Is it really difficult to speak with a 'posh' accent?

jeanjolie · 13-07-2017 2:06pm #1

A lot of people in Ireland seem to despise the D4/upper class accents usually be people imitating them and just a tinty bit less for those who speak with them genuinely. Similarly in England, they seem to hate upper class and 'Recevied Pronounciation'

Let's be honest here, I think anyone would rather their kids sound a tiny bit posh over being rough when speaking in public and since it doesn't seem like a skill (i.e takes great effort to sound 'refined' unlike it does to be good at piano, language, etc), If you took twins from a rough area, left one in the area and put one in a posh area and they both grew up, I hardly think the kid in the latter would say he has to put more effort in sounding proper. Even if he moved when he was 10.

You here people aged 20+ complaining they an't change their accent but is it really that hard? In most cases it's not like you have to learn a new language with the great vocabulary, it's just learning to produce a different sound in your speech but then again I've lived in 3 different places around the globe so I may be biased in my claim of difficulty.

Should people put a better effort into having accents that are deemed more 'upperclass'?

biko · 13-07-2017 2:08pm

No, but accents that are intelligible would be nice.

[Deleted User] · 13-07-2017 2:13pm

If you're concerned about your accent get elocution lessons, OP.

I don't care what accent a person has as long as they enunciate properly, I can't stand slurring or missing H's or G's.

Pat Mustard · 13-07-2017 2:16pm

Important to keep those vowels working in regular order.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qh29gBLoHVU

suicide_circus · 13-07-2017 2:20pm

You'll always hear estate agents affecting the most forced and cringeworthy "posh" accents. Pathetic.

Alun · 13-07-2017 2:22pm

I don't mind regional accents at all, even quite strong ones, but what I can't get my head around is people who seem blissfully unaware of how unintelligible they are to those outside of their immediate area, and are apparently unable to switch them off and speak "properly" for the benefit of those people who can't understand them.

Language, after all, is ultimately about communication and if you can't communicate with people who ostensibly speak the same language as you then something is very wrong.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1 · 13-07-2017 2:22pm

OP, you seem to have an obsession with class and D4. People should just be themselves. People should speak clearly and articulately in whatever accent they naturally have.

Bredabe · 13-07-2017 2:27pm

A big bugbear of mine, the d4 outside and the contradictory accent and use of language.
I had a d7 accent when I started elocution, had lost most of that, when I moved to d9 and got some of it back. Now that I travel a lot, I never fit in accent wise. BUT a "Good accent and school" have gotten me more jobs than exams or connections.
For what it's worth, I agree with the other posters here, clarity is vital in everyday speech, accents change.

Pac1Man · 13-07-2017 2:29pm

I don't trust anyone who pronounces the 'th' sound.

Your tongue belongs in your mouth, not between your teeth.

[Deleted User] · 13-07-2017 2:35pm

Pac1Man wrote: »

I don't trust anyone who pronounces the 'th' sound.

Your tongue belongs in your mouth, not between your teeth.

Turty tree and a turd.

Pac1Man · 13-07-2017 2:38pm

Candie wrote: »

Turty tree and a turd.

It originates from our native language I tink think.

A gaeilgeoir can correct me but I don't believe there is a th sound in our language.

bodice ripper · 13-07-2017 2:43pm

My accent is a bit Received Pronunciation, in a Mid Atlantic kind of way. I have tried desperately to shake it, but it's not going anywhere. I don't think everyone can just change accents because they want to.

Sam Kade · 13-07-2017 2:49pm

jeanjolie wrote: »

A lot of people in Ireland seem to despise the D4/upper class accents usually be people imitating them and just a tinty bit less for those who speak with them genuinely. Similarly in England, they seem to hate upper class and 'Recevied Pronounciation'

Let's be honest here, I think anyone would rather their kids sound a tiny bit posh over being rough when speaking in public and since it doesn't seem like a skill (i.e takes great effort to sound 'refined' unlike it does to be good at piano, language, etc), If you took twins from a rough area, left one in the area and put one in a posh area and they both grew up, I hardly think the kid in the latter would say he has to put more effort in sounding proper. Even if he moved when he was 10.

You here people aged 20+ complaining they an't change their accent but is it really that hard? In most cases it's not like you have to learn a new language with the great vocabulary, it's just learning to produce a different sound in your speech but then again I've lived in 3 different places around the globe so I may be biased in my claim of difficulty.

Should people put a better effort into having accents that are deemed more 'upperclass'?

D4 upper class? What planet are you living on? They can't even pronounce simple words properly.

Is it really difficult to speak with a 'posh' accent?

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