I have a midwestern accent, which is basically saying I have no accent. Ive heard English people say how nasal and whinny we sound. I have also heard American accents sound like lazy english. I truly don't think I talk through my nose, and I don't whine either. Should I be afraid to talk to people when I visit Europe?
2007-05-24 08:27:53 · 13 answers · asked by cutegirl 3 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Other - Cultures & Groups
The American accent is flat and nasally compared to a lot
of other languages. You would have to have heard most
of them to see this. It is very monotone compared to Italian,
French, Korean, Chinese, German, Dutch, Indonesian,
Tagalog, Irish English, British English, etc. You really need
to see this from a broad overview and not just your regional
experience.
2007-05-24 10:09:42 · answer #1 · answered by ? 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
First of all, you DO have an accent to anyone not from your home. There is no 1 American accent. I mean there are at least 4 different accents in NYC alone.
Don't be afraid to talk to people in europe. For everyone you meet that doesn't like your accent, you'll find at least 1 that does. More important than that is if the people you talk to can't be bothered to get beyond you accent, don't waste too much time talking to them anyway.
There is more than one english accent, ask someone from the south of england what a northerner sounds like......
ask any Scot from outside Glasgow what a Glaswegian sounds like......
Basically, don't be self conscious of how you sound. Do be conscious of WHAT you say.
2007-05-24 08:35:58 · answer #2 · answered by duker918 7 · 7⤊ 0⤋
We get accents from far and wide right here . . . Polish, Indian sub-continent, American, Middle Eastern, the record is going on. It will get to the factor in which I not relatively observe accents, until I can not fully grasp them. I do discover nasal American accents mildly frustrating, however I would not preclude speaking to any individual due to the fact of that.
2016-09-05 10:22:38 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I hope other nations dont hate our accents.. since they already hate us anywayz.. heh.. As for talking through the nose.. i hope thats not true.. I speak fluent Portuguese and thats a nasal language.. but I know others dont find it *annoying* ..
well.. at least my family in Brazil say they like the american accent.. better then German.. they say German is too rough sounding whereas English is smoother sounding =)
2007-05-24 12:09:47 · answer #4 · answered by nola_cajun 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
As long as you can be understood by people you should not worry about an accent. It all depends on where you stand as to who has the accent anyhow. re English. They can't even understand some of their own. Afraid? Don't be silly. Stand tall, you're an American!
2007-05-24 08:49:09 · answer #5 · answered by crazywoman88 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I used to adore British accent. Unfortunately the only place I can hear that now is the BBC. It is very rare nowadays to hear educated proper British English. In most parts of England, I have to listen very carefully to hear everything they say, since they tend to omit (or swallow!) last syllables and words.
On the other hand, it is true that most Americans speak nasal rather than from the diaphragm (lungs). However, I find the standard American English easier to understand. I am talking about the various accents of American English though.
But come to think of it, in which country can you find the proper, standard language nowadays? Even anchormen on TV news speak so horribly at times; bad pronunciation, omitted sounds, wrong stress and intonation, name it.
2007-05-24 08:36:04 · answer #6 · answered by anlarm 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋
NO, talk to everyone, everywhere. You will find many different accents in America. People in the south don't like northern accents, yanks don't like southern accents. You can't please everyone. Pluse no matter where you go people have different accents. I can't understand half of what english people say without having them repeat it to me at least 3 times.
2007-05-24 08:38:10 · answer #7 · answered by catmomiam 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
No, there is lots of snobbery in England about American accents but I find them quite attractive on a pretty girl, no problem whatsover and I hate snobs.
2007-05-24 08:45:39 · answer #8 · answered by vaivagabundo 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
i live in Europe and i speak with the British accent....
the American accent in Austria where i live is more spoken than the British...
so dont be afraid...be proud of your tone and tongue.
2007-05-24 08:36:59 · answer #9 · answered by girly 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
me rarely heard of american accent. when I heard it, It's very weird. bot, I don't hate it. when american talked to me once, I couldn't get a bit of wot he was saying. so I asked him are you speaking english? hahaha
2007-05-24 10:29:38 · answer #10 · answered by killy gonso 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋