somehow famous for having an American accent. They are more easily tricked!The Lady Who Luncheshttp://www.ladywholunches.net/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-39292809365428053242009-11-29T22:31:30.863+00:002009-11-29T22:31:30.863+00:00A favourite children's book of mine is "T...A favourite children's book of mine is "The Smartest Giant in Town", which over here has become "The Spiffiest Giant in Town". I love that word: spiffy.<br /><br />I've been told many times that an Engish accent makes you sound intelligent to American ears. Just as a Scottish accent makes you sound romantic to Engish ears. <br /><br />I think accent preferences are soft racism, honestly. I mean, if you said that you thought people with different coloured hair or skin looked more intelligent, you'd be shot down, and rightly so. So why is it acceptable to say - even jokily - that you think people with a different accent sound more intelligent?<br /><br />I've blogged about this once myself, and I don't think I got anyone to agree with me. But since I missed out on the green bean debacle (we were away on vacation), I'm happy to lob something potentially contentious into the comments at this point to catch up. I'm still on my post-vacation high, though, so be nice to me...Iota https://www.blogger.com/profile/08507184283437057648noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-28887534510156538312009-11-29T22:05:26.304+00:002009-11-29T22:05:26.304+00:00And I've just noticed an interesting UK/US dif...And I've just noticed an interesting UK/US difference in this post's title (which I think Mike might have inserted). "Smart".<br />When my elsest son was little, he would only wear t-shirts. Americans all thought it was cute because he said he wouldn't wear "Smart shirts". As a Brit, I used smart to mean more formal, whereas most Americans use it to mean intelligent.Expat mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17798190669591053390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-82540453798898997432009-11-29T22:03:17.617+00:002009-11-29T22:03:17.617+00:00That's funny Maggie, especially as the West Co...That's funny Maggie, especially as the West Country accent is seen as one of the ones that sounds thick. I remember there was a poll of some sort a few years ago and the Brummie accent came out as top of the thick-sounding pops. I felt sorry for intelligent Brummies!Expat mumhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17798190669591053390noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-39472583739854217202009-11-29T21:11:12.767+00:002009-11-29T21:11:12.767+00:00When I moved from Lancashire when I was eight year...When I moved from Lancashire when I was eight years old many years ago, I was ragged about my accent by the Bristolians who had never heard another dialect before....... that I got rid of the accent within the year.<br />When I look at the multicultural population now...... it seems incredible!<br /><br /><a href="http://granniemay.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Nuts in May</a>Maggie Mayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06183886005936250976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-14650984842529040732009-11-29T20:06:03.024+00:002009-11-29T20:06:03.024+00:00Toni might be too polite to name them, but I'...Toni might be too polite to name them, but I'm not! Brummie,estuary English, west country and Welsh valleys accents sound incredibly thick! And I used to have a Welsh valleys accent - I got rid of that pretty fast when I moved away from there.<br /><br />I've never thought about British accents sounding intelligent, but I'd have thought only fairly well spoken English (RP/ "Queen's English", or slightly less posh variations thereof) would sound intelligent. Or perhaps posher/milder versions of other accents. Eg a middle class Edinburgh accent sounds very different to broad Glaswegian!Mrs Baumnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1374269644093476975.post-47965315168509932432009-11-29T18:34:05.818+00:002009-11-29T18:34:05.818+00:00I posted on my facebook about being chuffed that I...I posted on my facebook about being chuffed that I'd bought a cardy with a 30% off voucher - it had Americans in hysterics.Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13739729422526468003noreply@blogger.com