English vs English

[deanb]

Yeah I'm pretty sure we covered how the British accent is pretty wide ranging, and "The British Accent" aka BBC accent is pretty new, past 50 years or so. The rest is all pretty old, developed from centuries of isolated towns and villages. The "American Accent" is also equally wide range too, evolved from centuries of immigration from many far away lands and also an isolation element, though nowhere near as localised as UK shifts.

[Hot Heart]

On the subject of accents though, I've always wondered how Americans saw certain actors doing theirs. Like Hugh Laurie in House, or Dominic West and Idris Elba in The Wire, Yvonne Strahovski in Chuck. I seem to recall people weren't aware Lee Adama/Apollo in Battlestar Galactica was played by an English actor. I'm sure there are even regional differences that audiences might pick up on.

 

I know Roz in Frasier was supposed to be from Wisconsin but her accent always had that southern sound (most likely Texan) to me. Though I have to admit, I'm not sure what a Wisconsin accent would sound like.

[deanb]

Well as I mentioned in the Fringe thread Walter Bishop is played by John Noble who in his non-acting voice is quite clearly Australian. I'd never thought otherwise on it.

 

The reaction when folks find out Hugh Laurie is actually British is probably like so:

[Hot Heart]

Funny thing is, I knew something was up with Dominic West's accent (at one point, I think his character gets angry and completely slips into a slightly posh-sounding British one) on The Wire, but I never suspected Idris Elba was a dude from Hackney.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Hot Heart

[TheMightyEthan]

Hugh Laurie nails his American accent in House. Lee Adama did pretty well too. I always thought he spoke a little strangely, like how sometimes individual people just talk funny, but I never would have pegged him as non-American. I might have guessed Canadian, but that's a big might.

[Hot Heart]

Thanks for that. I always thought Huge Laurie's accent sounded a bit exaggerated (then again, that's his voice) but there we go...

 

Oh, by the way, Lee Adama is the character's name (but I think everyone knows him as Apollo, like they do Starbuck?). The actor is Jamie Bamber.

[TheMightyEthan]

lol, I know Lee Adama is the character name, I just didn't know the actor's name and didn't care to look (and if you already used it, well that just shows how lazy a reader I am).

 

*Edit* - it's funny that you say it sounds exaggerated, because to me it sounds accentless, and it's hard to exaggerate the lack of an accent.

Edited May 15, 2012 by TheMightyEthan

[fuchikoma]

I'm pretty bad at differentiating North American accents, but I find British actors tend to do a really great job of Americanizing. I was pretty surprised when I saw Marina Sirtis live, and a lot of the others mentioned here could have fooled me - though my TV experience is also limited. I've only heard Hugh Laurie speak "American" in an interview once. John Noble, if I had to think about it, I'd say he sounds a bit different.

 

I'm not sure how often the opposite applies, but I know I've heard a lot of attempts at a "British accent" that even I can see through.

[Hot Heart]

*Edit* - it's funny that you say it sounds exaggerated, because to me it sounds accentless, and it's hard to exaggerate the lack of an accent.

 

A big part of it may be that I was used to seeing him playing posh twits, so hearing him really enunciate those Rs in that lower tone was weird.

 

 

I'm not sure how often the opposite applies, but I know I've heard a lot of attempts at a "British accent" that even I can see through.

 

Off the top of my head, I can't actually think of a successful British accent by a foreigner. I'm sure it's been done, probably many times, but only all the failed ones stick in the memory.

 

EDIT: Though I can't blame some Americans since they had Jane Leeves, an actual British person, and that godawful 'Mancunian' accent for eleven years.

Edited May 15, 2012 by Hot Heart

[TheFlyingGerbil]

that Jane Leeves accent was hilarious. I've heard a few dodgy British accents from Brits in USA, mostly I think it's because they're putting on semi posh accents rather than their natural one. I guess most Americans expect British people to sound posh?

 

What does everyone think of Damien Lewis's American accent? It seems completely awful to me and actually hampered my enjoyment of Homeland as I found it so unconvincing. I think he used exactly the same on in that other US series he was in (Life, I think? I didn't watch much of that one - partly due to his annoying accent!)

[TheMightyEthan]

Based on

in which Damian Lewis talks about doing an American accent he still sounds British to me, just it's less pronounced than when he's speaking naturally.

[Hot Heart]

When I first saw Damian Lewis in Band of Brothers, I didn't know he was English but then I was younger and stupider, and I never would've thought big American TV productions would be using British actors in leading roles.

[fuchikoma]

I think I found a new one for this thread...

 

In North America, the light petrochemical oil we use in camping stoves and lamps is almost always referred to by the old trademark "Kerosene" while in Britain it's paraffin? This just unraveled an age-old mystery for me because as a kid I remember reading references to "paraffin stoves" in books, but to me, paraffin has always meant the white, tasteless wax used in cheap candles.

[TheMightyEthan]

yeah, I always thought it meant paraffin wax too.

[Hot Heart]

Ah, interesting. I remember seeing kerosene in Home Alone 2. Of course, I didn't know anything when I was a kid and the context pretty much explained what it was.

 

"Now why would anybody soak a rope in kerosene?"

*Kevin lights a match and holds it at the bottom of the rope they're climbing down* "Merry Christmas!"

"GO UP!"

[deanb]

Daily Mail is the most popular new site in the world.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk...gazine-16746785

 

Mainly due to America. Of all the news sites we have in UK why gravitate towards Daily Fail? Surely enough shitty news sources of your own to have your fill?

[Hot Heart]

https://twitter.com/ffffelix/status/204330392495460353/photo/1

[Battra92]

Daily Mail is the most popular new site in the world.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk...gazine-16746785

 

Mainly due to America. Of all the news sites we have in UK why gravitate towards Daily Fail? Surely enough shitty news sources of your own to have your fill?

 

Drudge links to it a lot. That's the only time they check it.

[TheRevanchist]

I check it out because of the linking to it for celebrity updates. I read TMZ and the likes, as well. I'm a gossip rag whore.

[TheFlyingGerbil]

I hate myself for reading articles about celebrities I've never even heard of. Not on the Mail Online though, I draw the line there. Having said that it is really hard to avoid it as they are linked to from every other article.

[Battra92]

Saw these in Walmart the other day. I had no idea you could buy them over here:

 

[TheFlyingGerbil]

I can imagine a few Scots that wouldn't be happy this is in the English vs. English thread!

 

Shortbread, or that make in particular? Shortbread is my favourite biscuit; I don't think I could live somewhere that doesn't sell it (maybe a slight exaggeration)

[TheMightyEthan]

I don't even know what those are, but the packaging makes me think they're sitting on the lap of a hairy Scotsman.

[TheFlyingGerbil]

Shortbread along with Scotch and tartan are the basis of the entire tourist trade above the border. It is the best way to mix butter, flour and sugar that ever there was. It's crumbly, buttery and not too sweet by biscuit standards. One word of warning if you decide to try and make them for yourself is that the result though invariably gorgeous is never at all like shortbread at least in our household.

[Battra92]

Shortbread along with Scotch and tartan are the basis of the entire tourist trade above the border.

 

Don't forget cashmere! I wanted to buy my wife a nice cloak on our honeymoon but it was literally more expensive than what I spent on my TV. ;;

 

It is the best way to mix butter, flour and sugar that ever there was. It's crumbly, buttery and not too sweet by biscuit standards. One word of warning if you decide to try and make them for yourself is that the result though invariably gorgeous is never at all like shortbread at least in our household.

 

I bought a tin of Marks & Spencer shortbread and have been looking to find their equal ever since getting back from my honeymoon. So far the best I have found is a homemade recipe I found.

 

My wife's family is Scottish, (her great, grandfather came over as a kid.) so her grandfather is big on eating shortbread. He eats the American version:

 

I've never had them but I'm sure they are good.

 

If you haven't had Shortbread, Ethan, the closest thing I can think of would be these delicious Christmas treats:

Edited June 6, 2012 by Battra92