[General] Improving my accent (British)--with sound clip

[bobbricks]

Hi,
I was born and raised in the UK (south east), but have parents from South Asia. I've been told that apparently I have a slight accent so it doesn't sound like an RP accent. Can you tell me whether this is true and how I could improve it? This was improvised and I just started talking about tv shows/unis etc .

Also, apologies if it sounds a bit quick- I have a habit of doing that when I speak into a microphone

Sound clip: https://soundcloud.com/abd-20/accent/s-nqHat

 

[bobbricks]

Sorry, just saw the link wasn't working- should be fixed now

 

[bobbricks]

Anyone?

 

[Mrfatso]

I have just listened to the clip, there is a slight accent, but I do not think it is anything to worry about it is not necessary to talk with an RP accent anymore. One of my most successful friends speaks with a slight accent, but became through hard work a Vice President in an investment bank the work you do matters more today.

 

[bobbricks]

I have just listened to the clip, there is a slight accent, but I do not think it is anything to worry about it is not necessary to talk with an RP accent anymore. One of my most successful friends speaks with a slight accent, but became through hard work a Vice President in an investment bank the work you do matters more today.

Hi, thanks for the response- I don't suppose you could isolate what/where that slight accent is please?

 

[Roman55]

I grew up in the south east of England, so here's my opinion.

There is nothing to worry about in terms of overall pronunciation, but the words that struck me as being difficult to place geographically were, in order of appearance:
watching (which sounded more like 'washing'), complicated, interesting, off (in 'die off' sounded like 'of'), loads, student (sounded like 'shtudent').

Having said that, it's only because I listened to it carefully and repeatedly. These are only minor points.

 

[Mrfatso]

I grew up in the south east of England, so here's my opinion.

There is nothing to worry about in terms of overall pronunciation, but the words that struck me as being difficult to place geographically were, in order of appearance:
watching (which sounded more like 'washing'), complicated, interesting, off (in 'die off' sounded like 'of'), loads, student (sounded like 'shtudent').

Having said that, it's only because I listened to it carefully and repeatedly. These are only minor points.

I agree with you on those words as the one that were not quite right.

 

[bobbricks]

I grew up in the south east of England, so here's my opinion.

There is nothing to worry about in terms of overall pronunciation, but the words that struck me as being difficult to place geographically were, in order of appearance:
watching (which sounded more like 'washing'), complicated, interesting, off (in 'die off' sounded like 'of'), loads, student (sounded like 'shtudent').

Having said that, it's only because I listened to it carefully and repeatedly. These are only minor points.

I agree with you on those words as the one that were not quite right.

Thanks for the opinions- how do you two think I could work on this issue and could my tone of voice or enunciation also be something to with it?

 

[konungursvia]

I don't find you sound like a native English speaker, not a natural one from just one place. To me, there is an undertone of the nearly American speech you hear in international schools all over the world. Also, Brits speaking natural British English don't have such a flat tone -- though we do, here in North America. I have only seen such cases in people actually *born and raised* in English speaking countries when the pupil was not socialising much with other children his own age for many years, perhaps the first 6 years of his life. The solution however is the same regardless of the antecedents: Just keep speaking to people.

 

[bobbricks]

I don't find you sound like a native English speaker, not a natural one from just one place. To me, there is an undertone of the nearly American speech you hear in international schools all over the world. Also, Brits speaking natural British English don't have such a flat tone -- though we do, here in North America. I have only seen such cases in people actually *born and raised* in English speaking countries when the pupil was not socialising much with other children his own age for many years, perhaps the first 6 years of his life. The solution however is the same regardless of the antecedents: Just keep speaking to people.

Hi, I don't suppose you could elaborate on the "nearly American speech" please? Also, come to think of it, I didn't socialise that much when I was younger so that might partially explain it...

 

[konungursvia]

American speech is quite flat in intonation. You tend to sound that way, which is one of the reasons you sound a bit "un-British", in my view.