pick an accent and stick with it
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proteus122 — 12 years ago(January 17, 2014 11:07 PM)
I agree totally. I love the guy and think he's a great actor but his accent was all over the place. When the movie started it was like he was trying for a New York accent. Then about the time of the "limey bastard" comment you mentioned, he was using his normal English speaking voice. Weird!
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antoni109 — 12 years ago(January 27, 2014 04:56 PM)
Sorry in advance for this rant.
I've never really got the the whole "British" accent thing that Americans go on about. If you live in Great Britain, you are either English, Scottish, Welsh (or Northern Irish even). You don't refer to yourself as "British" and the idea of a "British" accent is nonsensical, given the wide range of regional accents even within England.
Now I know that Americans calling people "Brits" is a shorthand and that by "British" they mean some sort of generic English accent, but even so it gives me the shytes.
I'm Australian by the way -
Stirchley — 12 years ago(January 27, 2014 05:28 PM)
If you live in Great Britain, you are either English, Scottish, Welsh (or Northern Irish even).
Northern Ireland is not part of Great Britain, but it is a part of
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
.
You don't refer to yourself as "British" and the idea of a "British" accent is nonsensical, given the wide range of regional accents even within England.
Your post is "nonsensical". Those of us born in the U.K. are British and our accent is British.
I'm Australian
Stick to all things Aussie mate. -
antoni109 — 12 years ago(January 28, 2014 12:35 AM)
Wow, you took that personally - not my intention bro.
You are of course correct that Northern Ireland is not part of the island of Britain, but it is politically part of the United Kingdom.
But on the issue of a "British accent".
Ask a Scot if he is British or Scottish.
Ask a Welshman he is British or Welsh.
Ask an Englishman he is British or English.
I guarantee you that 9/10 they will give you the latter response - or at least they are Scot first, and British second.
Let me ask you further.
Does a Scot sound like an Englishman?
Does a Welshman sound like a Northern Irishman?
On the regional accent issue even within England - does a Geordie sound like an East Ender?
Does a Brummie sound like a Scouser?
Does someone from Chester sound like a Cornishman?
Your honest response is sought.
Oh, and for US and other readers, it's worth noting that Scotland, Wales and England are actually separate countries. -
Stirchley — 12 years ago(January 29, 2014 12:48 PM)
Ask a Scot if he is British or Scottish.
Ask a Welshman he is British or Welsh.
Ask an Englishman he is British or English.
A Scot will almost always say he is Scottish rather than British.
A Welsh person will almost always say he is Welsh rather than British.
An English person (like me) will almost always say she is British rather than English. The Scots and Welsh are anxious to hold on to their identity as Welsh and Scots, rather than be subsumed into all things English or British.
However, the
nationality
of a Scot or a Welshman is British. There is no such as a Welsh or Scottish passport nor, indeed, is there an English passport.
Does a Scot sound like an Englishman?
Does a Welshman sound like a Northern Irishman?
Let's leave Northern Ireland out of this discussion. A person from Northern Ireland will say he is
Irish
rather than British even though N.I. is not part of the Republic of Ireland. However, a person from N.I. requires a British passport.
On the regional accent issue even within England - does a Geordie sound like an East Ender?
Does a Brummie sound like a Scouser?
Does someone from Chester sound like a Cornishman?
Which country does
not
have regional accents? Here in America where I live everyone can recognize a New York or a New Jersey accent. Or a Boston accent or someone from the Deep South. But we are all Americans regardless of our accent (I have dual nationality).
Scotland, Wales and England are actually separate countries
Not exactly. They are
constituent
countries within the larger country of Great Britain. -
antoni109 — 12 years ago(January 29, 2014 06:50 PM)
Thanks for the thoughtful response.
Agree totally that a Scot would say they are Scottish first, and an Englishman might call themselves British first.
Of course all countries have regional accents - I'd argue that regional differences in England are more pronounced than, say, in the US, but I guess that could be debated. In Australia there are regional differences but these are almost imperceptible to an outsider, and I'd say the difference between urban Australia vs country Australia is more pronounced than say the difference between Melbourne and Brisbane.
On your final point, I would argue the countries are indeed separate countries but are all part of the sovereign state that is the United Kingdom. The United Kingdom is not a country.
Anyways, the generic catch all of "the Brits" or "British" by North Americans still annoys me, but it clearly doesn't annoy you and you are English/British so live and let live I say. -
antoni109 — 12 years ago(January 29, 2014 09:15 PM)
Not exactly. They are constituent countries within the
larger country of Great Britain.
I stand corrected, you said Great Britain was a country.
Unfortunately you are still wrong, Great Britain is an island, but not a country. Do you want to continue?
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antoni109 — 12 years ago(January 31, 2014 06:09 PM)
You are entitled to your own opinion, but not to your own facts. There is no composite country of "Great Britain". It simply doesn't exist as a political entity. It has no government, legislature, police force, civil service.
As we've already discussed the United Kingdom is the sovereign state, composed of the countries of England, Wales, etc etc. There once was the Kingdom of Great Britain but as a political entity that no longer exists.
So well played thus far Stirchley, but you just lost. And the worst of it is is that an Australian knows more about the political geography of your own island than you do.
Prove me wrong. -
antoni109 — 12 years ago(January 31, 2014 08:52 PM)
And it's not. It's a sovereign state, but it's not a country. You seem to have trouble with the concept, check it out. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sovereign_state
Great Britain is neither a country nor a sovereign state. Keep floggin' that horse though brother. -
Stirchley — 12 years ago(February 03, 2014 01:31 PM)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Europe_countries_map_2.png
Back at ya. (BTW, I'm a
sister
, not a brother.) -
antoni109 — 12 years ago(February 03, 2014 10:12 PM)
Oops, my mistake sis.
So it seems that a sovereign state (eg the UK) can be considered a country (even though it's composed of subordinate countries) so you win that round.
However the Isle of Britain is still not a country -
Stirchley — 12 years ago(February 05, 2014 11:55 AM)
subordinate countries
Constituent
countries, not subordinate.
the Isle of Britain is still not a country
Probably because there is no such thing. There is the
island of Great Britain
or maybe you are referring to
the British Isles
, which is a whole other story.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Isles -
AlPacinosBambino — 10 years ago(February 02, 2016 02:11 PM)
I have to say I agree that 'the idea of a "British" accent is nonsensical'. I am not sure what a British accent sounds like.
The other poster was right, there are too many different variations (I am referring to Scottish and Welsh accents mainly) for this term to be considered correct. I have always thought it was a term people use to describe an english accent, erroneously.
Stirchley, perhaps you have had experience of this accent and can tell me what it sounds like.
I am from Scotland, and have lived here all my life, so I consider myself qualified enough to comment on this post.
Great film. Bettany's accent was a bit all over the place though!
