evolution of irish accents?

irishfeen · 06-10-2013 12:29PM

D1stant wrote: »

I'm from Cork and hitched through North Cork a few years ago. 25 miles from home but I might as well have been in Outer Mongolia - couldn't understand a word. I love that about Ireland, but in 20 years time Duhallow = San Diego :-(

... ha we not that bad, I think its our posh variation of the Cork accent :pac:

COYVB · 06-10-2013 01:45PM

If people think D2/D4 folk sound American, they've got no idea what American accents actually sound like

Mr Whirly · 06-10-2013 01:58PM

As soon a people hit college they're embarrassed by their own accents and take on the ropey American one. It's idiocy of the highest order.

Daveysil15 · 06-10-2013 02:00PM

ONeill2013 wrote: »

At the gymnasium today there was a young woman (with a very fine backside i may add) who said she was from Dublin yet she had an accent that was very close to an american accent, just a small hint of irish in there.
Is this caused by the amount of american television that is shown nowadays or is it just happening naturally when someone attempts to talk 'proper' without the slang and what not?

Who the hell calls it a gymnasium? :pac:

_Redzer_ · 06-10-2013 02:16PM

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

It's not just in parts of Dublin that you hear these fake accents, some parts of Galway city are the same.

When the fook did Irish people start talking like this?

Are they ashamed of their natural accent?

I notice the same thing when people I grew up with would be home for Christmas, you'd swear they were just home from California instead of just moving 200 miles up the road to Dublin.

It just naturally happens with the influence of media and us being bombarded with so many accents and dialects day-to-day, it makes sense that our own becomes more neutral by being influenced by all of that. It's an evolution, accents are not static, they change over the years.
It's not a conscious decision either, I've a neutral accent and people don't know I'm from Galway.
I never decided to start speaking this way, but there's nothing wrong with it either just because my generation speaks slightly differently to yours.

bb1234567 · 06-10-2013 02:22PM

Im from south dublin and people always ask my siblings and I if we are american..Sometimes I try to put on a more Irish accent, I think Irish accents sound a lot better than american ones/

DoozerT6 · 06-10-2013 02:27PM

I think some of it is maybe not the 'accent' per se, but the inflection....we seem to have adopted fairly recently (in the last 10-15 years) the Americanism of inflecting upwards at the end of our sentences, so it sounds like we're asking a question.

I have been guilty of this myself on occasion!!! :O

InTheTrees · 06-10-2013 02:30PM

Ive been living in America for twenty years and inevitably have picked up some Yankee words.

Its awful coming home to think I might be mistaken for somebody "faking it"(?) but I know that happens. Use " take out" or "to go" instead of "take away" and you can be accused of pretension.

Galwayguy35 · 06-10-2013 02:33PM

_Redzer_ wrote: »

It just naturally happens with the influence of media and us being bombarded with so many accents and dialects day-to-day, it makes sense that our own becomes more neutral by being influenced by all of that. It's an evolution, accents are not static, they change over the years.
It's not a conscious decision either, I've a neutral accent and people don't know I'm from Galway.
I never decided to start speaking this way, but there's nothing wrong with it either just because my generation speaks slightly differently to yours.

I've been told I I have a neutral accent as well, I'm not talking about speaking like Jackie Healy Rae but I talk with a normal Irish accent.

Why, what way do you talk?

And whats this generation thing, I'm 38, now unless you are a 16 year old then I would imagine we are the same generation...

InTheTrees · 06-10-2013 02:35PM

DoozerT6 wrote: »

the Americanism of inflecting upwards at the end of our sentences, so it sounds like we're asking a question.

Yes. Funny. Linguistically its called "up talking" and I think the Canadians are the worst by far but it is certainly a north American thing.

Forming every sentence in the form of a question? Can get really confusing?

Especially when you're not asking a question?

I was listening to a radio programme about language changes and unfortunately the main driving force behind grammer and word changes in society are... and it makes a lot of sense... teenage girls.

Doc Ruby · 06-10-2013 02:45PM

Galwayguy35 wrote: »

And whats this generation thing, I'm 38, now unless you are a 16 year old then I would imagine we are the same generation...

A generation's thirty years, the next generation for you are eight.

It seems to have transformed from that to "people who were two years ahead of me in school" lately for some reason.

Seaneh · 06-10-2013 02:58PM

I was the the Grafton Lounge last night and some of the accents made me want to stab myself in the ear drum with a sowing needle.

Daveysil15 · 06-10-2013 03:03PM

I've encountered a few Irish people who put on a Polish accent too.

Paramite Pie · 06-10-2013 03:32PM

I pick up accents very easily (subconsciously) which I hate because people think I'm being 'fake'. What I hate even more than that are arrogant people who tell me I'm doing it intentionally and just can't grasp the concept that some people are like a sponge, soaking up new accents, new phrases, languages and customs easily.

I struggle to keep my accent when I travel unless I'm with a group of Irish people. I wonder if those who keep their accents are the type of people who can live in a country for years yet never mix with the locals, live in the Irish bars and if applicable never learn the local language/customs.

I've seen Irish and British people like this in rural parts of France. Living somewhere 20years but never speaking a word French, sending their kids to English speaking schools separate from the local kids.

Even worse were some Americans I met in South Korea who lived there for many years and yet still called the local currency dollars (not won) and would boast about the fact that they never learned the language. Not even a basic hello or thank you. Some people just can't adapt but others simply refuse.:rolleyes:

stoneill wrote: »

I hate that effect when someone goes to the states and comes back with an accent.
Never happens if they visit Pakistan.

I picked up a Belgian speaking English accent while living in Brussels. Didn't realise it until I came home to Ireland (even I could hear it when I talked). Got some slagging. Didn't take long to loose it again thankfully!!:P

irishfeen · 06-10-2013 03:39PM

I think as a nation we are fairly safe on keeping our regional accents... yes there will be an influx of american talk but still... you would notice differences still massively in collage even from parts of the same town. Its a great thing which I hope never changes.

WoollyRedHat · 06-10-2013 03:41PM

Em ya, totes.

Paddy Cow · 06-10-2013 04:10PM

Doc Ruby wrote: »

A generation's thirty years, the next generation for you are eight. It seems to have transformed from that to "people who were two years ahead of me in school" lately for some reason.

If a generation is 30 years (I had it at 25), "your" generation is your age +/- 15 years.

ONeill2013 · 06-10-2013 04:15PM

Liam Neeson has quare lost his Ulster tongue, I didn't even think it was possible to americanise an antrim accent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba1B4Rn8_GE

Daveysil15 · 06-10-2013 04:17PM

ONeill2013 wrote: »

Liam Neeson has quare lost his Ulster tongue, I didn't even think it was possible to americanise an antrim accent

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ba1B4Rn8_GE

Yeah its so bad that you can't even view it in this country. :pac:

DebDynamite · 06-10-2013 04:27PM

razorgil wrote: »

the amount of american shows the young women are watchin these days, is it any wonder they sound american??

aya startin wha wrote: »

my eldest daughter is always poppin out with americanisms, she's constantly exposed to American tv!

Funny how it seems to be the young wans from SoCoDu that watch all the American TV... teenagers from certain parts of West/North Dublin must be too poor to be able to afford cable to get the American shows I suppose...

I grew up watching mostly British TV shows (as did all my friends), wonder why there wasn't a cohort of kids 15/20 years ago talking like Brits?

Doc Ruby · 06-10-2013 04:33PM

Paddy Cow wrote: »

If a generation is 30 years (I had it at 25), "your" generation is your age +/- 15 years.

Don't think so no, a generation is the time it takes from one group to be born and produce more children. It depends where you get the info from but 25-30 is the norm for most developed countries. So the next generation is 25-30 years younger, and the previous generation is 25-30 years older, so +/-25 to 30 years.

Unless people are normally having kids at age 12 to 15 or something.

EdenHazard · 06-10-2013 04:40PM

The american thing doesn't exist but why do so many irish people sound British particularly old men and women from Glenageary and the likes.

Herb Powell · 06-10-2013 04:41PM

Daveysil15 wrote: »

Who the hell calls it a gymnasium? :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghxO90gtkm4

ONeill2013 · 06-10-2013 04:44PM

EdenHazard wrote: »

The american thing doesn't exist but why do so many irish people sound British particularly old men and women from Glenageary and the likes.

it wasn't long ago Dublin was the 2nd city of the british empire so i don't find it that surprising some having english style accents

spank_inferno · 06-10-2013 04:46PM

I find accents facinating.

I do wonder if we go back far enough when was the first accent identifiable as "Irish".

Also.... Being from Wicklow we run the range of accents from fine..... to awfull!

3hn2givr7mx1sc · 06-10-2013 04:46PM

Augmerson wrote: »

If you live in Dublin I feel bad for you son, I'm not anywhere near the kip and don't wanna be. I got 99 problems, but my locality ain't one.

:cool:

spank_inferno · 06-10-2013 04:49PM

EdenHazard wrote: »

Why do so many irish people sound British particularly old men and women from Glenageary and the likes.

proximity to the UK.
Being part of empire the British civil service would marry and assimilate.

The landowning gentry classes have not gone away.

Cathyht · 06-10-2013 04:57PM

spank_inferno wrote: »

proximity to the UK.
Being part of empire the British civil service would marry and assimilate.

The landowning gentry classes have not gone away.

Delighted that awful west Brit accent is practically gone from RTE. Newsreaders and all are clear now but not stuffy like years ago. Its actually funny to hear it if there is an old clip on. Gay Byrne really put it on more then.

pjproby · 06-10-2013 05:48PM

anyone know how the flat Dublin accent evolved into what it is today?

Sam Kade · 06-10-2013 09:12PM

EdenHazard wrote: »

Something trivial that annoys me is when people say they 'don't have an accent'

I suppose they stupidly believe they have this neutral accent which doesn't exist, even if it did it's still an accent

Fact of the matter is if you talk you have an accent.

evolution of irish accents?

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