How do I talk in a british accent?

Question

I'm from California, I speak American English, so I have no accent whatsoever....I wanna learn how to speak with a British accent....any specific tips/secrets/techniques that would help? I need help with the pronunciations....every time I try and sound British I end up sounding Australian!

I want a "trashy" british accent like the Beatles....not an "elite" education accent

Answer 1

If your accent is coming across as Australian it's probably because you're making your voice rise at the end of sentences and everything comes out as a question.

There are loads of different accents in Britain but I'm guessing you want to sound either like the royal family (typical view of what the British accent sounds like) or a Londoner. The best way of picking up the London accent is by watching films by Guy Ritchie such as Snatch or Lock Stock... and the best way of picking up the RP accent is by watching BBC News 24.

Answer 2

If you are from California or anywhere in this world you have an accent,but you just don't notice it. There are actor's expensive speech trainers who could help you attain an old BBC accent or Cockney or or Liverpool or Yorkshire or Welsh or Cornish or other British accent if you work at it.
You could hang around Brits with a particular accent that takes your fancy. You could play tapes of 1930's British movies over and over and over.
You could move to Britain and repeat what people say to you until someone hits you with an umbrella. There are also British English Language Courses.
And what is wrong with Australian accents?

Answer 3

In my opinion, the easiest British accent to copy is the Queen's English, despite nobody actually using the accent nowadays! But it's the one most Americans seem to be familiar with, and it's the one American actors try to pull off the most often. It's quite easy to copy really compared to the other British accents.

Answer 4

LOL @ you dont have an accent. everyone has an accent, if you ever open your mouth and speak words. you have a californian accent, which is not too different from many american accents, but still you have one.

advice on how to learn a british accent, hang around with brittish people, go to disney land and meet some, theyre always there in trouisty places. or if you like the comfort of your own home. catch some of those british comedies on the public television. tahts how i learned mine, hanging out with tourists and watching british tv, they say its convincing

Answer 5

Well, if you sound Australian maybe you do have a British accent. We always think that they sound rather like Londoners or at least people from the Home Counties (the areas around London). There is no one British accent.

Answer 6

First of all, you do have an accent you know.
The California accent.
We all have an accent and sort of a melody when we talk, which is determined from the place we live.

I don't get the "desire for speaking with the British accent".
I guess you want to full people.

You'll need to practice with someone from Britain.

Answer 7

" I speak American English, so I have no accent whatsoever"......
who told you that you don't have accent???? if you go in other country and learn their language...and when you start speaking it..you do have an accent...
lol..i remember, i made a lot of fun on american people hahah
you all sound so funny when you try to speak other language LOL

Answer 8

ok so it depends do you want to have an accent 24/7 or just sometimes like when you meet new people thaty ou think you will never see again or to be a deusche and trick a girl when you use a british accent you use the back of your mouth top of your throat for ausi you use more of your entire mouth

Answer 9

Haha, you sooooooo have an accent. Please don't try and replicate any of our accents. It cannot be done well and you will sound awful. Oddly, we can do your accents quite well like Hugh Laurie in House. Don't listen to Chris Moyles or anyone on Radio 1, they all speak horribly and will be of no use. Nor will films from the 30s, no-one sounds like that anymore. Find something else to do. Wouldn't a New York or New Jersey accent be easier?

Answer 10

the only people ashamed to be Americans are liberals.others who put on british accents just want to hide from the rest of us and themselves, they are liberals too.