[General] What accents?

Status
Not open for further replies.

holdenenglish

Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2013
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Chinese
Home Country
China
Current Location
Hong Kong
Hi teachers

In the following video, I'd like to know the difference between the two speakers (one wearing glasses, one without glasses). Does the one with glasses speaking with a Hong Kong or American accent, while the other one with a Hong Kong/British accent (or is it English, Scottish, or Irish)? Are both of them considered native English speakers?

https://youtu.be/u4NrAq6H960?t=126

Cheers

Holden
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I listened to the first minute or so. From that brief sample, I would say they guy with glasses definitely has a non-native accent although I'm not sure I could have said where he was from without visuals and context. The guy without glasses sounded, with the exception of one word, like a native speaker with a British English accent.
 

GoesStation

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Joined
Dec 22, 2015
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
They're both completely fluent. The guy with glasses has a slightly stronger accent, mainly evident in his Rs. The older guy sounds more British-influenced than the younger one. Neither has a remotely American accent.
 

jutfrank

VIP Member
Joined
Mar 5, 2014
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
England
Current Location
England
Firstly, neither is a native-speaker.

They both have slight foreign accents, but the one wearing glasses more so. The Chinese guy has a barely detectable Chinese accent behind a very British public school accent and manner. I'd bet my house that he was educated in the UK.

The guy with glasses' accent I really can't place but it isn't Chinese or American.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top