I grew up with a thick Australian accent with a drawl I dislike, and have been consciously trying to change it for a while. The problem is I tried to make it sound more American at first but keep getting drawn to speaking “Britishly”. Now it’s a Frankenstein of all 3 accents and I don’t know what to go with.

Some points for both:

▪︎ American accent sounds “cooler”

▪︎ British accent sounds more “proper and elegant”

  • Australian accent sounds more “relaxed” (but I dislike this for myself, personally).
  • dingus@lemmy.worldEnglish
    272·
    2 years ago

    Just throwing out a random opinion that doesn’t mean much but…I’m an American and I actually find the Australian accent to be the sexiest of all native English-speaking areas. I’m just some random on the Internet but yeah.

  • RBWells@lemmy.world
    15·
    2 years ago

    Keep your accent, Aussie accents are lovely. I’m sure it sounds more relaxed to you because it’s yours. If you have some inner need to change it to feel more professional, isn’t there posh version? Like what newscasters sound like?

    Scottish is my favorite by far. The sort so thick you have to listen for awhile until the words come into focus. Not sure why but it is dead pleasant.

  • Uncle_Bagel@midwest.social
    13·
    2 years ago

    British accent sounds more “proper and elegant”

    Let me introduce you to my Geordie family and see if tou still feel English is elegant. The high English spoken by poshos that is all over TV and movies is very different than how most Brits talk

    As for American accents, i have an absolutely bonkers accent of American Midwest with Texas drawl sprinkled in and other lazy drawn out vowels. Just speak however feels comfortable

    • JoBo@feddit.uk
      5·
      2 years ago

      Americans think the Geordie accent sounds posh (don’t know about Australians, mind). I can’t find the relevant articles but there was a born-Geordie American official who hit the news there a while back. In interviews with the British media she mentioned how the accent caused a lot of class-based discrimination back in the UK. Meanwhile the right-wing US media were running articles about the posh British woman interfering in their politics.

    • Hobart_the_GoKart@lemm.ee
      2·
      2 years ago

      I was visiting Leeds this summer and was at a werherspoons when some drunk kids at the next table over heard me and figured out I was American. He said he was aspiring to be an actor and wanted me to give my opinion on his American accent. He sounded like he was from California and he must have picked up all his accent tips from movies/TV.

      I really liked this Wired YT series on American accents and would love to see a British version: https://youtu.be/H1KP4ztKK0A?si=du9M-WgkWtiw5Pjd

  • antonim@lemmy.dbzer0.com
    9·
    2 years ago

    No serious linguist would advise you to change your accent like this. It’s artificial and unlikely to succeed entirely, as you’ve noticed - accents are a reflexive, instinctive thing, difficult to rewire. The characteristics of the accents you mention (what you’re referring to are probably General American accent and British “Received Pronunciation”, which are far from univesal American or British accents) are shaped purely by (pop) culture. That includes the judgment on how good an accent sounds. Is it really a coincidence that the British royalty uses an accent that sounds “elegant”?

    You don’t appear to have any external reason to change your accent. If you live in Australia and talk with Australians, why would you want to sound like a non-Australian? Why do you want to sound non-relaxed?

  • Heavybell@lemmy.world
    7·
    2 years ago

    You realise we have 3 accents down here right? “Cultured”, standard and strine? You could go for one of the other subtypes. :)

  • Chetzemoka@startrek.website
    5·
    2 years ago

    Laughs in Appalachian American

    https://youtu.be/03iwAY4KlIU?si=zGGq9lnFc2pSDgqY

    I’m pretty sure you’re specifically intending the mimic the generic corporate/West Coast/Midwestern non-accent American accents. That’s like the way Americans talk on purpose when they want to avoid social judgment from other Americans. The way we talk when home with our families is rarely that.

  • Pantoffel@feddit.de
    61·
    2 years ago

    I think to have this settled once and for all: The German accent is the best of them all.

      • smallaubergine@kbin.social
        1·
        2 years ago

        Man I recently met a beautiful Tanzanian woman who had an amazingly beautiful accent when she spoke English. It sounded regal and dignified. I had a huge crush. Kenyan accents are great too. I think we focus too much on western accents

  • Vub@lemmy.world
    3·
    2 years ago

    It feels a bit like OP thinks all Brits sound like the inbred upper class fox hunters we see on tv. They have so many accents and variants of which many are far from elegant and proper.

  • edric@lemm.ee
    2·
    2 years ago

    I have a very specific one: 2nd generation asian american westcoast accent. They are neutral with very clear diction that is very easy to understand even to non-native english speakers.

    • NBJack@reddthat.com
      1·
      2 years ago

      Yes! It’s the epitome of clarity. I gotta admit, when I hear the accent, I immediately assume the person is American.

  • Endorkend@kbin.social
    2·
    2 years ago

    I take what you mean with “American accent” being the accent they use on US Television in shows and most news?

    Because there’s a hell of a lot of regional accents in both Britain and the US and various ones in both sounds stupid while others sound sophisticated.

    Looking at you Scousers and Southerners.

  • funkless_eck@sh.itjust.works
    2·
    2 years ago

    I’ve worked as a professional actor (alongside other things) and I learned how to diagram an accent in drama school using IPA, and then matched up with a bunch of other voice paradigms - Rodenberg, Berry, Linklater…

    I know a few people who changed their accents in their lives, and some who only change it for roles.

    I’m British, but live in America. If I audition for an American role, I speak with the appropriate accent (usually GenAm) in all communications until I’m cast, but I don’t change my every day voice to talk to my wife or whatever, because it’s just a job and I’m me and everyone knows me as me.

    My rural upbringing is a strength, my culture makes me feel unique. So many people (especially white people) have trouble feeling like they have a shared history to celebrate that’s not problematic. Knowing I have the Straw Bear, the Green Man, Hereward the Wake, Boudica and the Iceni - even Morris and Maypole dancing - in my childhood rituals makes me feel less homesick. And my accent is unique, being between the East Midlands and London commuter belt. I can round it out to RP when I need to but it’s also part of me.