I tried to learn accents when I was in high school and thought (wrongly, very wrongly) that I had mastered "the British" accent (shows how naive I was to think there was only one). Needless to say, while I was able to impress the hell out my fellow hicks in Louisiana (to the point where some probably still think I'm from Britain), as soon as I met a guy from Wales I realized at once how pathetic I was. I got a further comeuppance from an Anglican minister from England who was able to reproduce at least 8 different British accents flawlessly.
I even had some recordings of myself speaking in that accent and listening to it a few years later realized I sounded exactly like a hick trying to speak with a British accent. Shudder. Shudder.
I did find some tapes at NSU for actors that helped them learn foreign accents. I guess it's something you could master if you were willing to dedicate the time and effort to get it right. I've heard some people tell me that if you live long enough in a region you will begin to pick up the accent naturally. Let's wait to see if I ever start saying "beg" for "bag" and "vag" for "vague" and so on (Minnesotan accents). I've yet to refer to "pop" when I mean cokes or soda. :)
Needless to say, I have not tried to emulate such an accent ever again. :)
Most people I meet here don't know where I'm from just by listening to me talk, but every now and then someone will claim to detect a "Southern drawl." I think I've managed to train myself out of it, though, with a few exceptions like saying "pin" for "pen" and "dawg" for "dog." I sometimes speak with a more exaggerated Southern accent when I find it appropriate. It's good when you want to calm someone down or seem friendly. It is also considered "sexy" in certain circles, particularly when you want to engage in a certain kind of conversation with the ladies. ;)
LOL!
I tried to learn accents when I was in high school and thought (wrongly, very wrongly) that I had mastered "the British" accent (shows how naive I was to think there was only one). Needless to say, while I was able to impress the hell out my fellow hicks in Louisiana (to the point where some probably still think I'm from Britain), as soon as I met a guy from Wales I realized at once how pathetic I was. I got a further comeuppance from an Anglican minister from England who was able to reproduce at least 8 different British accents flawlessly.
I even had some recordings of myself speaking in that accent and listening to it a few years later realized I sounded exactly like a hick trying to speak with a British accent. Shudder. Shudder.
I did find some tapes at NSU for actors that helped them learn foreign accents. I guess it's something you could master if you were willing to dedicate the time and effort to get it right. I've heard some people tell me that if you live long enough in a region you will begin to pick up the accent naturally. Let's wait to see if I ever start saying "beg" for "bag" and "vag" for "vague" and so on (Minnesotan accents). I've yet to refer to "pop" when I mean cokes or soda. :)
Needless to say, I have not tried to emulate such an accent ever again. :)
Most people I meet here don't know where I'm from just by listening to me talk, but every now and then someone will claim to detect a "Southern drawl." I think I've managed to train myself out of it, though, with a few exceptions like saying "pin" for "pen" and "dawg" for "dog." I sometimes speak with a more exaggerated Southern accent when I find it appropriate. It's good when you want to calm someone down or seem friendly. It is also considered "sexy" in certain circles, particularly when you want to engage in a certain kind of conversation with the ladies. ;)
Matt Barton, Managing Editor
Location: St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA
Email: matt@armchairarcade.com