On the Benefits of Having a British Accent

[Samsette]

Tony Hayward's British accent has not been any help at all.

[Ronijayne]

I don't know how much of this is tongue-in-cheek but I can see a lot of it is.

First the Americans love accents. Their favorite is French, they swoon over it (yuk) They love Argentine, and Spanish from Spain (I do too, just say Javier Bardem) British, Italian and a few more.

I don't know anyone who thinks you are more intelligent with a Brit accent unless it is what we used to call BBC English. In fact, I think Jay Leno (was definitely a late night show) said last week that the Brits THINK Americans are impressed with their accents but only about 30 of them actually sound like Hugh Grant, you can't understand the rest of them, This is said quite often in different ways
They do think it is 'cute' though as has been stated. I am told all the time they love my accent. They just don't think we sound more intelligent. In fact, a Liverpool friend of mine who is a VP of a well known British company came to an event with me and a few friends were saying later that his accent was cute, they were shocked when I said what he did, they did not think he sounded like VP material!!! Maybe in cities were people do not travel so much or they do not have as diverse a population as New York, people may think any British accent is good. They most certainly did years ago before millions of them did the European tour after uni or went to their parents country of birth every year for hols.

I know the 'writing in italics' is in jest as in New York most good wedding, engagement, anniversary, Christening and events, the invitations and envelopes are mostly all done italics. There are companies who do it and many people do it from home to make extra money. I was shocked to find that even at many charity events your NAME TAGS are even done beautifully in italics!!!

Here is an example. A friend of mine in Liverpool is in Afghanistan, his group were invited for a day out by an American Army company, I think it must have been at a hotel as there was a swimming pool and a MacDonald's. He told me 'The luvved us Roni, the luv are sense of humour, we cracked them up all day, the luvved are accents' Now, friends of mine from Liverpool (very strong Liverpool accents) have a son who although born in the UK came here at about age 10 so he is an American and is in the army. He was saying they entertained some Brits and he said, the Scousers were cracking jokes all day and the Americans were laughing their heads off as they could see how hard these guys were trying to entertain but they did NOT UNDERSTAND most of what they were saying!!!!! They did think they were nice though!!! BTW, It was not my Liverpool friend's group I should not think

I don't get it. I see tons of Brits on forums either complaining the 'Yanks' are everywhere in Europe, spoiling it for them, Venice and Paris are just ruined as they are crawling with Yanks and others are saying the Yanks are stupid as they never leave their country!! Yikes, choose one fellers, can't be both It is 3000 miles from NYC to London and 3000 miles from NYC to Los Angeles and I know people who do both more than once or twice every year. I know a few people who have NOT been to Europe but have been 70,000 miles exploring their own country.

So! There you have it. The Americans think we are nice if we are nice They do love our accents along with French...........etc............. They DO NOT think we sound clever or superior to them or like professors and TV announcers Unless of course we do I have friends who grew up in the UK very wealthy, went to the most expensive schools etc. and I have heard Americans saying 'They are SOOO British' That Stephen Frye accent does impress them, I love his voice myself. He came to a BAFTA screening and answered questions for over an hour and he was witty, clever and all off the cuff!!!

Oh yes. Years ago, a British rocker was being interviewed on TV and he did have a very educated accent but he was ****ing me off by saying he grew up wealthy, not like most rockers and did go to a good uni (many British rockers did!! He was getting right up my nose! ) He was so arrogant. Then the presenter asked him where he was from and he said London. Presenter said "Great accent man but nothing beats John Lennon's'!!!!

[Ronijayne]

Tony Hayward's British accent has not been any help at all.

Good one, made me chuckle.

[Waterways]

A raw Liverpool accent sounds like fast incomprehensible babble to an American - it does to me as well.

I was in the US and a team of us, all Americans, were doing a presentation. Four of us stepping in and doing a specific pieces. I was the only Brit.

They wanted me to open up because of my accent - it would grab them because it was different.

One thing is clear. A Liverpudlian will not be discriminated in the US because of his accent, as long as they can understand it, while in the south of England the Liverpudlian will find it difficult to get on.

In fact, a Liverpool friend of mine who is a VP of a well known British company came to an event with me and a few friends were saying later that his accent was cute, they were shocked when I said what he did, they did not think he sounded like VP material!!!

The US has a set pattern of speaking, voice and presentation for executive jobs. You have to fit the mould. It is like they are cloned.

[Ronijayne]

A raw Liverpool accent sounds like fast incomprehensible babble to an American - it does to me as well.

I was in the US and a team of us, all Americans, were doing a presentation. Four of us stepping in and doing a specific pieces. I was the only Brit.

They wanted me to open up because of my accent - it would grab them because it was different.

One thing is clear. A Liverpudlian will not be discriminated in the US because of his accent, as long as they can understand it, while in the south of England the Liverpudlian will find it difficult to get on.



The US has a set pattern of speaking, voice and presentation for executive jobs. You have to fit the mould. It is like they are cloned.

Yikes WW I am going to agree with you This is unusual!!!

Yes, nobody will be be discriminated against because of a Liverpool accent, even if the person says they grew up very poor. The Americans admire people who start from scratch! They like accents, except New Jersey

[Waterways]

Yikes WW I am going to agree with you This is unusual!!!

This is good showing progress

Yes, nobody will be be discriminated against because of a Liverpool accent, even if the person says they grew up very poor. The Americans admire people who start from scratch! They like accents, except New Jersey

[Ronijayne]

Steve McManaman is one of the experts who does the between match discussions on TV. He is full of himself, BUT I like him. He also does the commentary on some of the games. Most of the commentators and between game experts are English and Scottish. Only one or two are Americans .