My Accent

[MBTAA]

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0Zzqe6Cj6zG

I've got an MP3 uploaded of myself reading a monologue. People have told me all sorts of things regarding my accent, from British, to Australian, to Chinese.
I would usually describe my accent as a neutral international accent that can be easily understood by everyone.

 

[MBTAA]

Welcome to the forum, MBTAA.

I'm afraid I won't be listening to your voice. I am not prepared to download/instal devices. Can you provide your clip in a more accessible way.

Changed the link so you can play it in your browser

 

[Raymott]

I agree. It sounds very British to me. There's no way that's Australian - even though your profile says your native country is Australia.

 

[Roman55]

I agree with Piscean and Raymott. Your accent is very good, and very British, but not entirely convincing.

I say this because 99% of it is fine and then there are some inconsistencies.

The word 'ladies' (especially at 1:34) has a gutteral sound to it. 'Only', 'crook', 'was' and 'again' are all slightly off, and what was that word at 1:43 supposed to be?

It reminds me of some WW2 stories when suspected spies were asked to pronounce certain words that were expected to give away the infiltrator.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

http://vocaroo.com/i/s0Zzqe6Cj6zG

I've got an MP3 uploaded of myself reading a monologue. People have told me all sorts of things regarding my accent, from British, to Australian, to Chinese.
I would usually describe my accent as a neutral international accent that can be easily understood by everyone.

Your accent sounds more like a variety of working class British. There are a few words that are Australian-inflected, but not many. You don't sound Chinese - and you do NOT sound like New Yorker Leo Bloom! (Nothing wrong with that.)

You English is very intelligible and should serve you well wherever you go. I wouldn't call it a neutral international accent, though. I don't think there's any such thing. (Now I should go get an umbrella, before the spitballs start to fly!)

 

[MBTAA]

Thanks guys, I've recorded a new voice message, this time I'm simply saying things unscripted.

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1TaTUfrHkBK

When I refer to an international neutral accent, I'm thinking of the educated standard Singapore accent, spoken by individuals such as Lee Kuan-Yew and the Asian-Australian news reader Lee Lin Chin.

Lee Kuan Yew: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VexrmTacOAA

Lee Lin Chin: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IveTN0Sw6U4

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

That did not sound working class to me, a native speaker of BrE. . . .

You're the expert! The unscripted recording sounded different and closer to what I think of as standard British. Glad you chimed in.

 

[Roman55]

You're right, it does feel like quibbling but that's only because in most respects the pronunciation is very good.

I had a few points to make and decided against it for that very reason. The only one that struck me as inconsistent with the rest was 'simultaneous'.

 

[MBTAA]

http://vocaroo.com/i/s1H46jt1zHbD