Do you pick up accents or local phrases easily?

mikemac

I'm from the midlands, pure bogger accent

But my job sent me to England for six weeks and I returned asking for a "half" of Carlsberg and saying "alright mate?" on greeting people

And while I'm not from Dublin I rent in a pretty ordinary area where a lot of people say "love" to each other.
Here's your change love or Got a Tesco clubcard love as examples

And now I catch myself doing it :eek:

So do you have an accent or do you pick up other accents on your travels?

Max Power1

Ach aye boss.

Max Power is not scottish

mike65

Tractor to your county! :mad:

liah

I pick 'em up, it seems.

Takes me longer to pick up the actual accent as opposed to the lingo which only takes me a couple weeks. I don't ever try to force it on, though. Just happens naturally.

Last couple months though when people ask me where I'm from and I tell them to guess, they always pick places around Ireland, even though I grew up an entire ocean away. :pac:

Shryke

mike65 wrote: »

Tractor to your county! :mad:

Traitor? Or I'm so tired I can't follow three posts... you calling the man a tractor?

Latchy

Living in England 20 odd years plus travels around europe ,I think I am pretty good at pinpointing most accents .The English ones, Newcastle , B'Ham, Manchester ,London ,Liverpool , are pretty easy to suss although some of the smaller sattalite towns bordering these citys ie, wigan , preston , warrington , and up Lancashire /Cumbria/Cheshire way can be on the tricky side .

KTRIC

Nicht wirklich

Whosbetter?

Been around a bit myself but it seems that the Carlow accent is indestructable.:cool:

Saibh

Went on sun holiday and met up with some people from Cork over the two weeks. Came home with a Cork accent :pac:

True story....

KeyLimePie

oh god yeah like bees on honey, I stayed in dublin there last week with a friend and by the end of it I was calling everything deadly.. =p I'm going to college to UCD in september so I expect to be back in cork with a d4 accent

soccymonster

Lived in west limerick till i was about ten years old and at that point i had a real aul limerick accent on me. Then i moved to clare and since then my accent has never changed. All my friends tell me that i sound like a right aul anti-social type of person that walks around the town doing nothing but tormenting people?? Wtf? Is there a type of way these people talk or something?.. FYI im not anti-social :P.. Sure, i get taken the piss outta me because of the way i talk.. So i guess i dont pick up on accents at all, at all?.. I have one accent and one accent only i guess..

Rented Mule

How you doin' ?

Fah-get about it.

Hey .....It ain't gonna suck itself.


Nope .....I sound exactly the same as I did when I first landed here in 1982.

Ridiculously easily. It's actually 100 x more effort for me to keep my 'original accent' (and God knows what that is since I'd lived in 3 countries before 18) than to pick up the accent of the person I'm talking to.

Wez

I could be talking like somebody by the end of the conversation, kinda annoying at times, nearly sounds like I'm immitating them, which they must all question..

My bro's GF is the same, I always notice it whenever she's over, but whenever we're out and she's there, it'll always be her own..

Weird! So it's not just me anyway!

Wishbone Ash

My mother has a 'front door' accent and a 'telephone' accent.

oisinmc14

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

My mother has a 'front door' accent and a 'telephone' accent.

she also has a bedroom accent:D

leninbenjamin

Pick them up dead easy all right. to the extent people think I'm taking the piss.

claireloopy

doesnt everyone have a telephone accent? ha. Well I pick accents up really easy went to cork for two days and came back with it, my da is always jeering me about that ha

Aidric

mikemac wrote: »

But my job sent me to England for six weeks and I returned asking for a "half" of Carlsberg and saying "alright mate?" on greeting people

Are you serious? **** sake man, get a grip.

Wishbone Ash

claireloopy wrote: »

doesnt everyone have a telephone accent? ha. Well I pick accents up really easy went to cork for two days and came back with it, my da is always jeering me about that ha

I'd be a lot more worried about the "ha"! Do you use it in normal conversation? :eek:

HalloweenJack

Reasonably well able to pick out different accents, even some foreign ones (like New York and New England).

Though I do get offended when people (generally ones from outside Dublin) assume I'm a Dub when I have a hefty Wicklow accent.

anonymous_joe

Went out with someone whose accent changed really quickly.

Personally though, mine never really changes.

claireloopy

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I'd be a lot more worried about the "ha"! Do you use it in normal conversation? :eek:

Yes I do actually ha. Its good to ha do you ever ha?

Sofiztikated

Using phrases like "Half a beer," and "Deadly buzz," aren't accents. That's just phrases that people use.

The sound of your voice is the accent. If it came out like "Awwight mate," that'd be the accent.

I pick them up fairly handy, and at the moment, I don't like it, living in Cavan and have picked up the worst accent I can think of!

My brother lives in Monaghan now, and has a strong accent, but it only takes a phone call from a mate and a Cork twang comes back!

studiorat

Apparently it's a sign of someone having a musical ear. That's to say if you pick up accents easily you are quite musical. Or would be good at music if you tried.

Rented Mule

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

My mother has a 'front door' accent and a 'telephone' accent.

Yore Ma ?

Mossy Monk

mikemac wrote: »

I'm from the midlands, pure bogger accent

But my job sent me to England for six weeks and I returned asking for a "half" of Carlsberg and saying "alright mate?" on greeting people

And while I'm not from Dublin I rent in a pretty ordinary area where a lot of people say "love" to each other.
Here's your change love or Got a Tesco clubcard love as examples

And now I catch myself doing it :eek:

So do you have an accent or do you pick up other accents on your travels?

What you have described is not an accent.

Lorrs33

I've been asked several times what part of America I'm from, when I'm only going there for the first time at the end of the month

That's what happens when you spend too much time watching American television.

I would say Dublin accents are the most vulnerable.

markok84

I just pick up skanks.

JIZZLORD

i regain a sligo accent whenever i'm home for more than a weekend

emigrant36

studiorat wrote: »

Apparently it's a sign of someone having a musical ear. That's to say if you pick up accents easily you are quite musical. Or would be good at music if you tried.

I've heard that too... I pick up accents really easily! When I get defensive I speak with a cork accent!! Can't spend ANY time in Dublin cause I sound like a d4 head after a while. My sis told me this weekend that I have developed a twang over here in London... I think it's because my accent is quite flat aswell, with a little northern influence-- which was flattened somwhat in college..
I'm hating losing my accent!

LimeFruitGum

I moved to Dublin 12 years ago to go to college. There was noone else from home on my course and most of my classmates happened to be from Dublin and surrounding counties. By the end of first year, I sounded like I was in Fair City. (a hint to tone it down, if ever there was one!)

I can't even remember what my original accent was like and I wouldn't be able to speak in a proper Limerick accent now without a Dublinese tinge, if I were to move back now. My parents were "culchies", but we went to school in Limerick city and there is a big difference between the Limerick County and City accents, so I suppose mine would have been a mix of both.

I've worked with many non-native English speakers here and abroad over the years and I had to train myself to speak slowly and clearly, otherwise I would have to repeat myself. I've been told over the years that my accent is quite neutral; people can't tell where I'm from exactly, unless they're able to pick up certain regional accent characteristics.

One thing is for sure, if I get agitated for whatever reason, the high fast Limerick pitch comes right back! :-)

dlofnep

Was having a few cans last night with my family and I left out a big "You caaaan't!" in a big dirty cork accent.. No idea why. I felt a little dirty

fkt

Yes, and I've never been away for that long to anywhere. People always point it out to me when I come home. Weird.

LimeFruitGum

mikemac wrote: »

I'm from the midlands, pure bogger accent

But my job sent me to England for six weeks and I returned asking for a "half" of Carlsberg and saying "alright mate?" on greeting people

And while I'm not from Dublin I rent in a pretty ordinary area where a lot of people say "love" to each other.
Here's your change love or Got a Tesco clubcard love as examples

And now I catch myself doing it :eek:

So do you have an accent or do you pick up other accents on your travels?

Some accents are more infectuous than others. The likes of Donegal, Kerry Cork and Dublin are very pervasive, I think. The midlands one is quite flat and I don't think a non-local couldn't tell the difference between someone from Offaly and Westmeath.

A friend of mine is a real TrueBlue Dub and he had to move to the English West Country for work. After a few months, he was like "awight mate", "daaaahn the mo'ahwaaaay". Glottal stops were soon thing of the past after a months in Ingerland. You had to hear it to believe it really

3hn2givr7mx1sc

When I was in Wales I picked up a Welsh accent..which confused me cause whenver I try to do 1 i cant:D

The Dub accent is the worst though.. cant have a conversation with a Dub without mimmicking there accent..

irishturkey

as far as i know, and thats not saying much, there's such a thing as a musical ear. some people have it more than others. it basically means that you pick up on sounds and incorporate the into your own accent, dialect and vocabulary easier than another person might. i've a friend from dublin and she moved to philadelphia about 20 years ago. if i talk to her on the phone today it'll be the all american accent but if she came home and spent a few days here, she'd be the dub she was before she left.

i moved to ennis myself about 5 years ago and often find myself saying "tis boy" as opposed to "yeah". or "well skin" as opposed to "hey hows things"

people with a musical ear tend to find it easier to learn musical instruments too. but as i say... i dont know much

LimeFruitGum

Maybe there is a link, though I'm not sure of the science behind it.
I can do some pretty good accents if I work on it, but my musical ability is rubbish People just absorb these things in the environment they're in.

Abi

I pick up words or phrases, not accents. Mine stays the same, but I generally speak slower to the person I'm talking to. Irish people speak very quickly apparently.

Latchy

Yes, specially a lot of dubliners who tend to break down the words to say what they mean much quicker ( if that makes sense )

brummytom

I couldn't have been more embarrased when getting off a bus in Malahide, my mom was talking to the driver in her Birmingham accent, but gradually getting into more of a Dublin accent as the conversation went on.

She said "Sure that's grand" in an accent that'd put Damien Dempsey to shame..

According to my music teacher, my "ear for music is outstanding" but I don't notice me doing it? I've been asked if I was Irish before but none of my family think there's any hint of an irish accent?

Limerick Dude

I must admit i pick up accents pretty easily.

Im 20 now, lived in Limerick all my life before i went to Dublin for college, been in dublin for pretty much 2 years now and i do have a slight Dublin accent, everyone points it out when im back home!

Limerick Dude

I must admit i pick up accents pretty easily.

Im 20 now, lived in Limerick all my life before i went to Dublin for college, been in dublin for pretty much 2 years now and i do have a slight Dublin accent, everyone points it out when im back home!

LimeFruitGum

Limerick Dude wrote: »

I must admit i pick up accents pretty easily.

Im 20 now, lived in Limerick all my life before i went to Dublin for college, been in dublin for pretty much 2 years now and i do have a slight Dublin accent, everyone points it out when im back home!

I hear ya! You should have heard the slagging I got at home one time when I said "youse" instead of "ye" !

Captain-America

I'm absolutely horrible with accents. Horrible. The odd time I can't even distinguish an American accent from an English accent.

Chicken Run

I pick up phrases more readily than accents....
I'm one of the few East Clare dwellers with a Yorkshire accent, but phrases like "giving out" and "thanks a million" are creeping into my day-to-day vocabulary.

Greenmachine

Wez wrote: »

I could be talking like somebody by the end of the conversation, kinda annoying at times, nearly sounds like I'm immitating them, which they must all question..

My bro's GF is the same, I always notice it whenever she's over, but whenever we're out and she's there, it'll always be her own..

Weird! So it's not just me anyway!

Sounds like me hook line and sinker.

AMixedBag

I have a Cork accent. Wonder why? :rolleyes:
Although I do have a tendency to put an American thing to my voice sometimes when I've never even visited the place..?
I guess I've been watching too much movies.:o

speedboatchase

I lived in Yorkshire for two years and picked up a few phrases like "uni" or "trainers" but my accent and inflection didn't change a bit

Novella

Do that all the time! From Kildare but living in Dublin now and often finding myself not pronouncing the t at the end of words and things like that, whereas before I would never, ever do that! It's only when I''m speaking to someone with a Dublin accent as well. I'll say "Alrigh'". So annoying!

TriceMarie

Oh I totally pick up accents and slang.
If I'm with my friends from Wexford or Dublin,I come home with all their slang and accent lol.It's mad!

And since I've been up in Dublin twice a week for the last month,someone enformed me the other night that I'm getting a Dublin accent..lol,I have to say,I have noticed it at times too..

But as I'm an aspiring actress,I look at it as quiet a good thing to be able to pick up accents quiet quickly