Accents: how do you feel about Western accents in an Indian-looking person

PeakXV

Okay - now I understand the question a bit better. Put a vote/tick for me beside Nick-H's "write/type in" 4(D) or 'none of the above' answer.

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Don't go to India ~ Pre-trip Warnings & Misconceptions?

The_Londoner

In the UK, you'll find people of Indian origin with many local accents, but most are born local. I once dated Indian with such strong Scottish accent.. Such turn on..

One thing that makes me giggle is when I meet recent arrivals who put on such strong fake accent, mostly with American accent.. Now that puts me off conversation altogether..

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Ignite

I love that man!( I never said that )

You guys also have to remember one thing, no matter how american or british the indian persons accent is, when they say an indian word, they will automatically say it with an indian accent! those are the funniest!!(Russell Peters mentioned this at one of his shows)

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Sama

I don't even know what a "typical american accent" is. in chicago -- just one city, forget about the entire country -- there's a difference in accents if you're from the north side or the south side.

I know my accent is different if I am speaking with business people or with my friends. wit' my friends, my accent is sout' side....

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The_Londoner

What ever happened to him? He came to the UK late last year and could not get ticket to see him.. I haven't come across any of his new work lately..

The_Londoner

I agree.. There isn't a typical American Accent, neither there is a typical British accent.. Both varies from town to town and from county to county.. however, there is a distinguished Generic accent that people can recognise. It's easy to tell a person who is American, British, or Australian. You may not be able to put them in their individual county or town, but you can place a person to a particular country most of time.

ebby

An person of Indian origin born and educated abroad naturally picks up the local accent and speaks an Indian language with a foriegn accent!

What is disgusting are the ones who migrated recently and speak with a put on accent !

puchoo

I agree ebby , a 3 weeks vacation and they have an accent.. , (ooops im on my way as well )

The other ones i hate are all the call center chaps...never very good to begin with and they walk around speaking with heavy duty one's...

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brishti

talkin about english and how she is spake in the subcontinent...
say, till about 25 years ago [random figure] folks who attended missionary and/or public schools emerged with a certain english accent.
this accent, was held, by most, [in india], as a person who is euridite/educated blah blah blah - they also usually had an edge in the work place over folks who attended the lesser known schools.
[we are not talkin about the knowledge of english here, but the sheer weight that was given, on how the language was spoken - the accent and manners! ]

thankfully, them days have changed for the most part.
its the drive, presence of mind and competence which has the edge now.
IMO a good school/college "accented" education may definitely have a first job offering you a 6-figure salary.
after that - its an open playing field...

as for russell peters - he's hilarious, and i love him. just dont take what he says seriously/literally -
i doubt mr peters sr speaks in the accent that peters depicts - anglo indians from calcutta dont have that kinda accent, you should hear their hindi!


:brishti

puchoo

i love peters as well...absolutely hilarious...!!!

PeakXV

As a Canadian, I get mistaken for being an American - by my voice alone - all the time when travelling abroad. I cannot tell the difference between Aussie & Kiwi accents. So there are exceptions to the 'easy' rule.

Inua

Put-on accents are totally unnecessary which won't stand the test of time because as you get to know the person and get more comfortable with them, the put-on part fades away and your left with the original accent. However it is something that comes quite naturally to some people.

A scottish friend with a rather pronounced brogue, just can't help himself putting on a french accent everytime he meets his french acquaintaince and it is seriously the funniest thing I have ever heard!

Also know of a mixed couple French-Goan. She learn't english from him and now speaks it with a full on goan accent including a lilt.

I think its endearing

Nick-H

I was brought up to speak upper-middle-class English; not really posh, but somewhat in that direction.

I'm a bit of a chameleon: it gets posher in the yacht club, it becomes less pronounced on the factory floor. If I spend more than just a few weeks in Cornwall, I can pick up a touch of the appropriate accent, but it takes time to sink in --- if I try to demonstrate it it will come over as a mere impersonation.

Just wish I could easily learn other languages, but always had a problem.

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karuna

I know what you mean, Nick. I am an accent chameleon. Brought up with a polite south-type accent, developed a Laaahndon twang at school, and retain a little of my mother's family's west-country burr.

Terrible at picking up habits. Owt and nowt entered my vocabulary via a Yorkshire boyfriend. In India my head wobbles and I start to cluck and tut within minutes of landing- something like a giant chicken. Wears off within a couple of days back home.

Can't help it, although I know adopted mannerisms and accents are annoying.
Oddly enough Welsh slang hasn't rubbed off on me yet. Boyo.

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anu_k

when i first came to the uk i spoke english with a tamil accent and now i speak tamil with an english accent ;o)

but seriously i agree with nick... my accent does tend to pick up a twang of the local accent. its not intentional or put-on... it just kinda comes out like that.

the worst is when i find myself adding 'lah' to the end of every sentence when speaking to my cousins in malaysia and singapore... I can't stop myself.