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People losing their Scottish accent


Maroon Sailor

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Maroon Sailor
Posted

Sheena Easton - enough said

 

 

 

 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?feature=relmfu&v=6sLHkmwhM7I

 

 

How can Fergie and Dalglish spend nearly 40 and 30 years down south and still have a strong Scottish accent yet this bint goes to the States and loses hers completely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posted

Gerard Butler sounds like a right fan dan. Craig Ferguson too.

Posted

I've a mate who moved here from Glasgow during our school days.

 

He had a strong Weegie accent but within a month he'd lost it.

 

He then left school and joined a stable and on his first trip home he had a strong English accent.

 

I reckon some people just pick up accents easily.

Posted

On an opposite, people might be a bit surprised hearing John Barrowman speak naturally. I saw an interview one Sunday morning on TV, and wasn't expecting him to talk like that. His American accent is largely put on for TV as his main accent is Scottish, albeit slightly broken.

 

His family moved to the states when he was young - he was born and lived in Glasgow until he was 8.

 

The likes of Gerard Butler have no excuses. I do remember Sheena Easton getting it tight at the time for that put on american accent when she was working with Prince.

Posted

This might not be true, but I've heard that picking up alien accents easily in your own speech means you are susceptible to manipulation - perhaps that would explain why someone like Sir Alex Ferguson has not lost his.

Christian Benteke
Posted

I'm moving down to Southend at the end of July and I'm petrified this is going to happen to me :sob:

Posted

Slightly different, but I moved up to the islands in 1998 and still sound like I'm living in auld reekie likes, eh

Posted

Not a Scottish accent, but what the hell was Alex Turner's one all about last night?

 

Think the boy's lost himself up his own arse!

ToadKiller Dog
Posted

I'm moving down to Southend at the end of July and I'm petrified this is going to happen to me :sob:

 

My mates been in London for over 15 years , still has his strong Dundonian accent and he teaches in a school down there . Though his accent gets stronger when in the company of old mates from up here .

Posted
Maroon Sailor
Posted

 

Brilliant err That's Barry !

Posted

I've lived daan saarf for nearly 30 years and I've only ever met one person who has managed to lose his Scottish accent ( I think he tried to lose it because he was in the armed forces). I would day the Weegies are the least likely to make any effort to modify their accent so they can be understood - I know someone who left Glesga as a kid over 40 years ago and he sounds like he got here 5 mins ago.

Maroon Sailor
Posted

 

I know someone who left Glesga as a kid over 40 years ago and he sounds like he got here 5 mins ago.

 

This is why I have always thought that Sheena Easton is 95 per cent fake with her American accent.

 

 

 

PsychocAndy
Posted

My internal monologue is still Panner and if I speak to my Dad nobody in the house can understand me for about half an hour. So I have a bit of sympathy for the likes of Bing Hitler who is a talk show host in America. If you hear him talking to an other Scot the audience can't understand him.

Posted

Been doon sarf (south east essex) for near 20 years, still have my accent, albeit, it might be a wee bit softer, but every time I speak to some 1 Scottish it goes back tae being 100% pure Scottish likes, ken whit ah mean a?

Maroon Sailor
Posted

My internal monologue is still Panner and if I speak to my Dad nobody in the house can understand me for about half an hour. So I have a bit of sympathy for the likes of Bing Hitler who is a talk show host in America. If you hear him talking to an other Scot the audience can't understand him.

 

 

From 3:50 onwards

Posted

I hear myself say some really Invernessian things and I die a little inside...

 

As for American accents - often you have to adopt one or they don't understand you - especially the rising tone at the end of sentences.

Dido of Consequence
Posted

I hear myself say some really Invernessian things and I die a little inside...

 

As for American accents - often you have to adopt one or they don't understand you - especially the rising tone at the end of sentences.

This is what I've found. You have to adapt sometimes otherwise folk wouldn't understand what you're talking about.

Posted

Joe Jordan is a belter!

Matthew Le Tissier
Posted

Ive lived in Scotland since 97 I was 6. When im back down south every comments on my scottish accent. When im back up here everyone comments on my english accent.

Posted

Sheena Easton - enough said

 

 

 

 

http://m.youtube.com...u&v=6sLHkmwhM7I

 

 

How can Fergie and Dalglish spend nearly 40 and 30 years down south and still have a strong Scottish accent yet this bint goes to the States and loses hers completely.

 

I've been in Bath 12 years and I have kept my accent albeit slightly softer.

Posted

Ive lived in Scotland since 97 I was 6. When im back down south every comments on my scottish accent. When im back up here everyone comments on my english accent.

 

Funny you should say that, whenever I visit the place I get told off for speaking English and when I get back down south again I get told off for speaking Scottish. You canny (cant) win.

Mr Romanov Saviour of HMFC
Posted

Gerard Butler is the ******* worst for this. Awful. :lol:

 

If I spend time in Glasgow or Wales I find myself developing a bit of a weegie/welsh twang. Annoying.

scots civil war
Posted

lived in london 15 years and still have a soft edinburgh accent,hate the harshness bollocks and have cut out all the local words

 

once met a cab driver in hackney who had such a broken up accent every word sounded half scots and half london.....

bloke had left jockoland when a kid

 

another one was a joiner i worked alongside ,was from ayrshire but had lived in north kent for twenty years.his scots tongue was practically gone

 

if you stretch out your vowels,the jockness goes

 

me n me bruv talk london regularly for a laugh,and we can have a convo for a good bit on it

Posted

Bits of Scots slang slip out now and again, but I usually speak English so to speak.

NewYorkJambo
Posted

Lived in the US for five years and Scottish friends have told me my accent has softened. But I haven't picked up any American twang or anything thankfully!

 

What does change is your vocabulary as you hear words so often you start to pick them up without meaning to. So, particularly in the US I will use American words and it becomes second nature. Most people do as its easier to be understood.

 

In the US - pants instead of trousers, sneakers instead of trainers etc.

 

I also say awesome too much :(

Posted

Lived in the US for five years and Scottish friends have told me my accent has softened. But I haven't picked up any American twang or anything thankfully!

 

What does change is your vocabulary as you hear words so often you start to pick them up without meaning to. So, particularly in the US I will use American words and it becomes second nature. Most people do as its easier to be understood.

 

In the US - pants instead of trousers, sneakers instead of trainers etc.

 

I also say awesome too much :(

 

Pretty much this. I use American words and phrases simply because I have to to be understood.

 

Not sure my accent itself has softened, as I work and socialise with lots of Scottish folk.

 

And I never, ever say "awesome". Ever.

Posted

Lulu is the prime offender for this.

Posted

My Sgt in the RAF used to speak to Scottish people in a strong Aberdonian accent then flip into cockney talking to English personel......weird!

Posted

My accent is horrendous now :(

Toxteth O'Grady
Posted

Dennis Law :seething:

Posted

17 years in Manchester but still have a Scottish accent, just a wee bit softer but as soon as I speak to another Scot it gets a bit stronger. I don't think you totally lose it unless you consciously try to.

Posted

I think I probably have had a change in accent, my contact with Scots people is minimal so I find it comes farlynturally when speaking with friends to soften the letters that can typify he Scots accent. as has been said the greatest difference is not so much how things are said but what words are used. Intersection, trunk, gas, sidewalk, hi instead of hello, these are all words I had to get used to using.

 

when I lived and golfed in Osoyoos I occasionally golfed with group of elderly Scots who had come to Canada immediately after ww2. When asked for their score on a hole one old guy would say fower for four, words like gies, cannae, and the ridiculous fit far by the former Dundonian. In their minds their Scottishness was noble, to most their accent was phoney, and the subject of ridicule, for me it bore no resemblance to anything I had heard in Scotland, and certainly seemed extreme after sixty years or so in Canada.

Boaby Ewing
Posted

Folk really think Alex Ferguson's accent hasn't changed? :laugh:

 

Watch a video clip from his Aberdeen days then get back to me.

 

My accent has softened (six years in London, almost four in total in the states) but it's still distinctly Scottish, and gets stronger when I'm around other Scots.

 

The burd claims I very occasionally pick-up a slight twang when drinking with American mates, but if I do it doesn't last long. Certainly haven't had any British mates notice it when I've been back.

 

On the flip side her Gran is from the borders but has lived in east London since the war, and when we start talking at family events and the like within a few minutes they're struggling to understand us.

Maroon Sailor
Posted

 

Folk really think Alex Ferguson's accent hasn't changed? :laugh:

 

Who said anything about Fergie's accent changing ?

 

He hasn't lost his Scottish accent.

 

 

Boaby Ewing
Posted

 

 

 

 

Who said anything about Fergie's accent changing ?

 

He hasn't lost his Scottish accent.

 

Aye, fair enough, you're right. Just thought he was an interesting example given how much his accent has changed.

Guest C00l K1d
Posted

Lulu is shocking for it

Posted

After six years outside Scotland, I don't think my accent has changed at all. Some expressions don't occur to me speaking to Spaniards or Americans here, but as soon as I speak to my friends or family in Scotland, I relish being able to come out with "skoosh", "fud", etc., and be able to get away with it.

 

I've also taught my girlfriend some essential Scots words. When I say her name, she routinely replies "Whit?" with an exaggerated blowy "wh". She recently smashed my "crabbit" mug, which she rendered as "crasby". She also claimed that I invented "crasbinismo". "It gies me the grue" is known to her. We're currently working on "dour" pronounced as in Scotland.

 

I don't think my accent changed at all after two years at school and seven years' living in Edinburgh.

Posted

If you live in a foreign country long enough, the accent changes. It's unavoidable, especially when working in a business environment. I've lived in Canada a long time.

 

I was on business in Iowa few years ago and went out for dinner with the local managers. In the conversation I mentioned that I was a Scot. One of them was incredulous, and I asked, "Can't you tell from the acccent?"

 

He shook his head and said, "Nope, but I knew you weren't from Alabama!"

Posted

My Sgt in the RAF used to speak to Scottish people in a strong Aberdonian accent then flip into cockney talking to English personel......weird!

 

I was in the RAF for nearly 23 years, living in loads of different places - Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Devon, Wiltshire and found that i picked up elements of each area after a few months there. Strangest was Devon - I somehow still use some words with a real Devon twang. It all changes back to how it should be after coming back up to Scotland, even just for the weekend.

Maroon Sailor
Posted

 

Lulu is shocking for it

 

 

 

Posted

 

 

 

I was in the RAF for nearly 23 years, living in loads of different places - Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Devon, Wiltshire and found that i picked up elements of each area after a few months there. Strangest was Devon - I somehow still use some words with a real Devon twang. It all changes back to how it should be after coming back up to Scotland, even just for the weekend.

 

Suppose I'm guilty a bit, 2 years hanging about with Weegies at Halton too much, I started picking up a bit of their twang.

At least I had a shower everyday.

 

grumpyjambo
Posted

Lulu is shocking for it

 

I would

Posted

Sheena Easton - enough said

 

 

 

 

http://m.youtube.com...u&v=6sLHkmwhM7I

 

 

How can Fergie and Dalglish spend nearly 40 and 30 years down south and still have a strong Scottish accent yet this bint goes to the States and loses hers completely.

 

 

In England you can get away with having a Scottish accent and people will still understand you for the most part. Most English people are used to hearing Scottish accents.

 

She quite possible had to adapt her accent in LA for people to understand her.

Posted

 

 

 

In England you can get away with having a Scottish accent and people will still understand you for the most part. Most English people are used to hearing Scottish accents.

 

She quite possible had to adapt her accent in LA for people to understand her.

 

Indeed. As someone who lived in Devon for a while, and now live in Texas, I would say that the English are ever so slightly more used to understanding a Scottish accent.

Maroon Sailor
Posted

 

 

 

 

In England you can get away with having a Scottish accent and people will still understand you for the most part. Most English people are used to hearing Scottish accents.

 

She quite possible had to adapt her accent in LA for people to understand her.

 

That is possible.

 

As there is this from a certain Mo Johnston

 

 

 

 

Just seems to be the Scots. People like Jane Seymour have lived out there for years and don't lose their accents. Tom Jones, Joan Collins, the late Davy Jones from The Monkees etc ...

Posted

My accent is horrendous now :(

 

That's what happens when you cut about Tranent for too long. :lol:

Posted

I will never have a Dundonian accent, mainly because I don't speak through my nose, I don't do meth and my vocabularly consists of more than the words "aeh" and "ken".

 

I think I have a generic Scottish accent with an Edinburgh twang to it - It's a strange one because I only lived there for a year, but it must be due to friends and family. Whenever I go see my parents (Berwick-upon-Tweed) I try and drop the Scottishness as none of them seem to have accents and I think it sounds weird how I have one and they don't. I get pulled up for sounding "different" if I'm on the phone to them because I usually tail off and end up speaking normally.

 

My 10 year old sister is picking up a horrible Berwick accent, which is basically pseudo-Geordie with some Scottish words... My 18 year old brother is a lost cause with it.

 

It's definitely down to the company you keep.

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