Speech Sample

[Seshi]

What do you sound like in an actual conversation?

Are you a Wild West guy/gal? Got a southern drawl? Are you English? Do you speak like The Godfather? Or are you a hipster?  

Give us a sample here. Whats something that you frequently say to someone in conversation?

————-

As for me

I’m a southerner, I shorten words a lot and don’t speak properly. I also use words like “nah” to say no and “yeah” to say yes.

If we met as a group I’d say “hey y’all how’s it goin”?

What would you say?

[Ohayotaku]

My most common greeting is probably just “hey” though tone and inflection can depend on how familiar I am with the person and the situation.  I’ve lived my entire life in southern Ohio though both my parents came from rural Kentucky, so it is reflected in some of my pronunciations and expressions (yeah for yes, brawrrbfor briar, rassl’n for wrestling). As for as uncommon words I use a lot, probably “reckon”. Also have a tendency to use “well” or “huh” as place holder words (as opposed to uhh or umm) as well as expressions of various emotions depending on tone & inflection. Talking with relatives on the phone I notice the same tendencies.

As far as what people have said, I’ve been told I sound like I’m from Kentucky but a few gave said Montana (so I’m guessing the best description would be “country”)

Edited May 23, 2019 by Ohiotaku

[Illusion of Terra]

I find the idea of this thread hilarious, mostly because I'll try and imagine what you guys write and probably exaggerate what you point out  Like what @Seshimentioned, I imagine something like this southern woman

https://youtu.be/AUfpfOU_4IY

As a non-native speaker I've got a non-American accent. But I'd still say I'm pretty close to a native one (not surprising since I've studied English at university), except for words that have an "r" and a "l" closely following each other. For example in words like world or girl I sometimes "trip" so to speak.

Other than that, I sound too "sophisticated" for the mountain man I actually am and would like my speech to reflect. But that's because I mostly use spoken English in a professional/academic context where it's difficult to use the simple words (because of the complicated things you describe). Generally, I'd like to sound a lot more down-to-earth but the 'snooty' words are just more readily available. Take the last sentence for example, if I have to say something that's the first thing that comes to mind and I'd have to think about how to say this simpler. Other than that I don't use contractions so often because most of the English I use is written. So I unnecessarily say "I have" "I would" "I am" instead of I've, I'd or I'm. Kinda the opposite of what @Seshi said.
Talking to me often is like listening to an essay  when what I try is to say things really simple. I'm someone who thinks it's a lot better to use simple words whenever you can instead of trying to use some pseudo-sophisticated language to try and sound smart. Whenever I find a simple word, I use it instead
 

@Ohiotaku I thought 'reckon' was an old-man thing? 

Edited May 23, 2019 by Illusion of Terra

[efaardvark]

I speak Standard Hollywood English.   I was born in Santa Monica* and have lived in S. California pretty much my whole life.  (The exception would be about a year in deep-south Alabama when I was in 2nd or 3rd grade and was exposed to colloquialisms like "y'all", "ain't", and dropping the final "g" in words ending in "-ing", as well as things like shrimp-and-grits and fried dill pickles.)  If you've watched any Hollyweird productions then you basically know what I sound like.
 

1 hour ago, Illusion of Terra said:

I imagine something like this southern woman

https://youtu.be/AUfpfOU_4IY

That lady sounds exactly like I remember my elementary school teacher sounding.  

 

*I totally don't like, speak val or anything.  However, I do know a couple people who do.

Edited May 23, 2019 by efaardvark

[Seshi]

@Illusion of Terra I’d love to go to charm school

[Beocat]

@Seshi the fastest test is how they refer to a glass of caffeinated, carbonated glory. Do they say, coke, soda, pop, drink, or cola? It's a fast way to figure out a person's region the America. 

 

Me, I used to have an "American" accent (that is the news anchor accent or lack of accent rather and what is thought of as American across the world). No one believed that I grew up here in the South. These days, my Southern accent comes out a lot more. Each Southern state has a different accent based on the people who settled there (NC has the British nobility's accent...slow down a British accent and it is nearly identical-hence the reason British actors can play Southern American roles so well , GA has an accent similar to British commoners (they were a penal colony), and LO has an accent heavily influenced by french). 

 

I say a lot of ain't and bless their hearts and all.

[Seshi]

44 minutes ago, Beocat said:

I say a lot of ain't and bless their hearts and all.

My SIL is British and it's the cutest thing when she says "bless his heart" I thought of it as a southern thing, but it does sound like it could come from the queens english  

[Nono]

Hmm, I don't know if I can describe the way I speak. You'd have to actually hear me. I'm from Texas, I don't think I have a Texas accent but I definitely use y'all and aint too much.

[Seshi]

14 hours ago, The History Kid said:

I have been told I could pass for Johnny Yong Bosch before...well, my voice anyway.  I suppose when I'm not super tired I can hear it

When I was in my late teens/ early twenties I got endlessly compared to Kristen Stewart (especially in her roles as Bella from twilight) - which I feel is actually a huge compliment, even though some people did it teasingly.

@Nono are ye always “fixin ta” do summin?

[Illusion of Terra]

I gave a talk today and there was a professional speech analyze person there (from the UK). He said that I mumble and, apart from the r-l-thing which I knew, that I don't distinguish enough between w and v sounds. So yeah, I think he is right, I do mumble but in my head it doesn't sound like it.

So I was wondering what you native speakers think of non-native accents, given that English is spoken by a huge number of non-natives?

[Seshi]

I have a feeling I mumble when I attempt other languages too, you’re not alone.

I like non native English speakers accents, doesn’t bother me at all.

[Illusion of Terra]

I mumble even more in my native language