Can Americans tell the difference between English accents? Just curious!?

Question

Can Americans or any other people outside of England or even London tell the difference bettwen RP/Standard English and Cockney.
There are also other accents like estuary english and jamaican creeole(cant spell sorry!) can people outside the south east of England tell the difference?

And if so, which is better? Do you like the typical english accents e.g Standard and Cockney (I No northern english or midland english accents e.g brimingham, manchester, yorkshire and liverpool must sound very different dont include them lol i no theyre annoying)

Ok update people lol : ok its spelt Jamacian Creole and in London it is spoken quite abit in the working class community - not just jamacians. Its wer we use jamacian slang and incorporate it into our language and accent - its mostly spoken by minorites - i should really call it a Jamacian Creole influnced accent...

Answer 1

Yes, I can, but it's not a huge difference.

I don't like Cockney. It sounds kinda cool I guess but it's too hard to understand. Standard British English is a bit easier.

Answer 2

nobody mentioned the fact that Canada is a MONARCHY, not a republic. The Head of State is Elizabeth II, Queen of Canada. The Governor-General represents her. During the American War for Independence 20-25 of the white colonials sided with the King, about 500,000. 10% went to Canada and some 15,000 others went to the UK or the Caribbean. some 12,000 blacks were taken either as slaves or freed. Those who went to Canada were called Loyalists or the KIng's loyal Americans. Another 30,000 immigrated from the States to Ontario during the 1790s and early 1800s. The earliest settlers in Nova Scotia were 8000 New Englanders who went there in the 1750s and 60s to replace the ousted French settlers or Cajuns who were settled in the 13 southern colonies or went to Lousiana. Until about 1830 English-speaking Canada had a pronounced American flavor due to the origins of the population and before large scale immigration from Britain and Ireland starting about 1820 introduced a more 'British' feel. That's why Canadians and Americans esp. in the upper American states are so similar.

Answer 3

I certainly can tell the difference between cockney and RP or standard English and I have never been to England and English is not even my first language. As for Jamaican Creole, it is a mix of several languages and certainly not regular English. In fact, you might have a job understanding it. Estuary English is just the "new" standard English. You would have to be stone deaf not to hear the difference between that and Jamaican. Had enough luv?


Kelly D : try these:

alt.usage.english AudioArchive

AUE: The Audio Archive

Answer 4

I can tell with very obvious differences like Cockney and RP/Standard(kinda like the Prince Charles accent?) but subtle regional differences are harder for me to detect. It's somewhat like the difference between the New York and Texas accents which are glaringly apparent, and the Differences between the Bay Area and Sacramento accents (both in California with about 100 miles of separation) where only people from Northern California can generally tell. I think Creole is how it is in Jamaica but in the Bahamas its Kriol, go figure.

Answer 5

Definitely on standard vs. cockney, also liverpool, manchester and many others.

UPDATE: I don't really like the midlands/northern ones either. :) What I like most about the cockneys is the rhyming slang, but I also like the accent itself.

Answer 6

Not unless they've been exposed to the different accents regularly. Can the British tell the difference between American accents?

Answer 7

I can hear differences in spoken British English, but unfortunately I can't pinpoint where in England they come from. (If you have a site that can help me learn that, I would be eternally grateful - it's always been a little hobby of mine, linguistics.)

Answer 8

yes. but we probably couldn't tell you where the person was from or anything.

it's like southern accents. they all sound slightly different, depending on the state, region, part of town, etc. but you can tell when someone sounds slightly different.

but who really cares - as long as we can make out what the person is saying, ya know?

Answer 9

Only a little. I know a few brits, so I can kind of tell a little bit of difference, but to most of us, you all sound the same. (I'm sure its vice versa)

Answer 10

I know I can, but most people don't care to listen or to notice a difference.