I want to learn how to have a British accent.  How can I without actually having to go to Great Britain?Help!!
349286
For a start, you'd have to change a lot of vocabulary. It amazes me how British people are completely au fait with American vocabulary like 'sidewalk', 'pants' and 'egg plant', but when a British person mentions 'the pavement', 'trousers' or 'aubergine' then it's blank faces time.\n\nAnother aspect of British English is that there are so many variations and accents. If i were to speak with a Yorkshire accent, in some cases it could almost be unintelligable to a Londoner.\n\nIt would be almost impossible to 'learn' an accent, just to pick up bits of it. \n\nI'd guess some main starting points would be not drawling vowels and opening them. (as in 'darling' not 'dahling'). Also, the word 'like' is only used as a comparative adjective, not as a word that is put in a sentance wherever you feel like putting it!
562049
Hmm, I have a good friend from near there and I can hear no accent at all.  Sometimes he says cattywampus which cracks me up though.
901564
hi,\ni would advise buy dvds or cds from shops. because u never know what u r downloading. u can choose from a wide range if u go to a shop or a boookshop. i used to buy tapes and cds to learn french.\n\naccent can be improved by speaking and listening to people with your desired accent. if u talk to your freind who has a wierd accent, u might get his accent. watch news in tv, english progrrames are good. try speaking to yourself, or a trustworthy friend. i know how hard it is!
255956
Apply for a visit.  Study our way of life.  Be sponsor by someone from here.  Marry someone from here.Apply for citizenship when you get here.  Study here.  Apply to one of our colleges.\nYes, you can have dual citizenship.  I have a lot of English friends, some live here in USA and some still live in England.
376849
Mimi, the BBC English course is very good if you plan to speak the British or Australian form and accent of English.  They also have an American form of English program which takes place in San Francisco and is very interesting.  Good Luck!
827871
I am british and we hear your accent the same as you do, its just we are not used to it so we know you are from america, its because we are so accustomed to our own accent that when we hear others we find them different and strange.
1089862
YOU DON'T NEED TO SPEAK WITH A BRITISH ACCENT IF YOU AREN'T BRITISH! US *REAL* BRITISH PEOPLE HATE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
285087
There is a range of software called "nativly". I applied to get into America, and they supplied me ( at a charge ) with CD-Roms from a nativly range.\n\nThis range is your accent is challenged, you can talk int oa mic and compare it to a recording from the ROM.\n\nYou get tested and if you do like me ( I learn 5 words a day ) you'll get there.\n\nI got the German, Italian, and Spanish, but there are other titles.
56069
Although there are many different American accents (Boston, Southern, Western, Broklyn, etc.) it almost seems like all professional radio announcers were raised in the same town (Radio City, USA?) and have no pronounced accents.  You can hear this if you drive cross-country and tune in local radio stations where the news announcers will sound different than the locals (say local ministers on Sunday morning).\n\nI would suggest using a tape recorder to record perhaps a US news broadcast then repeat what you hear into a tape recorder and compare your accent with the newsperson's accent.  Try different broadcasters.  Pretend you are in a play where you must act the part of the broadcaster and check for details.  It may be easy or difficult depending on how strong your own accent is and how good you are at mimicking others.  In the early days of radio the main actors in a radio play had to also do other voices such as a New York cop or an Irish washer woman, etc. to add "realism" to the play.  You can do the same.  Good luck.
1159419
Like most people - I think it's quite unattractive. A recent survey showed that accents from the Midlands, Liverpool and Manchester are the accents people find the least trustworthy, where those from Yorkshire, Scotland, and (perhaps surprisingly) London are the most trustworthy. Unfortunately there are regional British accents you can get away with anywhere, and those you can't, and each accent has different connotations. Ever noticed how when they're trying to advertise household products, or appeal to the everyday person, it'll be a Yorkshire accent, or maybe a Scottish one, and when they want to sell you something seen as "sophisticated" or upmarket, they bring out the flat "BBC English" (unnaccented as some would say)? Times change though - 50years ago an Irish accent in Britain would have got you instantly barred from many places, whereas now it's associated with (and used in advertising to denote) someone who's friendly and down-to-earth. Be curious to know what the Brummies think of their own accent, as a lot of people will try to hide an accent if they move elsewhere...
753666
Hey lass thas lived in Yorkshire since thee was a babbie on me mams knee and thas never been bothered bout tothers tekin mick out of thee yet, nowt ta get fender bout.\nWe just have this odd dialect that's all, an odd accent I suppose, people all over the UK make fun of each others accents, its just a bit of banter that's all, you should come to Yorkshire one day you would love it, were a right good lot who like a good laugh and you'll be made welcome and made to feel at home here.
25801
honestly I don't know why you would want to do this, but the best way to learn a language is to go live in the country. If you can't afford that, take some classes, listen to tapes in your car, and above all, watch as many movies in the language as possible...that's a great way to hear the language spoken colloquially and get as close to the real experience as is possible in the confines of your living room
419563
Yes, i do esp a british accent and italian accent. very sexy. when i was stationed overseas i had italian guys just speaking to me in italian and i couldnt understand them, but i loved the accent.
317287
Yes, I agree with you. I think it is just a stereo typical image of British people. I have even heard Northern actors and Scottish actors put on a Southern accent. It sounds really false. They should try and vary the accents.
309592
madonna has been living in england 90% of the time from 1997-2006. if you lived there for that long, you'd adopt a hint of an accent also. her very light accent goes in and out at times because she tries to suppress it. she is from bay city, michigan and knows she doesn't have an accent. we all know.
780229
Hey, I love British people.  You are our mother country.  I think the accent is sweet!  And London has some pretty awesome sights.  Of course we like the British from a military perspective, but that's only a very small thing in a whole ocean of reasons.  By the way, my uncle is British, and he's one of the most awesome people I have ever known; he's always giving me hugs!
568938
read as many good books as u can and preferably of the same author so that you are satisfied with grammar and good words. Listen to enlish channels like bbc,starmovies, hbo etc.This will help you o know the right accent. Practice is the most important factor.U can do a little exercise....take any topic abt which u know and then talk abt it aloud in front of a mirror. This will help you in best possible manner..All the very best and don't worry dear