Topic: It's all in the accent.....or is it?

Having just spent 2 days on board ship with such a diversity of different UK accents, it got me thinking....................

Actually, instead of the usual ice breaker- 'Oh hello, is this your first cruise?' when meeting people from different places, it's much more interesting to open a conversation with trying to guess where people were born (even if they've relocated) by guessing from their accent. I am quite chuffed that nobody guessed where I was born and raised by my speech. Most people gathered that it was/is south of the Watford Gap and a few even managed London but then of course, it gets complicated. Most Londoners can detect the subtle differences between say S.E / West/North/East London. Likewise, people who live in the Midlands have different accents within a distance of a few miles. The same in the North-where exactly is the dividing line between the Yorkshire/Lancashire accent? Liverpudlians are a similar case in question- who can tell me why some speak 'Scouse' and others don't? Geordies almost speak a language of their own and the Scots and the Welsh have so many variations too- I was delighted that the lady from Alloa that we met spoke a dialect I could understand. Did everyone understand me?
Now before anyone gets on their respective high horse- because let's face it, most of us are proud of our roots and the accent that comes with it, this thread is not intended to exclude any area- Cornish Girl, I nearly forget you! and is certainly not intended to offend. I just find it interesting and hope that some of you do too.
Any contributions?

Jill

You don't want to hear me talking the real nitty-gritty island lingo! :D

It's called Bajan, and I speak two languages: International English(when talking to you lot)
and the local weird,mashup African/Irish/West Country-influenced Bajan language peculiar to this island.
.

QUOTE:

You don't want to hear me talking the real nitty-gritty island lingo! :D

It's called Bajan, and I speak two languages: International English(when talking to you lot)
and the local weird,mashup African/Irish/West Country-influenced Bajan language peculiar to this island.
.

I heard a very strange lingo spoken when we were in the Caribbean in Feb. Made no sense to me of course.

QUOTE:

I heard a very strange lingo spoken when we were in the Caribbean in Feb.
Made no sense to me of course.

What island? -each has its own evolved form of "English"

..well..other than M'que and Guad. where they speak a Patois version of 'French'..
Patois (broken French) is also spoken in Dominica, St.Lucia and Trinidad..
.

QUOTE:

Having just spent 2 days on board ship with such a diversity of different UK accents, it got me thinking....................

Actually, instead of the usual ice breaker- 'Oh hello, is this your first cruise?' when meeting people from different places, it's much more interesting to open a conversation with trying to guess where people were born (even if they've relocated) by guessing from their accent. I am quite chuffed that nobody guessed where I was born and raised by my speech. Most people gathered that it was/is south of the Watford Gap and a few even managed London but then of course, it gets complicated. Most Londoners can detect the subtle differences between say S.E / West/North/East London. Likewise, people who live in the Midlands have different accents within a distance of a few miles. The same in the North-where exactly is the dividing line between the Yorkshire/Lancashire accent? Liverpudlians are a similar case in question- who can tell me why some speak 'Scouse' and others don't? Geordies almost speak a language of their own and the Scots and the Welsh have so many variations too- I was delighted that the lady from Alloa that we met spoke a dialect I could understand. Did everyone understand me?
Now before anyone gets on their respective high horse- because let's face it, most of us are proud of our roots and the accent that comes with it, this thread is not intended to exclude any area- Cornish Girl, I nearly forget you! and is certainly not intended to offend. I just find it interesting and hope that some of you do too.
Any contributions?

Jill

Hi Jill,

When I first trained as a 'Trainer' I was on a course with 16 men ( not many women then) all from the Midlands ( The Black Country) and the North, Geordies, Scousers and Liverpudlians plus one Londoner! (Their descriptions by the way!) My spelling may not be right!

They were a great bunch of guys & were really good fun and very kind to me BUT as I came from the South & probably as I was the only woman, they decided to call me 'Lady Penelope' because I had a 'posh accent' ( I don't!) and it 'stuck'!!

I kept in touch with some for years and I was still stuck with the 'title'

Lizzie.

QUOTE:

Hi Jill,

When I first trained as a 'Trainer' I was on a course with 16 men ( not many women then) all from the Midlands ( The Black Country) and the North, Geordies, Scousers and Liverpudlians plus one Londoner! (Their descriptions by the way!) My spelling may not be right!

They were a great bunch of guys & were really good fun and very kind to me BUT as I came from the South & probably as I was the only woman, they decided to call me 'Lady Penelope' because I had a 'posh accent' ( I don't!) and it 'stuck'!!

I kept in touch with some for years and I was still stuck with the 'title'

Lizzie.

Hi Lizzie, I know what you mean. My OH was born and raised in Kingston Surrey, which is a London suburb. We were probably born about 20 miles apart as I was born in Lambeth (S.E.London). Our new found forum friends thought that he sounded posher than me (true) and that I was his ' bit of rough' as we call it (definitely not true).

Jill:D:D

QUOTE:

What island? -each has its own evolved form of "English"

..well..other than M'que and Guad. where they speak a Patois version of 'French'..
Patois (broken French) is also spoken in Dominica, St.Lucia and Trinidad..
.

I think it was Tortola. When you 'do' 11 islands on OV in 2 weeks, it's sometimes difficult to sort out the memories.

I worked in Hertfordshire for many years (15) and my friends knew when I had been home as they said my Welsh accent was always stronger then. When I was working in the west country I was told I had a BBC accent as I talked posh. It takes all sorts to make a world.
EDNA

Of course, coming from Sussex, I don't have a discernible accent!

When travelling in the USA I am very often accused of being Australian.

QUOTE:

Of course, coming from Sussex, I don't have a discernible accent!

When travelling in the USA I am very often accused of being Australian.

I have had the same experience on cruises with American, Scottish and South Africans (to name but 3) thinking I was Austrailian!

(Hampshire lass, Hampshire born, Hampshire bred, strong in the arm and STRONG in the head - to misquote the old saying! I don't have a discernible accent either!;))