Elvis Costello Fan Forum

Here's me......





Here's my kids (this pic is a little old)

You have beautiful children Valerie.....and it's easy to see why

Thanks, Jackson!

Well, since Valerie (hello sis!) posted a pic I suppose I will follow suit...

That does it.....I'm moving to Amerikay!!!!

So am I!

Which sister do you fancy getting turned down by first?

Turned down????

Just to clue you in, I am a sucker for a British accent (since I am doomed to living in Redneck Land) and have notoriously low standards (so I have been told).

Valerie wrote:notoriously low standards

Jackson and verbal definitely have a chance then! Get your flights booked boys!

where is Virginia?

Valerie wrote: notoriously low standards (so I have been told).

It's true! Sorry...

I think most Southern US women love a British accent. I know I always have. My advisor in college was a British man - smoked a pipe. I adored him. I took any class he advised me to take - even ones I hated. Hell, I took a class that he taught once and I didn't even need it - I just took it to hear him speak for a semester.

ummmm. . .I can fake a really bad English accent. . .

Not being pedantic, but what is a 'British' accent???

...I can do anyone the Virginia girls like

Jackson Monk wrote:Not being pedantic, but what is a 'British' accent???

Think Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins.

Perhaps I shouldn't have said British.......

How 'bout any accent from the United Kingdom? I like 'em all. (You could even alternate accents like Elvis does)

I do think all women from the south like it. Not sure why. Maybe because it's so different from what we are use to hearing...dunno.

as I say, I can do any British (or Irish) accent you like

Who Shot Sam? wrote:

Jackson Monk wrote:Not being pedantic, but what is a 'British' accent???

Think Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins.

That would be me on a good day!

I can understand the misconceptions concerning "British accents". There are also subtle variations of the American "southern" accent, depending on where in "the south" you may reside. It's really funny to listen to Hollywood actors attempt to emulate the southern drawl and end up sounding almost Irish at times!!!

Okay, pretty much most UK accents get me going. Sorry to lump it under the term "British" accent.

Even 3 years ago when in Munich - the last night of Oktoberfest - a group of English guys sat down at our hotel bar and spent hours talking to me. I found it impossible to move. . . . .

spooky girlfriend wrote:Okay, pretty much most UK accents get me going. Sorry to lump it under the term "British" accent.

Even 3 years ago when in Munich - the last night of Oktoberfest - a group of English guys sat down at our hotel bar and spent hours talking to me. I found it impossible to move. . . . .

I often wonder if other English speaking countries have the diversity of accents that Britain has. Geordie, West Country, West Midlands, Various Scottish accents (some of which are impenetrable!), Belfast and other Northern Irish, various Welsh accents, Cockney,scouse (Liverpool), Manchester, Yorkshire, East Midlands, Norfolk/Suffolk....etc etc.

i know the States does, but what about Australia or Canada?

I'm not sure anywhere does to such a degree, or in such proximity. Not in our language, anyway, and not in other European countries I'm familiar with. Sure there are significant regional differences, but not the immense difference of, say, Liverpool and Manchester when they're only a handful of miles apart.

Poland is interesting in that there is, as I understand it, incredibly little in the way of regional differences, certainly compared to here. To do with the huge amount of relocating of people throughout Polish history - as the borders moved eastwards, people were moved from one side of the country to the other, etc., and post-war loads of people ended up in different places from where they're families originated. IP can explain better!

I'm not aware of any accent differences here that are regional. I doubt there are any, whatever accent variations there are exist in every city and everywhere else in Australia.

bambooneedle wrote:I'm not aware of any accent differences here that are regional. I doubt there are any, whatever accent variations there are exist in every city and everywhere else in Australia.

What about Queensland? Seems to me the accent up there is a lot thicker.

Now that you mention it... but I'm not even sure the difference is particularly regional, maybe it's just that a parochial aussie 'ocker' attitude (if that's what you're refering to, that "moaaate...") may be more prevalent there, even in Brisbane, not being as cosmopolitan as Sydney or Melbourne. But it's still prevalent elsewhere. Where did you go?

I'm running late, have to go.

bambooneedle wrote:Now that you mention it... but I'm not even sure the difference is particularly regional, maybe it's just that a parochial aussie 'ocker' attitude (if that's what you're refering to, that "moaaate...") may be more prevalent there, even in Brisbane, not being as cosmopolitan as Sydney or Melbourne. But it's still prevalent elsewhere. Where did you go?

I'm running late, have to go.

I haven't been anywhere in Queensland other than in the Brisbane airport when we got fogged out of Sydney. One of my wife's work colleagues, who organizes this annual conference she attends, is from Brisbane and his accent seems really pronounced. We discussed it when I saw him in Melbourne and he said it's the equivalent of a Southern US accent.

I still can't get my head around it getting warmer as you go north.

Who Shot Sam? wrote:One of my wife's work colleagues, who organizes this annual conference she attends, is from Brisbane and his accent seems really pronounced. We discussed it when I saw him in Melbourne and he said it's the equivalent of a Southern US accent.

As I travelled north to Brisbane and then Cairns I didn't notice much difference.

Anyway I found this article -
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_a ... h_speakers

(extract, under 'Australia')

"Australia

Main article: Regional variation in Australian English

The greatest variation in Australian accents is along educational and occupational lines, expressed as three class-based accents: Broad Australian, General Australian and Cultivated Australian. However, some regional variation has been documented. Generally, accents are found to be broadest in the more remote and rural areas.

A 1995 survey by D. Crystal of the usage of /aË