What's the best way to teach a really southern girl a British accent?

Question

I'm a British guy, living in Georgia, I am trying to teach and American, southern girl how to speak with a British accent.
It is really hard! Does anyone have any tips to help me such as: a pronunciation chart, techniques, and even British words. Ex. boot = trunk. Slang it good too! Anything will help!! Thanks.

Answer 1

Ya! start by making sure she has ALL her teeth!

Answer 2

If you have cable TV watch the BBC News.

Get her a British Slang dictionary, maybe:

"Knickers in a Twist: A Dictionary of British Slang"
By: Jonathan Bernstein

OR

"NTC's Dictionary of British Slang and Colloquial Expressions"
By: Ewart James

If you have any friends who also have a British accent, have her talk to them as often as possible.

IMO: If you want to learn an accent, you must learn it from more than one person, otherwise you are only learning one person's mannerisms.

If you have the inclination and the resources, you could always take her on a vacation trip to the UK. (Total Immersion in British English -- that's the ticket!)

When you talk, if there an option between saying something in British and American, say it in British! DON'T TRANSLATE IT FOR HER! Eventually she will catch on to the meaning.
.

Answer 3

Teach her the international phonetic alphabet and look up standards for RP. If she's older than a child, she probably will always sound like an American southerner faking a British accent though. Sorry.

Answer 4

Why would you get rid of a belles accent?
Anyways, ask Madonna.

Answer 5

really the only way to make it work is practice, practice, practice and then more practice. Make her work!