Accent

dora

Do you have an accent?

Do the characters you create speak with an accent? And when you read work by other writers, do you read it in that accent or use another "voice" to speak to you?

Now I have been studying the word "accent" for a while, it looks weird.

Carol

I don't have an accent, but neither do my characters really. Their differences are in how they use the words, and the words they use, but they all sound different to me.
When I read another writer's work it is the voice the writer has created for their character, as it comes over to me.
Does that make sense?

Jenny

Just wondering if anyone thinks they speak with an accent - or whether we all think that's what other people do!

dora

Yes it does make sense Carol.

I speak with an accent but it varies according to who (whom?) I am with.

Stan2

I speak with a London accent.

Carol

There is the stereotype of Hyacinth Bouquet who answers the phone with a 'posh' voice, but it changes as soon as she realises it is her 'common' sister.
I think we do alter our voices depending on who we are talking to.
I never realised how much my southern 'accent' had effected the accent my sons have; until they went to senior school, and began mixing with kids (who hadn't grown up with them) and they thought they either spoke posh, or weren't born in Nottingham.

Jenny

I don't notice people's accents after I've known them for a while.

Lolli

I have lived in various places and don't notice the local accent once I have got used to it, but accents that I previously didn't notice (even my native home counties one), become more an more noticeable the longer I am not using them

pongo

Having lived in NZ for over fifty years I now think you english talk fuunnnneeee.

(but I like yer)

Island Girl

I haven't got an accent. It's all you lot wot does.

Col B

An accent int somat ave bin that bovvered about, innit.
Don't fink ave got much o one.
;)

Carol

:)

Stirling

I don't notice my accent; but I'm told that I have quite a strong Geordie accent, also described as a 'posh' Geordie (this is probably because I come from south east Northumberland).

As for my characters, yes they have an accent; but the dialogue isn't a linguistic transcript: plain English that uses Geordie syntax. Another character is Irish; but because he is a Crown Court Judge he speaks quite 'correctly.'

dorothyd

My mother had a strong Essex accent but oddly, I didn't and don't. My daughter speaks Estuary very well when she wants to, and sometimes when she doesn't, it slips on occasions. She said my nephew, born in Spain of Spanish/English parents, now speaks with a pure country accent having been in Oxfordshire most of his life.
My people dictate so they use phrases and words that are of their time. Whether that will come over as an accent I don't know.

Nena

Oy downt 'ave an ack-sent at all myte! Struth, me mum'd kill moy if oy spoke strine.

Carol

One of my brothers travelled the world as a young man as a steward on cruise ships, and he picked up accents. He lived in Australia for 3 years and came back here sounding like an Aussie. He now lives in Ecuador, and yes he sounds South American.
One of my boys is able to put on different accents easily.
Me, I'm stuck as me. :)

Stan2

Nena -can you translate please?

dora

She said (oh Stan, you have to use a Hyacinth Bucket accent for this)... "! don't have an accent at all mate! Strewth, me mum would kill me if I spoke Australian."

dora

I smirk tabs, me.

B Darter

I have a Lancashire accent but when I phone my relatives in Lancashire they say I have a West Country accent, I suppose living in Devon for over forty years had done that.