How would you explain to an American, if English, which country you come from ?

Question

Hi Folks,

In the USA recently, I was told I had an "English accent",

Er, no, I replied, I speak English. You have an American accent.

This banter led to me explaining that I can be a Geordie, English, British, Citizen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain, European etc.

Also explaining the concept of the "British Isles" got tricky.

Actually 200 odd separate ones from Rockall to the Channel Islands.

My American friend was confused, and I cannot blame him !

How would you go about the explanation I wonder ?

Bob

Answer 1

You also have an accent, EVERYBODY has an accent, no matter you are English or American, or... is there a place where people speak with no accent ?  

Answer 2

Just invite people over and show them, I guess ;) As it is complicated to be European in my opinion... and most people would love to see Europe and the Isles with their own eyes as far as I have heard :))

Answer 3

Don't bother wasting your time!!!!!

Answer 4

"English accent" is the all-encompassing term used, when a non-UK person is describing it, just as you told your friend he had an American accent.

He speaks American, but maybe what he has is a New York accent, or a Nevadan accent, or a Texan accent.  Even Canadians have their own take on the English language.  So, really, there's no need to be pedantic about anything. Just say, "Thank you, it's because I am from________...  "

  

Answer 5

it can vary even more after. Im scottish but the people in glasgow have a glasweigan accent and people who live in edinburgh will have a slightly different accent

Answer 6

There's really no need to be that fussy, I think we're the only ones who get annoyed when people say "English accent". We might say that someone has a German accent, but obviously in Germany there must also be many regional accents. The whole Britain/England/British Isles thing really isn't that complicated.

Great Britain = England, Scotland, Wales

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland = kind of self explanatory...

The British Isles = all the islands...

It really isn't that hard.

Surely an American knows that they can be from Kansas City, also from the state of Kansas, from the southern USA, from North America etc.

Answer 7

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

The parts in breakdown.

In the north - Scotland, Northern Ireland.

Further south - England & Wales

World Atlas - UK - explained. . . .

http://www.worldatlas.com/webimage/count...

English as she is spoke!

British accents vary and among the most distinctive are these;

Geordie, Cockney, Scouse, Welsh, Scottish and Irish.

How we used to speak.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QE0MtENfO...

British accents at youtube

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu...

Shakespeare's Engish - "Now is the Winter of our discontent. . . ."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thz2EUizC...

The Queen's English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lh1-9ww_H...

BBC Business English

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJDfghW1E...

Answer 8

"British accents vary and among the most distinctive are these;

Geordie, Cockney, Scouse, Welsh, Scottish and Irish."

Eh, the Republic of Ireland is a separate country and Northern Ireland is in the UK, but not Britain, so the Northern Ireland is not a British accent.



The term 'British Isles' is a geographical one and isn't very useful, other than to say those two big islands of the north-west coast of Europe.

Also, American isn't a language; it's a dialect of English.

Answer 9

But just as there are many variations of an English accent, there are many variations of an American accent -- Boston, Southern, Midwestern...

That's just what I think.

.  

Answer 10

As I understand it, English is spoken in Britain with many regional accents. So, which region is it in which people speak with no accent? Would that be the Buckingham Palace district?

Answer 11

I would say, "Considering that we're speaking English, I'll take that as a compliment."

And only New Yawkers speak English with the correct accent, of course.