I want to learn British accent?

Question

I live in United States, I think the way British people speak is so cool, and I want to learn the accent. How do I go by learning it?

Answer 1

Study the way Madonna talks. She made the american - british change flawlessly!

Answer 2

Ah... there are a lot of 'british' accents, it depends which you want. I think one of the more 'common' (and understandable!! ;) ) accents is Estuary English (generally found in the south). Or, for a more 'proper' English, research into Received Pronunciation (also known as 'BBC English'), which is the type used in the News. Anyway, tips... I would suggest watching a lot of videos, Youtube, movies etc which come from England/involve British people, so you can listen to and pick up different accents along the way. That's what I did for German, and it's been remarked that my German accent and pronunciation is excellent ;)

Answer 3

As a lot of people have already said, they're really isn't one 'British' accent.

If you're looking for an fairly posh sounding English accent, you could try listening to Radio 4. It's a BBC radio station and it's available on-line at www.bbc.co.uk/radio4.

I'm not sure if that will help too much, but it will be better than watching English films or television shows. I know that some PBS stations in the US broadcast the BBC soap Eastenders, but that is a regional 'London' accent.

And www.uknova.com provide legal Bittorrent downloads from British television, though you do have to register.

Answer 4

As a Brit I would say there are very few American actors who can speak with an authentic British accent of any sort. I'm afraid so many Brits laugh their socks off when they hear supposed British accents in comedies like Friends.

The hard bit of course is getting rid of your own accent so that your original accent does not feature in your new accent. We British can usually detect an American "twang" a mile off. No offence of course as there are many Brits I know who love to speak like Americans. Then as other posters have already said there are dozens and dozens of regional variations - even in England let alone in Scotland, Ireland and Wales. You would need to pin point an area you wish to concentrate on and then if you are not too serious, try and find recordings of someone from that region to emulate, or if you are willing to pay - hire a vocal coach to tutor you. However the best way it seems to me, to pick up an accent is to go and live in that country for some time and let it happen by association. Hope you are successful - for whatever reason :)

This link http://www.bl.uk/collections/sound-archive/accents.html is to The British library who have a good collection of sound recordings of regional variations of English - it may be helpful to you.

Answer 5

By the `British` accent, I assume you mean what used to be known as `The Queens` English.` Actually there are not that many Brits who speak `terribly frightfully plum in mouth darling`! That is with the exception of those that appear in American films. I think that it is very sad that you want to lose your homeland accent; there is nothing wrong with having that. If you really do want to `round off the edges and soften the vowels` a little then I suggest that you watch movies ot TV shows, or better still come to live in Britain. Please don`t make the mistake of mixing the accents( i.e. using a bit of cockney a bit of Geordie a bit of Devonian, Lancashire,Yorkshire,Scottish, Welsh,Irish etc.)
That will sound just phony. Concentrate on one accent only, watch the same regional TV show all the time. Don`t confuse them.

Answer 6

Short of taking a trip to Britain, watch a bunch of the old British movies, or new ones with British actors. My Favorite Oldie: My Fair Lady. My Favorite Newies: all of the Harry Potter movies, and About A Boy.

Answer 7

There is NO British accent. You probably mean one of the English accents.They are many and diverse which one do you mean...probably the 'pawsh' estuary English.The other accents are so very different. It's like saying the American accent is only the 'Hi y'all'..hillbilly accent. Find out which one you mean first.

Answer 8

British accent?
Which part of Britain?
England, Scotland, Wales or Ireland?
I live in the North East, and my accent it different from Londoners.
Ya naw wit a meen hinnie!

Answer 9

Hi. Visit the website www.bbc.co.uk then select the radio section. Most of the seven BBC national radio stations have either live feed links or a listen again section. You will soon be listening to British radio on your PC.

Good luck and I hope that this was helpful to you.

Best wishes. Mark.

Answer 10

Move over here.. you'll eventually develop an accent. I had a friend who went to Australia and came back with a real Aussie twinge. Its was so cool