Is there an unaccented accent?
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Original post by Sheldor
Nah you have an accent, it's just one which can't be traced to a specific place.
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Original post by greeneyedgirl
Ah but you have your own accent. My accent is a mix of posh south england, glaswegian, canadian and a wee bit of midlands...just because it doesn't fit a typical accent label doesn't mean it's not an accent.
True true... depends on how you define accent though
Original post by TheHolubowskyj
True true... depends on how you define accent though
Accent: way of pronunciation by a speaker normally with some sort of shared characteristics with those in community.
If there is one, I think it would be the 'original' English accent, before the foot-strut/trap-bath splits and other regional divergences. That makes a lot of northern accents more 'correct' as they've changed least.
I would say that I don't have much of an accent, because it is extremely difficult for anyone to place, even though I only grew up in one place.
On the other hand, there's probably no unaccented accent.
I would say that I don't have much of an accent, because it is extremely difficult for anyone to place, even though I only grew up in one place.
On the other hand, there's probably no unaccented accent.
People from Coventry lack distinct accents - I've had multiple people say this from various places (Norfolk, Bristol etc)
Original post by Manitude
If there is one, I think it would be the 'original' English accent, before the foot-strut/trap-bath splits and other regional divergences. That makes a lot of northern accents more 'correct' as they've changed least.
I would say that I don't have much of an accent, because it is extremely difficult for anyone to place, even though I only grew up in one place.
On the other hand, there's probably no unaccented accent.
I would say that I don't have much of an accent, because it is extremely difficult for anyone to place, even though I only grew up in one place.
On the other hand, there's probably no unaccented accent.
Depends on when and where you believe what we know as the English language was establish. (Which may or may not include Old English depending on what you think. )
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Someone from Scotland thought I was from Oxford, someone from Oxford thought I was from Wales, someone from Wales thought I was from London and someone from London thought I was from Cornwall. 
. I'm from the Isle of Man and have pretty 'posh' accent for the Isle of Man, but it varies so much.
. I'm from the Isle of Man and have pretty 'posh' accent for the Isle of Man, but it varies so much.
Original post by RedArrow
So is there any such thing as an original accent?? lousy wordings; can't think of anything apt atm =p
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I dunno. If we're talking specifically about speaking English, then I guess one could argue that the "original accent" is one from England, since its the original country of the language English. But even then its still hard to narrow down, because England has many different regional accents that sound very different to each other, so then which one of those is the "true accent"?
Original post by skd1996
South England voices aren't posh!
She didn't say all are, but definitely some are. Many people in London and the home counties have posh accents, including me, apparently
. In addition, we have all the cockney, urban, farmer, etc accents too.
Original post by greeneyedgirl
Ah but you have your own accent. My accent is a mix of posh south england, glaswegian, canadian and a wee bit of midlands...just because it doesn't fit a typical accent label doesn't mean it's not an accent.
Haha, your accent sounds quite something!
I'm not sure that there isn't an 'official' and 'unaccented' English now that is different from RP - how about the neutral 'BBC voice'? I'm thinking of the accent that isn't obviously private school and Southern/Home Counties but also isn't regional? For example, someone like comedians Marcus Brigstock or David Mitchell? They don't have a specifically 'posh' accent?
Original post by greeneyedgirl
Accent: way of pronunciation by a speaker normally with some sort of shared characteristics with those in community.
In that case then, I don't really have a traditional one, because everyone else around me has an accent specific to a certain area, while I'm an odd mix. I have an international accent.
Do you mean a neutral accent? I don't think there's a set one (though I've been told I have one), it's just neutral means your accent is very weak so it's hard to tell where you're from. I have had someone guess I was from Doncaster before based on my accent (which is close-ish to where I live) so I must have a hint of the area's accent in there.
Original post by RedArrow
Julie Andrews, Rex Harrison, Audrey Hepburn; most of them olden days folks have 'unaccented accents'.
Original post by Politricks
What do you mean by 'original' Homo sapiens?
You are also an 'original' Homo sapien.
You are also an 'original' Homo sapien.
Sorry I meant the first generation of Homo sapiens.
Original post by Autistic Merit
Sorry I meant the first generation of Homo sapiens.
There was no such thing as a 'first generation' of Homo sapiens, or a single 'first' Homo sapien. This is because most species give birth to their own species.
Original post by StacFace
Do you mean a neutral accent? I don't think there's a set one (though I've been told I have one), it's just neutral means your accent is very weak so it's hard to tell where you're from. I have had someone guess I was from Doncaster before based on my accent (which is close-ish to where I live) so I must have a hint of the area's accent in there.
I've been told the same, but people have guessed all sorts of places, perhaps the weirdest being Belgium (I'm english...)
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Original post by Sheldor
Depends on when and where you believe what we know as the English language was establish. (Which may or may not include Old English depending on what you think. )
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Yep, which is a question for historians and linguists I suppose. Although I'm quite interested in both, I'm not especially knowledgeable.
Original post by greeneyedgirl
Nope, everyone has their own accent, there is no "normal" accent just like there's no "British" accent. People with RP (received pronunciation, think private school kids) are what most people would say is "unaccented" but they still have an accent.
True BUT there's one place where the accent is incredibly soft, that you wouldn't be able to tell that people are from there. Stafford
Original post by de_monies
True BUT there's one place where the accent is incredibly soft, that you wouldn't be able to tell that people are from there. Stafford
Just because you can't tell where people are from doesn't mean they don't have an accent
I've heard people say I was Australian and Welsh before but I definitely have an accent.Original post by Portia1993
People from Coventry lack distinct accents - I've had multiple people say this from various places (Norfolk, Bristol etc)
Agreed. Not from Coventry, but I do know people from there
Original post by greeneyedgirl
Just because you can't tell where people are from doesn't mean they don't have an accent I've heard people say I was Australian and Welsh before but I definitely have an accent.
I've heard people say I was Australian and Welsh before but I definitely have an accent.As someone said earlier, it's more about "neutral" than other accents - like the person who talked of people from Coventry. My own, most people can pinpoint it as Yorkshire
Original post by de_monies
As someone said earlier, it's more about "neutral" than other accents - like the person who talked of people from Coventry. My own, most people can pinpoint it as Yorkshire
Yorkshire is quite obvious. The most neutral (speaking as a linguist) is RP because it is not fixed to an area but instead to a social class. Or someone who moved around a lot pre teen so didn't get stuck in a particular accent and just amalgamated lots of aspects of different ones.
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