How the British Got their Accent

Discussion in 'Free Thoughts' started by lixluke, Oct 11, 2004.

  1. tablariddim forexU2 Valued Senior Member

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    That is spot on old chap... in fact, I tried it the other night and I sounded just like Harold Macmillan, but I nearly broke my neck doing it

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  3. guthrie paradox generator Registered Senior Member

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    Which "English" accent do you mean anyway?
     
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  5. rainbow__princess_4 The Ashtray Girl Registered Senior Member

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    haha guys he's kidding...
     
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  7. lixluke Refined Reinvention Valued Senior Member

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    What's the point?
     
  8. guthrie paradox generator Registered Senior Member

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    Of different languages?
     
  9. c20H25N3o Shiny Heart of a Shiny Child Registered Senior Member

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    The English language should be revered. To mock it is foolish.
    Have you any idea how many thoughts and ideas are splattered across the earth all in 'English'?
    Billions of ideas to the power of billions of ideas. Human history baked in a pie with English words like sweet cherries within.
    A sword belongs in England. England is where it belongs.

    peace

    c20 :m:
     
  10. lixluke Refined Reinvention Valued Senior Member

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    Why is England where it belongs?
     
  11. Stryder Keeper of "good" ideas. Valued Senior Member

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    You could take a Darwinistic approach to why accents exist.

    For instance it's notible that Monkey's in the wild develop skills based upon the interaction of other Monkeys (for instance eating Termites using a stick as a "Tool")
    This form of mimickry isn't just about eating Termites but also about fitting in with the other Monkey's, as their social structure could class those that don't adapt to new ways as forms of outcasts.

    Now how does this fit in with Mankind and his accents? Very simply we live within area's that we commune, and how we interact with others and communicate with one another actually causes out Temporal Lobes to recognise the sounds we hear in accents as being necessary to "fit in" with the environment. This is proven more so with some people than others that actually shape their accent's based upon those they communicate with.

    For instance a person speaking to someone thats "Streetwise" will talk lazy so as not be seen and condesending, whereas if they were speaking to someone that has a pronounced accent due to education or self imposed higher circles, they will find themselves potentially altering their speech pattern to mimick them.

    I know this has been noted on occasion with a few phonecalls I had with friends, where people in my family who knew the person(s) I was speaking to personally knew without asking who it was at the other end by my accidental mimickry.

    As for what true English is?... Well for instance you could suggest that the "Real" British Accent is actually suppose to be that of Newscasters and such broadcasting firms as the BBC, since their usage of television to attempt to Educate and "Be pronounced about it" reaching I suspect every corner of the globe.

    Admittedly such an accent is PR (Public Relations) but it was also found in such places as Oxford for those that Publicly Speak either with their Seminars or their potential to go on to Politics or Legal pursuits. (This of course doesn't rule out the other universities too)

    However as Society has altered where original "Classism" has been slowly demined, where what would have been the Middle-Class is not that far out of step with the supposed Upper-Classes, the languages evolution has become far lazier in the sense that it's become relaxed.

    The Lower-Middle Classes (which of course supposedly don't exist since Classism is suppose to be an ancient way of seeing society) are where Accents exist because of their original social behaviour like living in communities and villages where everybody knows everyone and therefore mimicks the small number in that community.

    However as large cities grow, and people become more reclusive in the way they interact with each other (Since in England we don't "Good'ay" or ask "how ya doin'?" and go about our own lives without encroaching upon each other as best as possible) so the real question is "What is the future for our accent in England?" (And of course accents of the world?).

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  12. c20H25N3o Shiny Heart of a Shiny Child Registered Senior Member

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    Because in England it began of course!
     
  13. while english serves us fine, that use it as a mother tongue, you'd be hard pressed to get an arab, chinese or spanish-speaking person to admit, much less concur with your statement. to them, their thoughts, hopes & dreams are just as valid, just as true as any thought or spoken in english.

    is that a quote? its rather enigmatic, explain
     
  14. lixluke Refined Reinvention Valued Senior Member

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    "Because in England it began of course!"

    I began in your moms womb -> Maybe that where I belong.
     
  15. lixluke Refined Reinvention Valued Senior Member

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    "Because in England it began of course!"

    I began in your moms womb -> Maybe thats where I belong.
     
  16. really? my mom? or yours? you want to go back? uck! are you an incensuious little sociopath? stop using enigamic quotes
     
  17. c20H25N3o Shiny Heart of a Shiny Child Registered Senior Member

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    I am not trying to get an arab, chinese or spanish speaking person to concur with anything I have said. All I have said is that it should be revered, not 'exalted' above other languages.

    The sword thing wasnt a quote as such. I made it up. It was just a typical English type of thing to say - England is quite an enigmatic place!
    Well at least I think so.

    cheers

    c20 :m:
     
  18. c20H25N3o Shiny Heart of a Shiny Child Registered Senior Member

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    Theres another great English word for you... petulance!
    And another... puerile!
     
  19. guthrie paradox generator Registered Senior Member

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    Bloody foreigners.

    (mind you I'm scottish.)
     
  20. Fraggle Rocker Staff Member

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    Yeah, but they're both borrowed from French.

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  21. Dr Lou Natic Unnecessary Surgeon Registered Senior Member

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    I can't believe cool skill won't admit he's an idiot for making this embarrassingly stupid thread.
     
  22. vslayer Registered Senior Member

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    hey, im sure that some idiot will show up some time in the near future nad use this thread for a science project, no matter how btatntly obvious the answer to thu initial question is
     
  23. lixluke Refined Reinvention Valued Senior Member

    Messages:
    9,072
    "I can't believe cool skill won't admit he's an idiot for making this embarrassingly stupid thread."
    ----------
    I can admit your mammy is an idiot for making you.


    "Theres another great English word for you... petulance!
    And another... puerile!"
    ----------
    I got a great English word for you too?
    Pedophile


    "Yeah, but they're both borrowed from French."
    ----------
    Who cares? Why haven't you enlightened us about English?
     

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