HAPPY THANKs ... err ... Let's talk about Accents!!!

[n00bie]

The Republic of Ireland is part of Britain?  

[OneThinkingGal and ._.]

ARGH! What the hell is a 'British accent'?! Britain is comprised of four countries - Republic of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England. There are lots of different accents within each country, let alone within Britain itself.

What I meant by a 'proper british' accent is like those people on 'As time goes by'. Not being from any of the four countries, I'm sure I can be excused for not knowing what region or whatever its from.


I just knew I should have used quotes the first time I said 'proper british', but I like to live dangerously.

Oh oh! I just forgot I left out Jamaican....which is right up there with 'proper british'.

[Las Naranjas]

I think AGA is using Britain in it's proper context, and not in refering to the United Kingdom, just as America in it's proper context refers to dozens of countries from the Tierra Del Fuego to Alaska, and not just the United States.


And The best term for the "Proper British" accent would be BBC English.

[Darth Mandarb]

Countries from Tierra Del Fuego to Mexico would be South America and from the U.S. north (until the arctic) would be North America. (at least I think that's where the cut offs are)

U.S.A. stands for United States of America.  We're an American nation.  So calling somebody from the U.S. an American is, technically, accurate.  But you can call me a Yank too if you want ... I don't mind.

I would also guess that folk from Tierra Del Fuego to Mexico wouldn't (probably) like it if you called them Americans.  Nor the Canadians ... they tend to be a touchy lot

]).]v[.

(just to clarify ... I grew up in Michigan and spent a lot of time in Canada. I love ya Canada!!)

[OneThinkingGal and ._.]

I would also guess that folk from Tierra Del Fuego to Mexico wouldn't (probably) like it if you called them Americans.  Nor the Canadians ... they tend to be a touchy lot

]).]v[.

(just to clarify ... I grew up in Michigan and spent a lot of time in Canada. I love ya Canada!!)

AGA is Welsh, not English, so I guess that explains that. I always think of mannerisms and random generalizations as being more british than english....but it refers to the english.  

'BBC english' will do. Very propah. 8) A bit too too perfect tho, As time goes by is a tad more relaxed. Miss Courtney in Mind your language is the perfect example I'm thinking of...or even Hyacinth in keeping up appearances.  

[Las Naranjas]

Read any single book on etiquette in Mexico and it says "remember, Mexicans consider themselves American too". That extends to much of Latin America as well.


That's why they call you estadounidense (united statesean, roughly) rather than americano.

And it beats me why I'm explaining this to an American

[Quintaros]

I would also guess that folk from Tierra Del Fuego to Mexico wouldn't (probably) like it if you called them Americans.  Nor the Canadians ... they tend to be a touchy lot

I love ya Canada!!)

I love you too US but you're right about us not wanting to be called Americans.

[Las Naranjas]

I should add I'd expect the Irish dislike being called British as well, but the term, I feel, has become changed in it's meaning (in English at least) by a country applying the term to itself.

Other examples being the fact "German" refered to someone who spoke the language, before the state of that name was formed in 1871. But you wouldn't call an Austrian German

Or the fact that "Australia" refered to all 7 colonies in the antipodes, and not just the 6 that formed a commonwealth in 1901. You wouldn't call a Kiwi Australian either.


So by proper, I mean geographic, or original, not really proper.

I suppose if I threw "proper" around I'd be no better than Annie.

[OneThinkingGal and ._.]

I suppose if I threw "proper" around I'd be no better than Annie.

Yeah, God forbid you stop feeling superior to me after this long. :

AGA just has a bee in his bonnet about this particular term, but I'm not going to watch what I type every other minute.  

What you mean by proper may not be what I mean by proper.

[Pumaman]

Britain is comprised of four countries - Republic of Ireland, Wales, Scotland and England.

If you're being pedantic, actually I believe it goes like this:
Britain = England + Wales + Scotland
UK = England + Wales + Scotland + Northern Ireland

I love you too US but you're right about us not wanting to be called Americans.

Hmm, what is the proper term for "somebody from the North American continent"?

[Haddas]

North Americaneese

[AGA]

Britain is Wales, England, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.
The United Kingdom is 'the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland'. So basically Britain is the UK, plus Northern Ireland.

[Oliver]

We don't celebrate it

[Darth Mandarb]

Hmm, what is the proper term for "somebody from the North American continent"?

I don't know that there is a term for that exactly.  I mean, I call myself American 'cause I'm from the United States of America ...

Do you consider yourself a Brit or a European (if that came across as offensive I didn't mean it to be, I'm just curious)?  You're from the UK, in Britain, in Europe.  So you could be a Kingdom man, a Brit, or a European.  How do you refer to yourself?

I'm from Florida, in the U.S.A., in North America and I call myself an American.  I don't use the continent in that description or the state of Florida.  Is this the same in other countries about the globe?

[AGA]

Well first and foremost, I'm Welsh. My heritage and culture is Welsh. But I'm also British, since Wales is governed from London. I'm also European, since Britain since Wales is part of Britain and Britain is part of Europle. So basically, I'm all of them

[Domino]

well, i was born in New York State, so guess that makes me a Yank. I don't seem to have an accent, but when meeting people from other countries, they can tell exactly where i'm from. Especially taking trips to Toronto. They always knew i was from the states.

[Quintaros]

Hmm, what is the proper term for "somebody from the North American continent"?

A North American.  Minus the North and you're talking about a US citizen.

I'm from Florida, in the U.S.A., in North America and I call myself an American. I don't use the continent in that description or the state of Florida. Is this the same in other countries about the globe?

I primarily consider myself Canadian.  I've lived in too many different regions of Canada to say that I am an Albertan, or a New Brunswicker, or British Columbian.  If I went to another continent I may or may not describe myself as a North American.  It would depend on how aware of Canada the person I were talking to was.  I certainly don't call myself a North American while in North America.

[Matt Brown]

I was born and raised in Ohio. That makes me an Ohioian, Mid-westerner, and an American. My parents are from Brasil. We keep many of those traditions, and sometimes speak spanish and portugese at home. So I sometimes refer to myself as Brasilian as well. Any of these titles I suppose is approprite though.

But first, and most imporantly, I am a human

[Haddas]

I like to think of myself as... MASTER OF THE HUMON RACE!