Why do Americans speak differently?

[Davycc]

Local accents .....

Anyone who lives 2 miles from this guy cant understand him

[daib0]

Local accents .....

Anyone who lives 2 miles from this guy cant understand him

[Deleted User 2747]

I like the way you can almost draw a map of overlapping accents, noting the similarities and differences between each region.

I have always found that really fascinating too! How you can see how accents blend and then change as you more across from one area to another. For instance you can start in Manchester then how it changes and blends through Salford then Wigan and Warrington to Liverpool. Or how you can start in Sheffield and move north to Leeds and then to Middlesborough, then Newcastle and into Scotland.

My accent is a mixture of: Leeds (where I was born and grew up); Derby (where I lived as a teenager and live currently); and Manchester, (where I lived as a student and for some years afterwards and again for a few years more recently).

[Deleted User 728]

I like how certain friends and acquaintances help identify all this stuff too.
One of my best mates is from Birkenhead and I can always tell a Wirrall accent as opposed to a Scouse.
Also, I can tell if someone is Afrikaans or Zimbo/British South African.

I'm not so good at the whole Geordie/Mackem thing though - can barely understand either

[NottinghamWhite]

The number of regional accents in Yorkshire alone is unbelievable. The hardest for me to understand is the Barnsley accent, but I still married a Barnsley lass , the worst is Hull, I'm not a fan of that particular accent. Think I could tell where in Yorkshire you're from just by the accent.

Nationally Scouce & Brum are the clear leaders for me.

[Deleted User 2747]

I find that the Sheffield accent is quite distinctive and one I can often spot. My friend - who is from Derby but supports Leeds and is half Yorkshire - and I were out somewhere and this chap spoke to us and we both went - 'Are you from Barnsley?' - And he was! - Another quite distinctive accent.

My parents were from Hull and I can often spot that one too.

One of the trickiest to spot is people that live Hebden Bridge way, right on the Pennines. Also, when I was in Carlisle in Cumbria doing my PGCE a few years ago, it was quite tricky to spot the accents, as there is a slight mix of Yorkshire and something more westerly in a lot of them!

[Deleted User 2747]

The number of regional accents in Yorkshire alone is unbelievable. The hardest for me to understand is the Barnsley accent, but I still married a Barnsley lass , the worst is Hull, I'm not a fan of that particular accent. Think I could tell where in Yorkshire you're from just by the accent.

Nationally Scouce & Brum are the clear leaders for me.

Ah but what about Brum', Walsall, Wolverhampton - can you spot the difference!?

My friend moved to Walsall and her children who were born in Derby picked the accent up really quickly and have really strong accents now!

[NottinghamWhite]

The number of regional accents in Yorkshire alone is unbelievable. The hardest for me to understand is the Barnsley accent, but I still married a Barnsley lass , the worst is Hull, I'm not a fan of that particular accent. Think I could tell where in Yorkshire you're from just by the accent.

Nationally Scouce & Brum are the clear leaders for me.

Ah but what about Brum', Walsall, Wolverhampton - can you spot the difference!?

My friend moved to Walsall and her children who were born in Derby picked the accent up really quickly and have really strong accents now!

Think I'd be alright if I'm honest. Brum easy, Yam Yam definitely different but probably not too sure on the Walsall twang.