Do the People of Scotland have Different Accents?

[Wee Ann]

Hi All,

Reading about all the accents, I just had to have my twopennarth. I was born in Glasgow, but spent my early years in Wales. On returning north in the early fifties, I lost no time in picking up the accent, (much to my Mother's displeasure). She then re married and gave me an Irish step father. (Lovely man).

I joined the WRAF and wanted to be a telephonist, and was told,"Lose the accent!"

I married a Yorkshireman, and he swore that even if I was asleep when we crossed the border, my accent was there whe I woke up. We now live in Australia and I have been asked if I am Scottish, Welsh, Irish and North of England, at different times.

My problem (and it has already been mentioned as a problem), is that whenever anyone turns up with an accent, I pick it up.

People do think you are taking the mickey, and it can be embarrassing.

The only thing I will not admit to being is a Pom.

Great fun eh!

Wee Ann

[Merlot]

I remember some years ago I was on a course in London and I had to stand up in front of my peers and talk for 10 mins about a subject (related to the work we were doing). I had initially thought "god love them" cause they won't have a clue what I'm going on about. I did, however, slow it down and moderate my speach.
Later, in the bar(!) I was delighted to learn that they could have listened to me all day because they loved my accent! They all said that If I'd been doing the course, they would have paid more attention. I was very happy with that reception. I can moderate my speach, however, I can't change the way I speak and I don't want to.
The thing is, you have to listen. Marilyn I'm getting skype (lol)
I was brought up in the east end of Glasgow and apparently we talk differently from the rest of Glasgow here! Anyone else on this site is invited to talk to me on skype and be bamboozeled.
Cheers or Slainte Math

[StewL]

Hello again all

I should have explained that when we came to Australia, and mentioned that I had to change my accent. It wasnt through choice, in my first stint at school in Aust (migrant camp school) It was the teacher who forced us to change our accents Back then assimilation was the focus
Sounds like an episode from Star Trek with those Borgs but that was the reality of the time. Then in navy it was a case of having to change to an accent they could understand especially over a tactical primary radio circuit

[ninatoo]

For me, it was the kids at school who insisted I speak like them. I wish I hadn't wanted to fit in quite so much!

To this day I can put it on when I want to, but for some very odd reason I speak to animals and babies with my Scottish accent. I don't know where that came from! And sometimes when I am tired the odd word will come out with a Scottish edge to it.

I was only four or five when I left Scotland, but if I hear someone speaking Scottish, I can usually tell if they are from Glasgow or not....but if NOT, I don't know where in Scotland they are from, just that they are Scottish.

Nina

[SarahND]

Hi All,

My problem (and it has already been mentioned as a problem), is that whenever anyone turns up with an accent, I pick it up.

Wee Ann, I think it just means you are an empathetic person At least, that is what I always say to excuse my own tendency in this direction My husband is from Belgium and my students used to ask me what country I came from, since I had picked up his accent

By the way, when I was in Scotland last November, I found it difficult to understand the "pan loafers" in Edinburgh but found the Aberdeen accent crystal clear All this because 26 years ago a professor gave me the job of transcribing hours of conversations he had recorded in Aberdeen. I immersed myself in it for so long, that it sounds totally natural to me now

Sarah

[Russell]

Hi Sarah

I would agree with you on the empathy bit. I have noticed that the people who pick up accents quickly are the folk I would describe as 'total listeners'. They give 100% of their attention to the speaker throughout.
I think it is the biggest compliment you can pay a person is to pick up their accent and phraseing. It is done at an unconscious level. Mimicry is imitating as a conscious process.

Russell

[joette]

Having been "down South" for 16 years & travelled in the Middle East,USA etc I still retain my accent.I am rubbish at languages.Good listener though.
My two best friends(both English) will say "Slow down your talking Scottish"& will know if I have been home,had visitors from home or been talking on the phone to home.
My American cousins will be upset when their Mother is amongst her "ain folk" as she reverts to their ear Scottish accent.To me she sounds yankee!
My Mum's friend has lived in Norfolk for almost sixty years.She sounds sooo Norfolk but occasionally will come through this true Scottish twang and or phrase.
The funniest accents to me are my two charges-Dad from Sheffield/London,Mum-Liverpool with scottish parents & me.They can impersonate almost every dialect but the 13 years old fav is "Chav"(aka Ned).This is the fav form of speech at their Grammar School.

[HeatherH]

Hi There,
With a father from Glasgow and Mum from Millport I can safely say the accents are indeed varied. My Aunt ( from Paisley) has a totally different accent from either of them. In fact My fathers accent and that of my cousin ( Also from Glasgow however a different part) are nothing alike.
I wasn't at all surprised by this growing up as I did in newfoundland where you can tell where someone was born and bred within a few seconds of meeting. From down The Shore you can hear the voice of Ireland the same as when their ancestors first arrived and in Conception Bay its the voice of the Bristol Fisherman. Townie or Bayman , from the Avalon to Port au Basque they are each individual . Just as they were in the Old Country.
I'm sure you will find this is also true in the USA when speaking to people from South Carolina or Texas, Georgia and Arkansas.
I have to admit that after living for 20 years on "The Rock" I still haven't a clue what is said to me half the time . Luckily my children are fully bilingual ( both Newfie and Mainlander) lol.
Happy Hunting,
Heather

[mallog]

Having lived in Ayrshire most of my life I can say that accents differ between places only 10 miles or so apart although I'm sure only locals would notice as the differences are quite subtle. I've been working in Paisley recently and of course it is so different from Ayrshire and Glasgow.

No wonder criminals avoid talking when committing a crime otherwise they could be pinpointed to a certain area no bother