British English or American accent?

[Steven D]

Originally Posted by Wong

However, the college teachers suggest that British accent is more acceptable in the world, especially in the world outside US. Is it true?

No, it's not true at all. I've had enough contact with international students to know this. With just a few exceptions - only one that I can recall - the ESL students I've spoken to that are in the U.S. temporarily and permanently speak with an AE accent.

I can usually detect by listening to an ESL/EFL student's accent when he or she has had mostly British English teachers. Even when these students have had British English teachers, their accent still mostly leans towards sounding American.

There is nothing more acceptable or less acceptable about any type of native speaker English accent.

Your teachers are, in my opinion, are misleading their students by stating this.

[Steven D]

and the only real difference I hear are the vowels <<

The British English/English "t" is softer sounding than the American "t".

Have you noticed this?

We can listen for this in how numbers are pronounced and in words like "tomato" and "potato". It can be heard in words like "little" and "better" as well. The American English "t" approaches sounding almost like a "d", but it's still really a "t" sound.

70, 90,

Both are good, i thought

[Ravenclaw]

Originally Posted by Anonymous

I am a student in China. Because of the Hollywood movies, American songs and much more frequent contact with US than that of UK, American accent seems more popular.

However, the college teachers suggest that British accent is more acceptable in the world, especially in the world outside US. Is it true?

I want to know how would UKers react to American accent speaking callers and vice versa.

Do Americans like British accent on the phone when it is a sales call, for example?

I want opinions from only native English speakers, mainly UK and US citizens. Please state your nationality and your feelings about the accents.

Thanks.

I may not be the best person to answer this as I am American (Californian to be exact) and I adore accents, but I personaly like the British accent the best. I also don't think anyone outside the U.S (or maybe just outside California) would respond very well to picking up the phone and hearing, "Hey homedog, what up?" and respond worse if it was an enterpenuer(sorry if that's spelled wrong) and they added, "How would you like to buy some magazines, new with some bad dirt." then again that is mostly based on Californian slang so I don't know, people generaly don't like getting called about a "stupid product that wastes their money."

I think you could get by with any accent, personaly. If you just want to be understood then I'd say find an accent that is easy to understand (one that isn't "cloudy" and pernounces things, pernunciation is a key thing to being understood) and do NOT use slang.

I am not an English native speaker. However, I have learned English since I was 6, at school. Now, I study in Hong Kong, with people from all around the world. Here, at school, there are as many accents as you can imagine, and the matter of accents is something that we don't discuss on, but quite a few times ppl have told me that I have an American accent. I have to say I like it. I can't explain, but I find that American accents are easier to understand, are somehow clearer... Besides, most of the people here that do not have English as a first language tend to have a rhotic pronounciation and to pronounce things in the 'American way'. It is a matter of fact: American English has a stronger presence in non-English speaking countries thanks to movies and series... entertainment is an industry that can go anywhere. On the other hand, I find BE to be educated and I like it, too... I just like the American one better...

BTW I am from Latin America

[Tdol]

It's often a matter of personal choice- for every person that finds American easier, you'll find one that doesn't. It also depends on the education sustem- in Europe, for instance, most countries tend to teach BrE, though others, like Germany, favour AE.

[Ravenclaw]

What are BE, BrE, and AE?
I may claim to be an accents fanatic , but if those letters have anything to do with accents I must be wrong .

[Tdol]

BE/BrE = British English
AE = American English

[Ravenclaw]

Thank you, I was very confused there *holds head up high* now I can go back to claiming that I'm an accent fanatic .

[Tdol]

You're welcome.