British accent lessons...?

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phoenix2frequent

You shouldn't be worrying about your accent -- just be you, and be happy! Much better to have your own accent than try to fake someone else's. Particularly since we've got a surprising range of accents here for such a small place.

But you can help yourself along by using English terms and turns of phrase. Over here, American words can often mean rather different things... . =D

Just for starters:

Crisps = chips
Chips = fries
F a g = cigarette (not what it means in the US!)
Flat = an apartment
Grill = broil
Ground floor = first floor
Holiday = vacation
Pants = underpants (US "pants" = UK "trousers")
Pavement = sidewalk
Pissed = to be drunk (US "pissed" = UK "pissed off")
Semi = duplex house (not a huge truck; that's an "artic", short for "articulated truck")
Sweater = jumper
Tube = subway (a subway here is an underpass beneath a road)

Anyway, have fun while you're here.
Love from a native Londoner. =D

Katie F

please PLEASE take the union jack out of your avaftar. If you're American, you have no right to show that.

It's like being an Englishman and wearing a Scot's tartan- it's worth a good crowbarring.

And there is no such thing as a British accent. Why are Americans so obsessed with trying to imitate us?! You never find English, Welsh or Scottish people trying to pass as American!

Stephen S

Britain is big! it doesn`t have one accent?
do you mean an upper class english accent?
it can piss us english off when you think we`re all posh and have tea and crumpets while watching polo?

Luli

Erm - don't bother trying to sound English - you'll just sound worse as you won't be ab;e to do it all the time and your change in accent with make you look stupid.

Just keep your tone calm and at a steady pace - don't go all hyper and high pitched.

In my experience, it isn't so much the accent, but what Americans say and how they say it that pisses people off.

Don't be all preachy and exaggerate e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, like whatever!

GrÃ¡inne S

I don't understand why you need to speak in a british accent. Just speak normally.

executioner_bolan

It bothers us when you assume we all sound like Keira.
I`ve really been unconvinced by most attempts by Americans at the "English Accent" ,few can do it and most sound as poor and unconvincing as James Marsters (Spike in Buffy).
We will never forgive you for Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins LOL.

Jane J

Just don't try too hard, that's what really annoys us! Depending on the regional accent, watch a few British programs on tv and practice :) good luck hun!

Layla

f***in yanks

Baz G

Keira Knightley is English so nothing to do with Ireland,Scotland or Wales.Also nothing to do with liverpool,cockneys,scallys,brummies,geor... a bit like me comparing a New York accent with a Chicago accent really.

16 seconds in

There are probably 100s of accents in the UK. Even to the extent that an accents can change within a ten mile radius. There isn't a general Brit accent per say. English/Scottish/Welsh/Ulster.

â™« Sean slater â™«

WE HAVE LOTS OF ACCENTS !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

bekista2206

try and do a northern brittish accent 1st its easier when trying to do a posh british accent lol .. plus 1 thing americans do take out the twang in your voice when pronouncing words.. and endings its a dead give away..

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