American Accent

[James Boston]

Quasi-inspired by El D's thread where some British guys are talking about the way they pronounce words...

There are several British actors who play roles that require an American Accent, Colin Ferrel and the guy who plays on House come to mind. For any non-American OOT'ers, what would you alter when trying to do an American accent? I've never really thought about it, and am curious.

Also, if you're from America, as most of us are, feel free to chime in with any thoughts.

[Borodog]

I think for a British actor to do an American accent, all he has to do is take the stick out of his ass.

I kid!

[Inthacup]

Helena Bonham Carter did it in fight club. I listened to the commentary once and she mentioned taking speech lessons to train herself to pronounce the hard 'a' in words like cancer(rather than cahncer)

[phydaux]

My wife's ex was a brit, and she spent several months in England. From her talking to the locals, it would seem that it it actually very hard for a brit to do a decent American accent. Much harder, in fact, that it is for an American to do an Irish or Scotish accent.

For an example, try watching Red Dwarf and listening to Robert Llwellen attempt an American accent. I watched that show for three seasons before I realised that was what he was trying to do.

[private joker]

Emma Thompson explained that when practicing her American accent for Primary Colors that she just over-enunciated her syllables by using the muscles in her face and mouth more. British accent tends to relax the lips, tongue, cheek, and jaw. American accent is stiffer with them. She's right.

Christian Bale does an excellent American accent too.

Colin Farrell isn't British -- he's Irish. (Britain is England, Scotland, and Wales).

[jokerthief]

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Christian Bale does an excellent American accent too.

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He's so good that I thought he was American until I read this.

[The once and future king]

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it would seem that it it actually very hard for a brit to do a decent American accent.

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I would say its much easier for an englishman to do an american accent than it is to do some regional accents from england itself.

Doing a realy broad bristolian or border counties for example is very difficult. Bristolians pronounce Bristol as Brizzle, when I first tmoved there it took me about 6 months before I could understand what the natives were talking about. I now live in Cornwall, maderdo-e.

Also it would seem that Brits can do Yank much better than Yanks can do Brit.

[Hottie McBigTits]

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it would seem that it it actually very hard for a brit to do a decent American accent.

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I would say its much easier for an englishman to do an american accent than it is to do some regional accents from england itself.

Doing a realy broad bristolian or border counties for example is very difficult. Bristolians pronounce Bristol as Brizzle, when I first tmoved there it took me about 6 months before I could understand what the natives were talking about. I now live in Cornwall, maderdo-e.

Also it would seem that Brits can do Yank much better than Yanks can do Brit.

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I've noticed that Americans often seem to feel completely uncomfortable trying any accent other than their natural one. Even when trying to learn a foreign language (something most Americans never seriously try to do anyway), most will totally botch the pronouncation because they are uncomfortable with the accent.

Perhapse this is because Brits have a much greater varity of accents within their own country than we do in America. (Also, I suspect the Brits are exposed more to other languages due to their proximaty to europe, but I'm not sure about this).

[Mr_J]

Well mine wouldn't work since none of you sound like you do in movies. But then auZZies don't either.

[TiK]

We Americans don't pronounce our "T"s at all. We pronounce them closer to d's.