Registered: Dec 2001
Location: Fishtown, Philadelphia
Question especially for those of you from the UK
I believe I have become obsessed with your dialect of English and would like to know if it makes sense for me to continue trying to complete convert to using that form of English. Since 2001, I have altered my spellings and grammar (I am still learning) to reflect what is common practise in the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth of Nations, which is quite tricky considering I was raised in the US (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and still live there.
I have also adopted an RP accent and went 3 full years of university as well as a job I had for a summer before that speaking in that form. I seem to have gotten so good at it that some words naturally come out as RP now and not 'Philly', like the names Paul van Dyk and Armin van Buuren ( ;-) ).
As to how I am learning this, I just read Wikipedia's pages on differences as well as the many other sites on-line that talk about what seems like thousands of differences (so many that I think if we never had the Internet, the US & UK would have their own unique languages by 2100 or so). As for speech, I get that from various radio broadcasts of our favourite music and some programmes I watch from time to time.
I wonder myself for the last 8 years why I am basically trying to be viewed as something I am not. Maybe I sub-consciously think it's cool to be seen (at least initially, as I do not lie about my origin) as not from around here? The thing that has me wondering about it is because I seem to also speak like this around people that haven't seen me since before 2003 or so.
What do the others here think and has anyone else tried such a thing before and if so, how is/did it going/went?
PS: I wish I put all this energy into actually learning a new language rather than just a dialect of the one I already know!
PPS: I'm looking for a real answer here. I truly do not know why I do this and if I like it or whatnot. I'm looking to find out why I have and am still going through all this effort to change something that doesn't mean much (I mean c'mon - studying word difference lists?).
Last edited by ali92 on Mar-26-2009 at 07:49
Mar-26-2009 07:44
Sunsnail
Global Moderator
Registered: Sep 2004
Location:
People who speak in a different accent to improve their image make me laugh
Mar-26-2009 07:46
Kinezi
Supreme tranceaddict
Registered: May 2008
Location: Location
quote:
Originally posted by ali92
I believe I have become obsessed with your dialect of English and would like to know if it makes sense for me to continue trying to complete convert to using that form of English. Since 2001, I have altered my spellings and grammar (I am still learning) to reflect what is common practise in the UK and the rest of the Commonwealth of Nations, which is quite tricky considering I was raised in the US (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) and still live there.
I have also adopted an RP accent and went 3 full years of university as well as a job I had for a summer before that speaking in that form. I seem to have gotten so good at it that some words naturally come out as RP now and not 'Philly', like the names Paul van Dyk and Armin van Buuren ( ;-) ).
As to how I am learning this, I just read Wikipedia's pages on differences as well as the many other sites on-line that talk about what seems like thousands of differences (so many that I think if we never had the Internet, the US & UK would have their own unique languages by 2100 or so). As for speech, I get that from various radio broadcasts of our favourite music and some programmes I watch from time to time.
I wonder myself for the last 8 years why I am basically trying to be viewed as something I am not. Maybe I sub-consciously think it's cool to be seen (at least initially, as I do not lie about my origin) as not from around here? The thing that has me wondering about it is because I seem to also speak like this around people that haven't seen me since before 2003 or so.
What do the others here think and has anyone else tried such a thing before and if so, how is/did it going/went?
PS: I wish I put all this energy into actually learning a new language rather than just a dialect of the one I already know!
too long penis.
___________________
Mar-26-2009 07:46
winston
ultraviolet catastrophe
Registered: Nov 2005
Location: Yggdrasill
I'd say it would be optimal for you to live in the UK for a while in order to adopt the culture and dialect as you pointed out, specially If you haven't been exposed to said culture in the past.
Mar-26-2009 08:14
Sushipunk
Flickering, I roam
Registered: Sep 2006
Location: Chateau Verdafloor
You say you want to talk like an English person, yet you're referring to 'dialects' that are 'common practice' in the UK. Are you aware just how many dialects there are in the UK, even disregarding the Scots and the (northern) Irish?
I'm curious as to which English dialect you've been teaching yourself to speak in. Souf Lundener? Brommie? Scouse? A westerner (cider/soyderrr)?
Please clarify. Also, if possible, please record your (accented/pretend) voice and post it up for us to listen to.
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Mar-26-2009 08:22
winston
ultraviolet catastrophe
Registered: Nov 2005
Location: Yggdrasill
quote:
Originally posted by Sushipunk
Please clarify. Also, if possible, please record your (accented/pretend) voice and post it up for us to listen to.
Mar-26-2009 08:23
Mr.Mystery
Static Guru
Registered: Dec 2001
Location: Vantaa
Re: Question especially for those of you from the UK
quote:
Originally posted by ali92
I truly do not know why I do this and if I like it or whatnot. I'm looking to find out why I have and am still going through all this effort to change something that doesn't mean much (I mean c'mon - studying word difference lists?).
