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[M1chl]

It's pretty cringy. But I think the same for British actors trying to speak with an American accent - I would imagine it gets a similar response in kind.

For example, I have never been able to watch more than a few minutes of "House" because I know what Hugh Laurie sounds like - and his accent is to me cringy as fuck.

What is cringy, accents?

 

[Jezbollah]

What is cringy, accents?

Hugh Laurie's American accent in House. I cant get my head around it.

 

[M1chl]

Hugh Laurie's American accent in House. I cant get my head around it.

So I should not attempt another accent? That's what you are saying?

 

[Ornlu]

M1chl , I think for most native English speakers in the US, there is no real issue. The only time you might catch some grief for it is if the accent is straight up unintelligible, or if the person is already hard of hearing.

Sometimes accents can be quite endearing; for example I work with a woman who speaks with a slight accent, but has a few words she pronounces with the absolute hardest NJ/NY accent you could possibly imagine. Turns out she learned English from a teacher in NJ, and the pronunciations stuck. I think it's funny as hell.

To echo what others said, native speakers are so used to hearing non-native speakers that even the most broken, barely comprehensible English leaves me non-plussed.

As someone who speaks conversational French and lower-intermediate Korean, it's not a courtesy that's often returned.

I think that's one of the things I like most about the US in particular; there is very, very little pushback toward people who speak English with a thick accent. The most people will usually get is a "So, where are you from?", which unfortunately people sometimes take the wrong way.

 

[jufonuk]

I have mad respect for any non-native English speaker, who can speak my language.

since trying to learn french and stumbling loads I understand the difficulties etc.

 

[M1chl]

I have mad respect for any non-native English speaker, who can speak my language.

since trying to learn french and stumbling loads I understand the difficulties etc.

Well French is like 1000x more difficult, English is easier than learning grammar of my own language, no joke.

 

[jufonuk]

Well French is like 1000x more difficult, English is easier than learning grammar of my own language, no joke.

I've started so see how English is the most simple language in terms of how it is constructed, very limited conjugation etc

 

[M1chl]

I've started so see how English is the most simple language in terms of how it is constructed, very limited conjugation etc

However pronounciation, is really wild, you basically have to learn every single word....

 

[John Day]

I can read/write english pretty well, even think to myself in english. But don’t have a lot of practice speaking it (noone to talk with here in english), so, when i do my tongue gets in the way and i start second guessing what i have so clear in my head.

 

[jufonuk]

However pronounciation, is really wild, you basically have to learn every single word....

yes french freaked me out as you miss words at the end,

for English, its words that sound the same but are written differently:
witch and which.

also
words that are written the same but pronounced differently

Live, Live
Read, Read
Lead, Lead

that I bet can mess up non-native speakers

 

[Osaka_Boss]

I've decided to revive this thread instead of making a new one. Of course, it is a shallow Brazilian model speaking a heavy Portuguesy accent english, but why the hell sub it? She is not making any mistakes in conveying the f*n message



I mean, c'mon, it is not fair to isolate English native speakers in this matter bc this is a society thing, even within a language speaking group.

I'm brazilian, when Germans are learning Portuguese (and I've taught a fair share of Germans, Koreans, Americans) I feel there is this pressure of not sounding different.

But within a community of a specific language it does happen, we judge others by their accent. Regardless of being from within Portugal countryside, Angola, Brazilans from amazon, there are the "good" and the "ugly" ones

I just got furious because of the channel subbing her and the idiot making fun of her Bloodborne accent. I'm quite sure the japanese pronounce it the same way she did. Who cares if borne and blood have different /o/ pronunciations, for gods sake.

The dude threw her some shade, but then gets furious if girls shit-test him LOL

 

[jufonuk]

For video above. As someone learning another language. I appreciate the struggle. Far be it from me to be a dick. Thank you for taking the time to learn my language. Get those wankers to speak to her in Portuguese/Brazilian

 

[Cockles & Whelks]

Hugh Laurie's American accent in House. I cant get my head around it.

Same reason I could never get into The Wire. Dominic West's US accent is shocking.

 

[Wildebeest]

A lot of Europeans speak English with clear pronunciation that is less difficult to understand than some regional accents in the UK, especially to other Europeans. Personally, I find it disappointing if a European speaks English with a strong American accent but fun if they went to a regional university in the UK and speak using local idioms and accents. There are some things with tone in English that can be more divisive than being monotonic like upward inflection where people end every sentence like it is a question.

 

[base]

Hey Yankees. Check this out.

 

[base]

A lot of Europeans speak English with clear pronunciation that is less difficult to understand than some regional accents in the UK, especially to other Europeans. Personally, I find it disappointing if a European speaks English with a strong American accent but fun if they went to a regional university in the UK and speak using local idioms and accents. There are some things with tone in English that can be more divisive than being monotonic like upward inflection where people end every sentence like it is a question.

Cause they teach us the AE not BE.

 

[base]

Well French is like 1000x more difficult, English is easier than learning grammar of my own language, no joke.

English is only easy at the beginning but later on it can be pretty difficult. Some tenses don't exist in other European languages which makes it difficult to understand.

 

[Amiga]

If the English can live with the scouse accent, then they can't complain about anybody else in the world.

 

[Patrick S.]

My English pronounciation is very very similar to Alex Battaglia's. It's close to sounding like a native speaker, and I think you can't really tell I'm German from my accent. If I conciuously make an effort to fake an American accent, I can probably fool you into thinking I'm from the US. I almost never speak the language anymore though, so I definitely could use some practice.

 

[M1chl]

English is only easy at the beginning but later on it can be pretty difficult. Some tenses don't exist in other European languages which makes it difficult to understand.

I actually feels like the non-verbose style of talking in English makes it easier when you comfortable in speaking in English I recently tried to translate few of my project from English to Czech, I had pretty tough time to make it precise translation. For one English word there are 5 Czech words, now which one to choose. However I also come around Finnish and that language seems to be ultra hard. That even native speaker needs to multiple correction. At this point I probably have inner thoughts in English. I like Czech, that you can really play with it, but for me the grammar is sometimes hardcore.


My accent in English improved, but that's only in time frames, when I am constantly speaking in English, if there is a pause, then I have big problem with words like "better", "literally" and anything with er, rl next to easch other. But few people in recent past wouldn't guess that I am Slavic, so that made me happy.

 

[Bartski]

I speak English all day every day at work and my accent is awful and way worse than I think it is if I listen back to myself talk recorded. Hard slavic "t" and "cz" (tsh) are impossible to beat.
I still sound lightyears better than most of my Norwegian and Indian colleagues. Indian people speaking English is something else entirely.

 

[Tschumi]

England has a million internal accents, get over it lol, peter sellers made fucking hay off paying out Indians, yep it's no biggie to me

 

[jufonuk]

I speak English all day every day at work and my accent is awful and way worse than I think it is if I listen back to myself talk recorded. Hard slavic "t" and "cz" (tsh) are impossible to beat.
I still sound lightyears better than most of my Norwegian and Indian colleagues. Indian people speaking English is something else entirely.

To all non native English speakers. You have my respect.

The thing about speaking English. Is by learning the language you will actually understand more about the syntax of the language than the common English speaker.
Big up your chest

Even if you make mistakes or change a word order you will be understood.

 

[jufonuk]

England has a million internal accents, get over it lol, peter sellers made fucking hay off paying out Indians, yep it's no biggie to me

And that’s just within a hundred miles of each other

 

[Peggies]

Cause they teach us the AE not BE.

I don't know where you went to school but traditionally we learn British English in school. At least in western and middle Europe.

 

[Rickyiez]

Some Latina girls are sexy both in their accent and physicals

 

[Torrent of Pork]

Native Floridian here, nobody cares about an accent as long as as we can get the gist of what you're trying to say. Unless you have a Yankee accent, then you can fuck right off. (joking, joking guys, put the bagel down)

 

[base]

Some Latina girls are sexy both in their accent and physicals

Not some. Most of them. I fucking love it.

 

[DarkArterialGore]

I actually feels like the non-verbose style of talking in English makes it easier when you comfortable in speaking in English I recently tried to translate few of my project from English to Czech, I had pretty tough time to make it precise translation. For one English word there are 5 Czech words, now which one to choose. However I also come around Finnish and that language seems to be ultra hard. That even native speaker needs to multiple correction. At this point I probably have inner thoughts in English. I like Czech, that you can really play with it, but for me the grammar is sometimes hardcore.


My accent in English improved, but that's only in time frames, when I am constantly speaking in English, if there is a pause, then I have big problem with words like "better", "literally" and anything with er, rl next to each other. But few people in recent past wouldn't guess that I am Slavic, so that made me happy.

I really struggle to concentrate when I hear a Finnish person speak English because of their incredibly boring speech patterns. I remember an F1 driver called Mika Häkkinen used to make me fall asleep if I watched him get interviewed before a race because he sounded like a monotonous robot



It's weird that the other Scandinavian accents sound fine to me though, especially Norwegian as I can sometimes hear an Irish accent creep in when they speak English

 

[p_xavier]

I absolutely loathe France French accent in English. Can't stand native ebonics either, sounds ridiculous. I love a slav accent, sounds tough and masculine. I have a big accent in French, English and German, and it sucks.

 

[M1chl]

I really struggle to concentrate when I hear a Finnish person speak English because of their incredibly boring speech patterns. I remember an F1 driver called Mika Häkkinen used to make me fall asleep if I watched him get interviewed before a race because he sounded like a monotonous robot



It's weird that the other Scandinavian accents sound fine to me though, especially Norwegian as I can sometimes hear an Irish accent creep in when they speak English

Well that's sort of my biggest gripe, I too am pretty boring sounding, our language is also pretty monotonous. Even though not as much as shown in video.

 

[Cockles & Whelks]

I've been known to go full Alfie Solomon.

 

[ymoc]

Same reason I could never get into The Wire. Dominic West's US accent is shocking.

That the only reason???? I can't believe you wouldn't watch one of the most legendary series cause of one guy's accent?

 

[TonyK]

If a friend is bothered because your accent, advice, it's not a friend.

 

[Lady Redfield]

People outside of where I am say I have an accent when I talk, i just sound “regular” (as in boring, nothing special, no accent), so, really, just about anyone can have an accent if you’re not from the area. When I speak Ukrainian, it flows a little different, but, just slightly more expressive.

 

[jason10mm]

There are a few foreign accents that sound bad to my American ear. Or at least undercuts the role. Any savage viking with norweigen accented English for example. It just isn't an intimidating accent, sorry

But folks doing some sort of American "neutral" accent is fine. It usually involves deepening their voice though, I'm always shocked to hear these tough guy actors with these high pitched voices when speaking their normal accent or language.

 

[M1chl]

People outside of where I am say I have an accent when I talk, i just sound “regular” (as in boring, nothing special, no accent), so, really, just about anyone can have an accent if you’re not from the area. When I speak Ukrainian, it flows a little different, but, just slightly more expressive.

Still Czech sounds way more plain that Ukrainian, which is still more expressive in general.
There is a lot of Ukrainians here, father have half of employees from UA.

There are a few foreign accents that sound bad to my American ear. Or at least undercuts the role. Any savage viking with norweigen accented English for example. It just isn't an intimidating accent, sorry

But folks doing some sort of American "neutral" accent is fine. It usually involves deepening their voice though, I'm always shocked to hear these tough guy actors with these high pitched voices when speaking their normal accent or language.

This is hardcore Czech accent, if it hasn't been posted:



I can't listen to more of few seconds of that shit, it destroys my ears as well as soul.

This is why this thread wasn't even conceived.

 

[jufonuk]

Still Czech sounds way more plain that Ukrainian, which is still more expressive in general.
There is a lot of Ukrainians here, father have half of employees from UA.


This is hardcore Czech accent, if it hasn't been posted:



I can't listen to more of few seconds of that shit, it destroys my ears as well as soul.

This is why this thread wasn't even conceived.

I can listen to that.

 

[Susurrus]

Language is a means of communication. As long as party A can understand party B, who gives a shit what language it is, the accent it is, etc?

That aside, after years of attempting to learn Japanese by studying it nicely, and my household being bilingual English - Japanese and I am still low level, mad respect to anyone that can figure out how to get anywhere near full bilingual.

 

[SirTerry-T]

M1chl Have you heard some of the regional accents we have over here in the UK?!! Trust me, speaking with your own accent will NOT be a problem

 

[M1chl]

M1chl Have you heard some of the regional accents we have over here in the UK?!! Trust me, speaking with your own accent will NOT be a problem

Yeah I did, problem is that some of those are very hard to understand which does not make them bad, just my ears sucks. Even though what I've heard in the northern Scotland, probably isn't even English.

 

[jufonuk]

Yeah I did, problem is that some of those are very hard to understand which does not make them bad, just my ears sucks. Even though what I've heard in the northern Scotland, probably isn't even English.

look don't worry about it, accent or not. just teach any english person some swearwords in your language and a couple of sayings.. bonding.

fucking sorted.
some english natives do not speak their own language properly so dont worry "abaht it mate!!"

 

[M1chl]

look don't worry about it, accent or not. just teach any english person some swearwords in your language and a couple of sayings.. bonding.

fucking sorted.
some english natives do not speak their own language properly so dont worry "abaht it mate!!"

Granted I have a lot of English friends and sort of always had and they all told me that I have some sort of persecution complex about it, that I sound normal.

But I was more wanted to ask this, because back when this thread was created I had a public speaking gig around the corner and sheer terror of the anxiety, really drove me insane back then. It's was sort of close after that life saving surgery when I had a memory loss and I had to re-learn the English. So I sucked quite a lot.

Well now, after like a 5 or so presentation, I still speak very inconsistently, but it was never to that degree so it would be embarrassing.

But still, my personality, is highly motivated and it truly destroys me, when I suck at something which I deem "normal". Because speaking well in English nowadays is really mandatory

 

[jufonuk]

Granted I have a lot of English friends and sort of always had and they all told me that I have some sort of persecution complex about it, that I sound normal.

But I was more wanted to ask this, because back when this thread was created I had a public speaking gig around the corner and sheer terror of the anxiety, really drove me insane back then. It's was sort of close after that life saving surgery when I had a memory loss and I had to re-learn the English. So I sucked quite a lot.

Well now, after like a 5 or so presentation, I still speak very inconsistently, but it was never to that degree so it would be embarrassing.

But still, my personality, is highly motivated and it truly destroys me, when I suck at something which I deem "normal". Because speaking well in English nowadays is really mandatory

you can do public speaking? you're a braver man than I, and after sugery.. not sarcasm here, that's amazing. I couldn't do that I'm shit a public speaking. don't worry about anything.. either just find someone and stare at them like this the whole time, while speaking

or just be like what ever fuck it, any of you people here learn't a second langauge, spoken in public, required life saving surgery forgot the second language only to learn it again? no then fuck off. no seriously. mate you are golden, anxiety is normal.

 

[M1chl]

you can do public speaking? you're a braver man than I, and after sugery.. not sarcasm here, that's amazing. I couldn't do that I'm shit a public speaking. don't worry about anything.. either just find someone and stare at them like this the whole time, while speaking

or just be like what ever fuck it, any of you people here learn't a second langauge, spoken in public, required life saving surgery forgot the second language only to learn it again? no then fuck off. no seriously. mate you are golden, anxiety is normal.

I obviously speak about my experience and I am part of the group which is for support of people with Psoriasis, I could speak more about issues with drinking and Anxiety and so on, but I decided not to, do anything which psychology. Because that groups are to be really toxic. When I was doing this post, I was speaking to a group of like 300 in some doctors conference, because I was first in my country to take a medical trial, which actually fixed my psoriasis, to an extend, that I have better skin than 99% and before that I looked like a zombie, so I choose to drank myself to dead, etc..

So it wasn't necessarily just some "oh please tell me I am good", this shit was quite important. I then take a courage, to speak to in Czech/English on some Google conference, about flutter framework and so on. It helped, but I still have a lot to learn.

I like speaking in English, I don't care as much as in my native language.

Part of me path was somehow to do this thread, because I was really shaking at that moment

 

[Ionian]

Granted I have a lot of English friends and sort of always had and they all told me that I have some sort of persecution complex about it, that I sound normal.

But I was more wanted to ask this, because back when this thread was created I had a public speaking gig around the corner and sheer terror of the anxiety, really drove me insane back then. It's was sort of close after that life saving surgery when I had a memory loss and I had to re-learn the English. So I sucked quite a lot.

Well now, after like a 5 or so presentation, I still speak very inconsistently, but it was never to that degree so it would be embarrassing.

But still, my personality, is highly motivated and it truly destroys me, when I suck at something which I deem "normal". Because speaking well in English nowadays is really mandatory

As the previous poster said, I wouldn't worry too much about it. Alot of my exs had little English when we first met and were fluent by the time we broke up but still had an accent that changed between their native and mine/city Irish accent. It was endearing, for most people English speaking people, the brain fills in the blanks if there's a slight hiccup. Honestly native English speakers will be used to speaking to people with English as a second language, enough so that you'd have to make massive grammatical mistakes continuously for them to notice. The accent thing ain't a problem.

Then again when I went back to college in my 30's, a 1st year lecturer had such a strong accent that we hadn't a clue what he was saying. He'd keep saying "understand?!" and everyone was quiet as nobody did and he was a PhD student. He and the our class both ended up clueless by the end of the year. We just banded together to figure out the work on our own. There were also some other PhD students that gave lectures and while the accent made it obvious they were foreign it was more their reluctance to speak with it that made lectures frustrating, they were very shy about it when we could understand them perfectly. I felt sorry for them as they over-corrected themselves and you could see they were worried at not being understood when they were.

Both cases were few and far between though. Most native English speakers grow up with different languages and accents around from childhood to media so as I said the brain fills in the blanks for minor mistakes.

You've got nothing to worry about buddy.

 

[Ionian]

I obviously speak about my experience and I am part of the group which is for support of people with Psoriasis, I could speak more about issues with drinking and Anxiety and so on, but I decided not to, do anything which psychology. Because that groups are to be really toxic. When I was doing this post, I was speaking to a group of like 300 in some doctors conference, because I was first in my country to take a medical trial, which actually fixed my psoriasis, to an extend, that I have better skin than 99% and before that I looked like a zombie, so I choose to drank myself to dead, etc..

So it wasn't necessarily just some "oh please tell me I am good", this shit was quite important. I then take a courage, to speak to in Czech/English on some Google conference, about flutter framework and so on. It helped, but I still have a lot to learn.

I like speaking in English, I don't care as much as in my native language.

Part of me path was somehow to do this thread, because I was really shaking at that moment

I did debating in school from a young enough age. I used to shake quite a bit but was always told I was great (probably because it was in school and nobody cared).

When I had to present my thesis to 3 professors in a small room for my degree, rather than a hall of people, I was more nervous than ever. I think presentations for me is something I should have kept up with as I had lost my courage over the years by not doing any as I didn't need to. So, fair play to you dude. Keep it up!

My Doc also gave me some mild tranq tablets for work ones (Went back to college in the evenings when working, little sleep, no exercise etc.) I avoided them unless really needed, possibly worth looking into? I only ever took half a dose and I'd say it was more placebo than anything but helped me get back into the groove

 

[M1chl]

I did debating in school from a young enough age. I used to shake quite a bit but was always told I was great (probably because it was in school and nobody cared).

When I had to present my thesis to 3 professors in a small room for my degree, rather than a hall of people, I was more nervous than ever. I think presentations for me is something I should have kept up with as I had lost my courage over the years by not doing any as I didn't need to. So, fair play to you dude. Keep it up!

My Doc also gave me some mild tranq tablets for work ones (Went back to college in the evenings when working, little sleep, no exercise etc.) I avoided them unless really needed, possibly worth looking into? I only ever took half a dose and I'd say it was more placebo than anything but helped me get back into the groove

Tranq pills, as in Benzos, well I have a history with that... and it's not good.

PSA: Don't drink alcohol too much. Liver transplant experience. NeoGAF special edition. | NeoGAF