*iz impressed*

[caz963]

Well. The American accent is pretty good. And it's an "accented" accent, if that makes sense, which is even more difficult to do.

Hm.

Talented git.

Comments

[bexatious.livejournal.com]

Actually, an accented accent is a lot easier than a plain, unadorned one. Especially American!

[caz963.livejournal.com]

I think it depends on the accent. I'd have thought it would be harder for someone who isn't British to learn to do, say, a Liverpudlian or Scottish accent than to do a plain, more RP type one? Maybe I'm wrong and it's sort of the same, in that the same amount of effort and learning is required, whatever the accent. I have a good ear and can make a stab at most 'generic' accents (except Welsh! That continues to defeat me.) - but it takes quite a lot to sustain it for any length of time.

But I can see how an accented American accent would be easier in some ways. I mean, is there such a thing as RP for US-uians? *g*

[bexatious.livejournal.com]

There isn't a standard RP USA (that I know), but there's definitely 'clean' ones and that's usually what you hear in 'quality' movies. Do not look to Nicole Kidman for a clean accent. Her's is terrible. Hugh Laurie has a bit of a southern twang in his. Toni Collette is about as near perfect as her main character in Tara (her alters have different accents). I don't think there is a shining example of proper American, mostly because they've bastardised British so violently, and the regional changes are also very different.

I find it much easier to do ANY regional accent that isn't clean. I have a great ear and can usually sustain for a long time, but the clean accents are the hardest because you can't have ANY variation in them, whilst a regional accent (from anywhere around the world) is simpler because you can have slips here and there.

French is the easiest for me, oddly enough, and that's still slightly regional, softened French. Possibly because I've practised that since I watched Allo Allo as a wee child. Hee.

[caz963.livejournal.com]

Hee!

Leesen vairy cairfoolee. I shall say zees only wunse

I think I speak French with a slight Parisian accent, simply because I used to work with a woman from there (over here though) and whenever I heard her or we spoke a bit of French, I must've picked up some of the inflexions.

Not that the kids I teach would know the difference!

[bexatious.livejournal.com]

No! Not that French! The proper French that Rene, Edith etc spoke. Yes, I know the were English actors but they were supremely good at it. Definitely not Michelle or Crabtree!