British Pronunciation Question (Page 2): Yes - and 40 years ago I enjoyed being able to guess what part of the country people were from - even those from New Hampshire sound different...

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

Nukepr wrote:

While we both speak the same language, pronunciati... (show quote)

Yes - and 40 years ago I enjoyed being able to guess what part of the country people were from - even those from New Hampshire sound different than Vermont and Maine - and those in "downeast" Maine are definitely unique in their dialect. But sadly television is neutralizing those differences.

Theoqat

Japanese will say, "ohio" with the long "I". "Good morning", maybe? Can't recall for sure.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

sb wrote:

Yes - and 40 years ago I enjoyed being able to guess what part of the country people were from - even those from New Hampshire sound different than Vermont and Maine - and those in "downeast" Maine are definitely unique in their dialect. But sadly television is neutralizing those differences.

I'm from the NY metropolitan area, and I've been living in the Catskills for 48 years. When I hear someone from NYC or L. I., it sounds like home.

I was having breakfast in a diner in the south, and the waitress said to one of her customers, "You're not from around here, are you?" He was a southerner from another state, and she noticed the different accent. I never would have noticed.

norman1312 Loc: London, UK

Just to point out that there are MASSIVE variations in regional accents here as well. Someone living in Southern England could have a great deal of trouble understanding someone living in various Northern areas.
So, TV or Films from England have to use fairly neutral or toned down accents, or you would need subtitles to understand what was being said!

jsmangis Loc: Peoria, IL

jerryc41 wrote:

I watch lots of English TV, and I've spent quite a bit of time in England, so I can understand the language pretty well. But I have a question about pronunciation.

English people generally pronounce "a" as "ah," like, "I cahn't find the keys." However, they also pronounce "a" the same way we do, like, "Your hat is lovely."

So, is there a rule, written or unwritten, that determines when "a" is pronounced long and short?

I think that George Bernard Shaw said it best: "The Brittish and the Americans are two people separated by a common language".

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

norman1312 wrote:

Just to point out that there are MASSIVE variations in regional accents here as well. Someone living in Southern England could have a great deal of trouble understanding someone living in various Northern areas.
So, TV or Films from England have to use fairly neutral or toned down accents, or you would need subtitles to understand what was being said!

London itself has a large variety of accents.

I always use subtitles because so many shows have very loud background music.

Retina Loc: Near Charleston,SC

jerryc41 wrote:

I watch lots of English TV, and I've spent quite a bit of time in England, so I can understand the language pretty well. But I have a question about pronunciation.

English people generally pronounce "a" as "ah," like, "I cahn't find the keys." However, they also pronounce "a" the same way we do, like, "Your hat is lovely."

So, is there a rule, written or unwritten, that determines when "a" is pronounced long and short?

Since you watch a lot of socialized television, you may be familiar with a proh-ject by the Canadian reporter Robert MacNeil about the evolution of English dialects. If not, I think you would enjoy:
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/story-of-english/
(To appease the avatar police, I finally submitted a group mug shot. The best players are on the left. The rule of thirds places me in the foreground.)

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Retina wrote:

Since you watch a lot of socialized television, you may be familiar with a proh-ject by the Canadian reporter Robert MacNeil about the evolution of English dialects. If not, I think you would enjoy:
http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/story-of-english/
(To appease the avatar police, I finally submitted a group mug shot. The best players are on the left. The rule of thirds places me in the foreground.)

I remember that show - The Story of English. Fascinating. The most famous person in China at one time was the woman who taught English on TV. She was mobbed wherever she went. I bought the set on VHS. I should update and get it on DVD.

Thanks for warning me about the avatar police. They haven't bothered me - yet. :D

alf85 Loc: Northumberland, UK.

Here in Northumberland for House, we say Hoose, the reason for that is, in the past Northumberland was part of Scotland.

big ed Loc: Dudley UK

In the Black Country which is in the midlands uk we would say "I cor find me kays" ("I can't find my keys")

alf85 Loc: Northumberland, UK.

Most of the people in Northumberland can not speak the true Northumbrian language,as it is only spoken in two towns now,and only by the lower class's.

bigalw Loc: Essex - UK

Cary Elwes is English
https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=cary%20elwes

but you are correct about Kevin Costner, although I do like him as an actor

angler Loc: StHelens England

It all depends on what part of the country you come from ,we have lots of different accents,in my part of England we sat laff and not larf.Some of the accents are so strong you sometimes would'nt understand us.

RichieC Loc: Adirondacks

nekon wrote:

Brits say"ni-kon" rather than "nykon" because japanese do not have a long I sound

We also call the Island Japan, but they call it 日本

khalidikram

You may have heard the story of the Frenchman who spent 10 years intensively learning to speak English before visiting England for the first time. As he stepped outside his hotel he saw a newspaper review of Shakespeare's play, which was headed "Hamlet-Pronounced success." He immediately shot himself.