I love learning accents.
I find when I'm by myself, I practice them, cirtain key phrases that get me into the accent.

I've got the Northern Irish one down to a charm, my key-phrase is "I demand, cheese and pineapple, on a stick, right now, and if my demands are not meet, there shall be consiquences".

My South African one needs some work, but it's getting there. My 'generic affrican' one isn't to bad eaither. Southern American is also easy.

I find the hardest part is skipping and using the right words, as different languages are different in that respect.

Are you any good at accents, got any plugged down to a key?
( G/PP 💩💩💩💩💩&#128, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:25, 74 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

I've been doing accents since I was a kid
I really love just messing about and being someone else for a bit. Me and my dad have rarely ever communicated in our own voices. It's just how we talk to each other.
My Northern Ireland accent comes back into focus if I say "twenty pound deposit for a Dolphin Shower". Never fails.
I can only be Welsh if I say "Absolutely gorgeous" in full-on Ruth Maddoc mode.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:28, Reply)

I'm quite good at Orstralian
And I do a pretty good Oirish Yokel as well.

But my forte is bad accents. Talk to your friends from Scotland, or South Africa, or wherever, in a accent that is sort of like theirs, but not, and see how much it winds them up. Hours of fun, especially if you insist that that's what they sound like.
(Slip Digby is a meat puppet, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:29, Reply)

Agreed
Impersonating other accents only sounds authentic if you don't speak with that accent yourself.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:31, Reply)

My Geordie's not bad
considering I'm not a Geordie.
( Davros' Granddad a voice of calm reason in a world of spastics., Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:39, Reply)

if you say sith ifrican
you sound South African
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:52, Reply)

Except to a real South African
in which case you'd sound as South African as someone pretending to be Scottish and saying "Och aye the noo, Jimmy" :-)
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:56, Reply)

it's not about real
it's about making your nan laugh
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:57, Reply)

Good point

( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:58, Reply)

simples
*cheep cheep*
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:14, Reply)

Opposite of a Jedi
and a resident of the planet Ifrica
( SpikeyPickle wishes he was mabazaritchie, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:02, Reply)

Wow
I got that joke and I know fuck all about Star... Wars.
Wars, not Trek, Wars, not Trek...
*phews*
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:14, Reply)

I appear to be coming over as very negative on this thread
but that's just because I'm shit at accents.

I struggle with my own one sometimes.
( K2k6 has a proper job these days, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 13:57, Reply)

I want to hear all these accents
on Saturday.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:03, Reply)

I can do
A very good Scottish accent.
(Herr Doktor Lemminge Is bored, so cheer me up!, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:06, Reply)

That's a lie!
You sound nothing like anyone from 'Take the High Road'.
( chickenlady b3ta's very own Elizabeth Taylor, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:14, Reply)

I should hope not
That's not where I learnt the accent from. ;)
(Herr Doktor Lemminge Is bored, so cheer me up!, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:26, Reply)

High Life?
Oh, Deary me!
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:33, Reply)

Oh deer god no!
And not Rab Nesbit either!
(Herr Doktor Lemminge Is bored, so cheer me up!, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:41, Reply)

Pah!
No-one in Luss (where it's filmed sounds anything like Take the High Road) either
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:16, Reply)

Meh
Minor claim to infamy: I've a friend who's a Saffer and when living and working abroad I was a guest for dinner. Jimmy, having heard my Saffrican accent, suggested that I spoke to his partner (Francie) using it and see how long it took her to realise.

35 minutes, and then only because I coughed and dropped the accent.

She was, apparently, convinced, that I was from Cape Town. Odd.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:17, Reply)

you've got to laugh
when you fall off a sofa
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:18, Reply)

Huh?
Sofa or Saffer?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:19, Reply)

maybe both
never thought about it. I meant sofa though
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:22, Reply)

Well I can do a Scouser reasonably well
but fear that if i tried it in front of a real scouser i'd get stabbed!

equally, getting to Saffer is reasonably easy - take a brummie accent and then make the end of the words "sharp"
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:26, Reply)

there was a girl doing a remarkable scouse accent
at a party I was at last night and I didn't stab her, not even a little bit.

I can't hear the brummie/south african thing though!
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:30, Reply)

Brum-SA
Many SA voices are quite nasal, as are brummie accents so if you simply add a sharpness to the end of the nasality (i.e., instead of saying "hello" in a brummie accent (nicely chilled out accent) say "hello" in a deeper voiced more authoritative like-you-mean-it kind of way).

I might be crazy, however.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:31, Reply)

By george!
I think she's got it!!!
Wow, there's a revelation...
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:33, Reply)

On another off-topic subject...
...where does you sig come from?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:38, Reply)

does it sound familiar to you?

( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:39, Reply)

Yes
just can't remember where from!
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:41, Reply)

did you used to watch Eerie, Indiana?
god, I'm dragging this out

EDIT: WELL DONE!
You win this week's star prize : )
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:43, Reply)

Got it
dragging out is good anyway - the alternative is that i actually have to do some work O_o

EDIT: what's this weeks star prize?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:44, Reply)

Some Fruitella
and a Greek cookie
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:47, Reply)

Thanks :)
I appreciate it.

So what's your afternoon consisting of?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:48, Reply)

no frigging work
by the looks of it!
Does this happen to everyone on here? Will I be able to get my usage down to a manageable level one day?
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:52, Reply)

Hmm
well, let me answer that in the form of a riddle.

if you have the end of a rope that has been tied but becomes ragged what do you have?

:)
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:53, Reply)

Don't knows
what do I have?
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:54, Reply)

A
frayed knot

(afraid not)

thank you, thank you ... I'll be at the end of Southport pier all season
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:56, Reply)

yay
and the following season will you move down to Llandudno?
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:57, Reply)

Probably
kicked off the end of the pier, as Herr Doktor suggests!!
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:59, Reply)

You'll be
Off the end of Southport Peir all season if you carry on like that!
(Herr Doktor Lemminge Is bored, so cheer me up!, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 14:58, Reply)

Sir,
is TGB around? Haven't seen her in a while.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:04, Reply)

The Badger
Is working at an event this week, she'll be at the bash on Saturday I think.
(Herr Doktor Lemminge Is bored, so cheer me up!, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:16, Reply)

Cool.
Was wondering if I'd upset her.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:19, Reply)

Why
What have you done?
(Herr Doktor Lemminge Is bored, so cheer me up!, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:24, Reply)

I love shit things
like piers and shit jokes and ornaments that are shire horses carrying barrels
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:00, Reply)

small stuffed donkeys
from spain?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:01, Reply)

Fazakerly
and wooden chefs with holes in their hats, and in the holes are a wooden spoon and a wooden fork
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:04, Reply)

fazarkeley
sounds like somewhere in greece - and don't be too harsh on the ceramic chefs, i think my parents still have one of those at home!
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:09, Reply)

Mum threw hers out
this make me sad.
I still have my Speak & Maths though. She tried to give it to some family friend's kid. I said "Listen, he got my Sinclair Spectrum +3. They're loaded. Let him get modern things for his kid. He's not having my Speak & Maths!!"
Wow, time is not a healer...
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:13, Reply)

Time?
Pah. It only moves one way.

Anyway - maths, ftw. Along with shippy and a couple of others I (think - not sure) that I might be the resident b3ta mathematician
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:15, Reply)

I can't do numbers
I'm words. Good words and foreign words. Not numbers.
I only use my Speak & Maths to play the Number Stumper game. It requires no arithmetic skills.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:17, Reply)

number stumper?
what's that?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:18, Reply)

I have no idea how to explain it, but
thanks to Wikipedia:
Number Stumper is a game of Bulls and Cows, whereby one is told the "number [of digits] right" and the "number in wrong place."
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:22, Reply)

sweet
teaches number skills as well as coordination?

:eek

so what do you do in fazakerley?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:25, Reply)

woah
I'm not in Fazakerly.
I just say Fazakerly instead of 'exactly'.
I do admiiiiiin.
Except today I don't Today I go on b3ta and while away the hours, conferring with the flowers.
What does thou do?
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:26, Reply)

I've got my own
company where we build mathematical models for banks, insurance companies, the NHS ... blah blah blah ... very boring.

how long have you been doing your admin thing?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:29, Reply)

forever and ever
well, about a decade.
But I'm going to be on Top of the Pops one day. Jim'll is gonna fix it for me.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:37, Reply)

not wanting to be a total buzzkill
but didn't totp get axed?

EDIT: Also, if you're going to be in London this weekend there's a big b3ta bash. I won't be there but tons of b3tans will.
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:39, Reply)

Oh I couldn't
I barely know anyone. If it was in liverpool I'd be there with a carrier bag of booze and a dangerous expression. I'm easily led and have no sense of danger. So it's best it's all the way down in That London really!

What are you talking about? TOTP is on tonight before that new show Eastenders! *rolls eyes* You're bonkers...
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:43, Reply)

Moi? Bonkers?
Yep. Hence my user name :p

Anyhoo - the last b3ta bash in London i knew no-one and showed up anyway, in the interests of being insulted - someone called me an investment banker and i managed to be polite :)

you're not living on the set of ashes to ashes are you?
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:44, Reply)

carriage return. DING!
I'm living in 1984 and 1985, but sometimes I travel to 1996 for a bit of Britpop.

are the bashes good then?
I'm inbetween thinking "How weird and scary" and "ooh imagine being invited to the big kids' party!"
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:48, Reply)

DING
they're very, very good. i'd be going but for reasons that i'll send you a PM about :)

what's the attraction to 1984-5? britpop a la blur / pulp et al ftw
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:51, Reply)

1984 is the best year ever
Because you get all the good stuff from the previous years and you also get to live in 1984 when everything looked boss. Well everything had a grey film over it, but the clothes were bright in order to counteract it. I've got a video of TOTP and other programmes taped off the telly in 1984 and one day I'm going to climb into it and walk about getting an OOH from Typhoo and buying my clobber in Chelsea Girl.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:54, Reply)

lol
1985 was a good year. i went to live aid (aged 15) and it was the only time i saw queen live.

and i was a spotty, acne ridden wee geek :)
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 15:58, Reply)

ace!
God that was a brilliant day, Live Aid. I wasn't there. I was on our verandah dancing to Madonna.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 16:02, Reply)

Sweet!
I remember it being brilliantly, brilliantly sunny and being stuck in the middle of a crowd of people jigging about like a mass jigging about group of people.

(Note: am not explaining this properly. Trust me, it were fab ;)).
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 16:03, Reply)

so was the verandah!
ish
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 16:06, Reply)

wrt, dancing like madonna
presumably you had the lace glove etc on? O_o
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 16:09, Reply)

It was a scarf, wound round
mum didn't buy me things that were "too old for you!"
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 16:12, Reply)

a scarf?
note to self: ed mate, you obv know nowt about madonnan fashion sense!
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 16:15, Reply)

no, you're right
i had to improvise with a scarf becuse mum wouldn't let me have trollopy gloves.
( Roota zweeeeeoooooowm, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 16:24, Reply)

ahhhhhhh
now oi understandz :)
(Eds Meds Mathskillz=1,Socialskillz=0, Thu 11 Jun 2009, 16:26, Reply)

Apparently when truly pished
my accent does a lovely tour of the British Isles - Cornwaaaaaaall and Scotland predominantly. Bizarre, given I'm from near(ish) Manchester with accent to match...

I also pick up accents from other people very quickly, but can't do them at all on demand.

*EDIT* I notice that we appear to have strayed off topic within the actual off topic topic...apologies for relevance, I feel a bit silly now..
(berk, Fri 12 Jun 2009, 16:18, Reply)