Why can I easily imitate any accent I want, but a non-english speaker almost always has a noticeable accent unless they try very hard? Is this observation wrong?
2006-08-07 11:14:55 · 9 answers · asked by avihock 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Yes, you are wrong. The reason one can speak in different dialects is because either at a very young age one was taken to different parts of the country and did not develop a strong accent or they had a proclivity for the talent and did some work at it.
Whether you are from Australia or India the way you speak becomes ingrained in you by approximately 8-10 years old. If you are moved in that time you will pick up what ever prevailing accent is around you. After that it simply takes a good "ear". Many actors from both sides of the pond can do it. If the part is written properly they will fool even locals.
The difference is you are not thinking of the proper test. You can speak American English with a different accent, but could you go to France and speak French like a Canadian? Or could you speak French like someone from Cologne? That is the true test and seems to be what you are asking them to do. If you want to hear them speak English like an American, see just how easy it is to speak Spanish like a Mexican.
The other benefit we have is that American English is made up of so many other languages it is (perhaps) easier for us to grasp another dialect.
2006-08-07 11:19:06 · answer #1 · answered by DMR 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
English is your native language and you ear is attuned to the mispronunciation of English, it obvious to you . Foreign accents are due to inflections from the native tounge, and they don't have a basis to recognize their errors. The longer they are here in US and are immersed in the language, the accent will be diminished. It is equally true that it is very difficult for americans to speak any foriegn language without an "american" accent.
Also, it's very easy for you to say that you can imitate "any accent" but you may not be as good as you think. The proof would be if you tried out your Irish brouge or English accent in Ireland or England and see if you fool anyone into thinking you are a native. You probably aren't as good at it as you think you are. I'd like to see you try to do a South African accent or a New Zealand accent or even tell the difference!
2006-08-07 11:33:39 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I can easily imitate accents as well, however the problem with an American accent lies in the English vernacular. English is perhaps one of the most difficult languages to learn and master. For a native speaker, it's a cake walk (for most...not all) because we hear and learn it as early as the womb. I speak 3 languages fluently and there are phases in other languages that are difficult to convey in English. People who are not native speakers of English typically can't differentiate between the accents and dialects of Americans (i.e. north, south, mid west, etc.).
2006-08-07 11:24:47 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yah, I've noticed that too. I can imitate irish accents, british, austrailian, "country", spanish, etc. I know many people who can actually. You even see it with actors. They get trained with different accents. However I don't know many people who don't have english as a first language that can immitate accents in their language. For example, my roommate's first language is Spanish. She cannot immitate an American english or even another latin country's accent in Spanish, or english..
Some poeple say Americans can immitate English with differnet accents, but we cannot immitate the accent of the language we learn, I find that odd.
2006-08-07 11:23:32 · answer #4 · answered by charlitacr 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes it is.
When you imitate an accent, you do not hear the mistakes your accent carries over to the one you are trying...
But when you hear someone with a different accent attempt a new accent; you hear boththe new accent, and errors caused by their real accent.
2006-08-07 11:20:45 · answer #5 · answered by Greg Hegler 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
as an Englishman living in America i have yet to hear any American imitate an English accent of any description even remotely well,so you must be uniquely gifted
2006-08-07 16:36:33 · answer #6 · answered by ''H'' 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Your observation is wrong.
Colin Firth (for example) is an Irish actor who has fooled many American audiences with his perfect American accent. Sebastian Cabot was another.
2006-08-07 11:18:47 · answer #7 · answered by Finnegan 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes, your observation is wrong, and a bit conceited in my opinion.
2006-08-07 11:20:10 · answer #8 · answered by quietwalker 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
cuz so many of them were originaly foreigners
2006-08-07 11:18:20 · answer #9 · answered by Elaine F 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋