Jump to content

American Accents?


ghost69

Recommended Posts

do they sound that much different to other countries?

 

do you find it attractive (if you are from another country)?

 

do we sound dumb, smart, proper, too hard to understand, etc.?

 

if you use another language other than english do you like it when americans at least try to communicate using your language?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 119
  • Created
  • Last Reply

After I left the radio business, I went into freelance voiceover work. Thanks to the internet, I can (and do) voice stuff for clients around the world. What I've learned from feedback I've gotten from various auditions is I sound "American" but have no regional accent.

 

I'm not sure what these (potential) clients are hearing, but they seem to like the fact that I don't have any regional accent....so, you can't tell exactly where I'm from, but you can tell I'm from the US.

 

Sometimes, though, regional accents are what get people voiceover jobs...it all depends on what the project is and what the client is looking for.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My family is all in the urkraine, which I came from when I was younger so I have mixture of a NJ & urkrain accent - which is just weird haha They never told me if I sound, dumb or smart just that my accent is pretty cool.

 

Anyway - they all tell me I have an accent (obviously) even people here in FL tell me I have an accent from the north.

 

I love it when my SO trys to talk Urkrainian to me - it sounds sooo cute. Most of the words are not said properly so I tease him but I love it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My family is all in the urkraine, which I came from when I was younger so I have mixture of a NJ & urkrain accent - which is just weird haha They never told me if I sound, dumb or smart just that my accent is pretty cool.

 

Anyway - they all tell me I have an accent (obviously) even people here in FL tell me I have an accent from the north.

 

I love it when my SO trys to talk Urkrainian to me - it sounds sooo cute. Most of the words are not said properly so I tease him but I love it.

 

 

 

Vitayu... Yak sparvy??

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a non-American living in the States, so I'd like to chime in here.

 

Yes, American accents sound different to those of other countries, but all English speaking countries have unique accents.

 

I find some American accents attractive. In general, I don't like the New Jersey accent, some of the mid-western accents, ebonics or "valley girl" types. I also tend to prefer the different American accents on males as opposed to females, but that could just be because of the kinds of things they say.

 

When I moved to the states, the first thing I noticed was how loud everyone spoke. I felt like people were yelling at me and they kept asking me to speak up. I gained a reputation for being a very quiet person, even though I never had that back home. Americans definitely have a level of confidence that is often mistaken by foreigners as arrogance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vitayu... Yak sparvy??

 

haha cute..! N yes I agree with the above poster - Im not too fond of my NJ accent. Some people say I have one others say it sounds european. Ugh doesn't matter but yes I have some kind of accent lol.

 

I think the total opposite though...I feel like my family when I talk to them is "yelling" when they talk in urkraine. Strange...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks primarily to the American media, my immediate "gut" reaction to hearing an American accent is as follows:

 

Southern: TV evangelist/rip off artist, used car salesman, simple, hick, annoying, dishonest, insincere

New York/New Jersy: Criminal, Mafia, cartel, vaguely threatening (Godfather, the Sopranos)

Boston/eastern seabord: annoying, conniving, sneaky (I think of the Mayor from The Simpsons)

Mid West: Ala "Fargo" - dumb...nice but very simple, weirdly wholesome

West Coast: shallow, lightweight, flakey

Black ebonic/hip hop: really annoying, fake, put on, arrogant, dangerous, usually offensive, glorifying violence and ghetto life.

 

Now that I've offended and alienated most of ENA, let me also say that I've met dozen's and dozen's of wonderful Americans who don't fit any of the above. I love Americans, I love their spirit, their independence, their sense of fair-play, their generosity, their "can-do" attitude,

 

I am smart enough to be able to separate what I see in the media from real life however, my gut reaction is usually the above.

 

Sorry.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm a non-American living in the States, so I'd like to chime in here.

 

Yes, American accents sound different to those of other countries, but all English speaking countries have unique accents.

 

I find some American accents attractive. In general, I don't like the New Jersey accent, some of the mid-western accents, ebonics or "valley girl" types. I also tend to prefer the different American accents on males as opposed to females, but that could just be because of the kinds of things they say.

 

When I moved to the states, the first thing I noticed was how loud everyone spoke. I felt like people were yelling at me and they kept asking me to speak up. I gained a reputation for being a very quiet person, even though I never had that back home. Americans definitely have a level of confidence that is often mistaken by foreigners as arrogance.

 

I lived in the New Jersey/Philadelphia/Baltimore area for 5 years and I was told I have a very Canadian accent...but when I would visit home in Canada, my friends would tell me I sounded American! I have noticed more regional accents in the US than in Canada (except for Newfoundland which has a more distinct accent). A Pittsburgh accent sounds to me quite different from a Philadelphia accent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually haven't met very many Canadians, except those that have been living here for years, so I don't really have a good sense of what a Canadian accent is. To me it sounds just like the standard American accent with a little tweak. I can't pick up on it most of the time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me and a friend were having a similar convo about this the other day....I don't find any other accent other then an American accent attractive at all....except Jamaican, that's hot...but other then that, nope, I like my American boys....Not a southern accent though, that turns me off. I like the All American sounding accent.

 

British accents, Aussie accents, French.....I just don't like them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I actually haven't met very many Canadians, except those that have been living here for years, so I don't really have a good sense of what a Canadian accent is. To me it sounds just like the standard American accent with a little tweak. I can't pick up on it most of the time.

 

Keanu Reeves, alas, has a typical Canadian accent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Me and a friend were having a similar convo about this the other day....I don't find any other accent other then an American accent attractive at all....except Jamaican, that's hot...but other then that, nope, I like my American boys....Not a southern accent though, that turns me off. I like the All American sounding accent.

 

British accents, Aussie accents, French.....I just don't like them.

 

I'm the opposite. I find most other accents of European origin more attractive than my own. I laugh to myself when a guy says my accent is "sexy."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

geeet errrr doonnee....

 

what are you talking about... that sounds uneducated.... lol

 

that is garbage. that is a comedian acting a completely out of control souther american accent. that guy is actually from chicago or something and normally sounds nothing like that. look it up. they have standup of that tool on youtube before he was the cable guy. can't stand that guy now.

 

After I left the radio business, I went into freelance voiceover work. Thanks to the internet, I can (and do) voice stuff for clients around the world. What I've learned from feedback I've gotten from various auditions is I sound "American" but have no regional accent.

 

I'm not sure what these (potential) clients are hearing, but they seem to like the fact that I don't have any regional accent....so, you can't tell exactly where I'm from, but you can tell I'm from the US.

 

Sometimes, though, regional accents are what get people voiceover jobs...it all depends on what the project is and what the client is looking for.

 

yeah, there are regional american. i just wanted to hear from some foreigners about americans sound in general. if they can specify particular ones, perfect.

 

I'm a non-American living in the States, so I'd like to chime in here.

 

Yes, American accents sound different to those of other countries, but all English speaking countries have unique accents.

 

I find some American accents attractive. In general, I don't like the New Jersey accent, some of the mid-western accents, ebonics or "valley girl" types. I also tend to prefer the different American accents on males as opposed to females, but that could just be because of the kinds of things they say.

 

When I moved to the states, the first thing I noticed was how loud everyone spoke. I felt like people were yelling at me and they kept asking me to speak up. I gained a reputation for being a very quiet person, even though I never had that back home. Americans definitely have a level of confidence that is often mistaken by foreigners as arrogance.

 

very good post here. very descriptive. thank you.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...