It's also the fac that American Accents are generally easier to do. It's why Brits can do it better than Americans do British. The British generic accent is not easy, but obviously Australians can do it quite easier since well it came from them.
@@ElseyLC A lot of British and Irish media used to air in Australia, but in the past 15 years or so that has changed a lot. I remember when I was a kid it was all British, Irish, and Aussie shows on tv and now there are hardly any, it's all American.
@@midgetwars1 there’s no such thing as a generic British accent lol. I think you mean “RP” - and that’s no even a real regional accent. Never heard an Australian come close to doing a decent Glasgow accent lol. It’s hard tbf apparently. I mean I’m Glaswegian so it’s hard to comment 😂 Us Scottish are good at accents generally. We barely have ANY “Scottish content” lol. It’s all American, English…my generation were even raised on “Neighbours, “Home and Away” and “round the twist”. I think us Scot’s are the best at accents tbh 💪 - except Gerard Butler and Sean Connery. They don’t count 😂😂
As an Aussie can confirm I intake a lot of American and English content and basically no Aussie content lol I've always had vocab and inclinations that most people say sound English mainly from watching "skins" but my little cousin is almost 4 and sometimes she will have a full american accent thanks to the content she watches so I think it has a pretty strong affect on people, good theory elizabeth olsen lol
I think the Australian accent is tending more American. Especially the younger generations as they consume everything online and its hugely American biased
@@danduntz2539 Yeah, absolutely. It's been going on for ages. Gotten is becoming normal I think and some pronunciation, like Raoute, instead of roote for Route.
We can't forget Hugh Laurie being house and how great of an American accent he did not knowing he was British for quite a few seasons. Yeah he slips up so I'm in the first couple of seasons here and there but he does a great American accent. He's so multi-talented anyways
I am super good at figuring out accents and he had me fooled. As far as Australians speaking with an American accent, there’s always one word or vowel that gives it away.
@@barbaravyse660 I’m sure he read that he had the casting department fooled. He went in with an American accent and they got confused because they thought he was British. The director believed he was from the US. That’s great.
There's a pretty good clip from House where he plays the character imitating the british accent. So essentially he is a british guy playing an american that's imitating a british accent in the stereotypical way that americans do it
I think it's because American accents are easier because they have more open vowels, but British English emphasize more the consonants which is harder to pronunce
All depends on which accent, both American and British. There's plenty of distinct American accents across the country, however there's a different accent every 30 miles in the UK.
Elizabeth is so right! I’m Turkish and I’ve heard a lot of comments about my accent sounding very American despite never being in the US. Mind you I’ve been hearing the American accent since the day I was born because my parents were crazy movie/show lovers❤
I am still shocked when hearing these few actors in interviews speaking their normal voice. Daniel Kaluuya, Hugh Laurie, Christian Bale, James McAvoy, Andrew Lincoln. They American accent is so good
Not always. I'm an American from California, but for some reason my accident developed to have a very soft rhetoric. In fact, people even in my hometown ask me where I'm from all the time, because they can't quite place me from my slightly more open and precise vowels than usual and the soft rhetoric (possibly from being a classical singer and growing up acting). Trying to add rhetoric in is very difficult for me and takes concentrated effort
This is absolutely true! I'm British and grew up watching a lot of disney channel and still consume mostly north american content, my own accent is so strange and I find doing the American accent the easiest thing in the world
A fair amount of Avengers films were filmed in the UK. Probably got exposed to that rubbish then. Same as Chris Pratt finding The Only Way is Essex with the first Guardians of the Galaxy being filmed over here.
One of the hardest to mimic well & one of the easiest to lose. We're like a sponge & take on other accents the longer we're exposed to them/ staying away from home.
that's very interesting. I'm guessing it's because Aussie accent is so close to your own. I don't know. I'm pretty good with accents. And I have Aussie and Kiwi friends, but I can never detect the difference in accents
That's not true because America took our language and change it all, the reason why British actors and actresses are better at American accents is because they learn to before they become a big Star!!!
lizzies bang on the head with this one, and the fact brits and aussies have such varied accents that they end up practicing different accents their whole lives
From memory, Aussies actually do have a linguistic advantage when it comes to accents. Apparently our accents are flatter or something (not the right term, idk what is though), so we have fewer region specific sounds and mouth shapes/tongue positions that we have to unlearn before learning those of the accent we're imitating. It's generally easier to add something than take it away, and the Aussie accent is kind of a "blank canvas" that lends itself well to that (which is probably why it's so rare to find non-Aussies who can do a believable Aussie accent). Or something like that. Combine that with extensive, long term expose to both American and British programs and you've got a lot of Aussie actors who are accent chameleons. That being said, I'm terrible at accents. And there are a number of (quite big name) Aussie actors who always sound glaringly Aussie to me, regardless of their character's supposed nationality.
Yes, I read somewhere that the Australian accent likely developed from the children of immigrants trying to lose the accent of their parents. So, the Australian accent is the product of losing a lot of the harder sounds. Or something like that.
There is a WIDE range of American accents from Brits. A lot of big actors do a great job, then you start watching British TV and you will figure out that a character is supposed to be American halfway through a season, but you just thought they had one of those weird, regional British accents.
Weird regional accents. Are you saying the US don’t have regional accents? 🤭 if you’re saying someone from queens sounds like someone from the Deep South, I’d just laugh. There is a wide range of US accents to Brits because there are a large range of US dialects. It’s better than the alternative, the 2 accents that yanks associate with us. The royals or a London commoner. 🤭 They’re usually really bad as well, not inconclusive.
This may be true, but there are countless awful British accents in huge blockbuster productions - and that’s only when attempting the standard posh King’s English, or Cockneys from East London, which are the only two British accents that Hollywood seems to think exist. I’d love to see some of these A-list actors attempt Scouse, Glaswegian, Welsh Valleys, Cornish, Geordie, Yorkshire, Northern Irish etc. accents - these are more distinct from one another than entire national dialects are. This may be another reason Brits are better accents, because you have to pick up on these variations to understand people here.
It’s true with the Australian part, look at performers like Anna Torv(Mistresses, Fringe, Mindhunter, Last of Us), Travis Fimmel(Vikings, Raised by Wolves, The Beast), Cate Blanchett(Tár, Lord of the Rings, Elizabeth), Hugh Jackman(Logan/X-Men, The Greatest Showman, Les Misérables)-- just to start with-- they all go back and forth between American and British accents, almost perfectly…😮😮
I think too American accents and it's variations are descented from different European accents from immigration and the migration over time durign different centuries Like when Liam Neeson displayed his irish accent and how slowed down with a slight infliction change it sounded Appalachian from the part of Kentucky where a lot of Irish and Scottish immigrants settled outside the cities
As an American who consumes a good amount of British media, I get it. From being little and watching Harry Potter on repeat to my obsession with Doctor Who, when you hear it enough, it just sort of happens. I didn't even realize i picked one up when I was little until my mom asked why I was talking in an accent. As an adult, if I watch enough content with a specific accent, I just slowly start to melt into it. I always figured if I went abroad, i would slowly lose my American accent and not even notice lol
I've heard plenty of British actors doing such perfect American accents I didn't even know they were British till later. I've NEVER heard the opposite.
Lmao same British media was a huge part of my childhood. Let’s also not forget that weird era of TH-cam that was dominated by Zoella and all her friends
Or you just think it is. 🤭 People who are good at something don’t need to brag. It’s probably nowhere near as good as you think it is. Actors work with etiquette specialists to perfect it. A random 14 year old coaching herself isn’t going to be that standard. No need to be so rude to online bubz.
Benny boy straight up speaking the truth. So many Aussie actors out there that nail the British and American accent. Even if I know they’re Aussie I still get surprised how authentic and native they sound.
It because American actors only attempt southern English accents. Some more northern English accents have some similarities American and Australian. In the 1970s and 80s when I was in London I was often asked if I was American.
I'd agree. Brits are more exposed to American media than Americans are exposed to British stuff. I think purely because American media is usually more advertised, bigger and better. Yes, some stuff they do is shit, but it ultimately reaches further.
IDK I grew up in the mid 2000s and from ten to early twenties I only consumed British media (it was a phase 😂) and I couldn't do an accent to savey life, BUT I do recognize the different regional accents
@heda kom Thats not true. American culture permeates and often trumps other cultures like no other. If you play video games watch tv, or use the Internet you are being exposed to, and even pertisapating in American culture, never mind other forms of media. Most people particularly those post "Gen X" have been brought up with it. Hell even the charactorisatins of the generation is its self an American concept. So it even effects the way we think of and classify what could be deemed as our "own culture" and even the language we use
@heda kom And the point is all those countries show American tv shows. Thats why their are universal cultural touch shows like the Simpsons, family guy, the wire, CSI, and braking bad to name just a few have produced. You go to any country in the world, particularly though not exclusively, English speaking countries, and they will know characters like captain kirk, darth vader, and the terms and phrases used like light saver, ect. Something in the news of late is the term "burner phone" which people now refer to for what was once called a PAYG phone, and is a term that came from the tv show "the wire". This is cultural hegemony in action and that is the point Oh and the countries you referred to as not showing US TV are the exceptions that prove the rule not an negation of it.
@heda kom The point is, their own culture is so heavily influenced and informed by US culture, their own culture is - as far as being a souly a product of the endemic population -- does not have AS MUCH of an influence on them as the American one does. Of coarse they are still raised in the culture into which they are born. But that culture is so influenced and informed by the US it dose not have as much of an influence on them as the american one does. This really should not really be that difficult to understand. You must realise this your self.... if you are honest
She was the first person that came to mind and I instantly disagreed. She’s so bad at the American accent, they really tried to put her in things she shouldn’t have been in for a couple years there. But then again, there are a lot of convincing English actors
As a Brit, from birth, we are bashed over the head with American media etc etc. It's very easy to mimic the different accents! The same goes for Aussies. The UK/Australia has a long history (hense the flag!) and many expats from both sides settling.
I met people in Europe that grew up watching American cartoons and learned the American accent that way. The knew mainstream slang from shows but didnt know the region dialect/jargon.
Obviously content consumption is a major reason, but also the exposure to different accents in the U.K. due to proximity to Europe, the long history communities from various colonies, the history of various regional dialects within the U.K, all necessitate a greater ability to pick up on accents to able to bloody understand anyone over here. The yanks have also made it easier for themselves by only attempting posh King’s English, or East London Cockney, the only two British accents that Hollywood seem to think exist. I’d love to see some of these A-list actors attempt Scouse, Glaswegian, Welsh Valleys, Cornish, Geordie, Yorkshire, Northern Irish etc. accents - these are more distinct from one another than entire national dialects are.
I agree with Liz because British people have a really nice accent. I watched HP, The Great British Baking Show, and british movies and tv shows because I love the accent and have been trying to do it one.
Tv only prioritises one/two English accents. We have many that you guys don't get exposed to. Just remember that the ones you're refering to are RP London and Cockney. Please don't lump us all together. X
That makes sense, I've read a lot about Potuguese children picking up Brazilian accents because they watched a lot of Brazilian youtubers, while the opposite generally doesn't happen
I also think that there is more of an american undertone to Australian accents even though sometimes australian and British can be difficult to tell apart at times for americans. I watch australian vloggers and their vowels are less pronounced
Counter point ... Depends on thr american accent. I have seen few that are good at mimicing southern accents authentically. Even Americans struggle with it if they were not exposed to it. But i think that goes with her therory of why. There are not many media with authentic southern accents.
I agree that it depend on the content you consume, because as an American who LOVES alot of time period/historical films and a good amount of British series, I can pick up accents pretty easy! the most reason one is an Irish accent because I've gotten back into watching Jacksepticeyes video ^w^.
Recall learning that, for LA Confidential, Aussies Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce beat out American actors to play 1950s era Los Angeles detectives. All about education and dedication.
Not gonna lie started watching more British and Aussie shows over the years, now some times my fuck sounds like fook when I get real upset or passionate about something 😅😂
I don’t think it’s as much to do with that as people think other wise we’d of to some capacity adopted American pronunciation into ours at some point even if ever so slightly and we haven’t. I think the American accent is just genuinely easier to emulate.
The Aussie accent is so wild that someone else’s isn’t hard for us cause we already make such off sounds all the time anyway and I say this as an Aussie dating a Canadian
Something else that might play a small factor as well is that America is a really big place with lots of different accents. You can get away with being a little more vague with the accent when it's American because there are so many different variations. When you compare that to English accents, yes there are definitely regional variations but England is a significantly smaller area and you are able to get a more specific feel for the nuances of those individual variations then you are in an area as vast as the US. Something being slightly off on an English accent would stick out a lot more to an English audience than something being slightly off about an American accent.
I think it’s also that American accent regions are way less defined than British ones. Because people have lived together for so long, the accents are really distinct and isolated, so a small mistake is noticeable. American accents have some distinctions but there’s a lot of variation within them so a mistake sounds like natural variation.
It also may just be that more stuff is made in the US, so actors in other bug markets feel they HAVE to learn an American accent(s) to get roles or be able to break into a higher level.
I've worked professionally as an accent/dialect coach, as well as an actor. There are a few reasons. The main one is what Elizabeth said- the world listens to American accents more than any other, whether tv shows, movies, music, news. Its'' also more of a recent thing to have the authentic accent. There were many Brit actors in Hollywood in the 30,s40's,50's who never lost their accents or donned an American one. Everyone just suspended belief, and accepted it, such as - Cary Grant, David Niven, Deborah Kerr, Jean Simmons, Ray Milland, Michael Caine, Albert Finney,etc. What has changed is that many Brit and Aussie acting conservatories has put more emphasis both on character and on doing authentic accents, especially American. Some British and Aussie conservatories have extended courses just on doing American accents for those planning to hit the Hollywood market. I know RADA,Guildhall does. The main acting conservatory in Sydney, Australia has students graduate, and offer another 6 months extensive program for those planning on going to Hollywood, with American accent being the main focus.
to add to my last comment- I went to an acting conservatory in NY years ago. We did have accent/dialect training, which helped me in being an accent coach. Sadly, in the US, there are not as many conservatories, and it's not pushed. There are many acting classes, where you can study with an acting teacher for 3 months, 6 months, 1,2 years. There are electives like movement, speech, accents,etc. but not mandatory. So most don't take it. I'm glad I went to an acting conservatory (american academy of dramatic arts) where you had to be accepted in, and then they give you the program you have for the 1,2,3 year study. So along with acting, it included movement/dance, speech, accents, make up, classics,etc. . I'm not sure if I was given the option ,like a lot of the acting programs are nowadays, I probably wouldn't have taken dance, accents,etc. I'm glad I did .
Little british children 'play' in American accents to replicate the shows & games they like abd have done since 80s... Used to do it myself with Power Rangers in early 90s and my kids do it now with Barbie etc
This has to be the reason. I love British productions because theyre less dramatic in general than American content and I've tried to introduce British stuff to my friends and they legit struggle to understand the British accent lol. But pretty much the whole world, not just English speakers, get exposed to a lot of American content. I have at least two friends who learned English as kids almost entirely from American movies and shows! Just wild.
please show this to any american who doesn’t think they have an accent😭 even as an american, her accent is so strong when you hear it compared to his strong english accent
@@rlee7389 there’s a difference between not really hearing your own accent and straight up denying you have one tho, I’ve seen other Americans literally claim they didn’t have an accent
On the flip side: I grew up watching British television shows & I went to see Downton Abbey with a friend and she (somehow) didn’t understand half of what they were saying. She barely ever has seen anything outside of Hollywood, so that along side her logic I believe there is major truth to being exposed versus not being exposed.
America used to have more diverse accents but with younger people relocating to urban areas & the rise of social media and now worldwide streaming, it seems to be dying out unless you hit the smaller towns.
i was born in 2000 and have a very thick southern california accent (think surfer and valley mixed). since i’ve lived in the same area-ish for my entire life in a small town in orange county-by the time social media started to blow up my accent was already solidified. a lot of the locals here, especially young ones, still have a thick southern californian accent. the only ones that don’t are the transplants, and we have a lot, lol. thanks hollywood
Content is partially a factor but a major one is just how we naturally form vowel sounds in Australia and Britain allows greater flexibility than the natural way Americans do.
The reaspn for that is americans speak english correctly. So you can look at the words and just know what the sound like, instead of having to guess. Imagine youre building a house and you cant use the blueprint
I’m going to try to briefly explain why this is so often the case. The American accent sits very far back in the throat, and certain vowel sounds are very hard like r’s - haRRRd - and it’s hard to pull that all the way to the front of the throat to achieve a British accent - and the British accent sits at the very front of the throat and vowels are a lot lighter like hAArd. When you think about this, it makes sense how it’s easier for British people to pull their voice back a bit rather than for Americans to push theirs forward. Of course, with both British and American accents, there’s a lot of different types of the accent, but those rules are true for almost all of them. The reason why Australians are seemingly so good at both accents is because their accent sits in the middle of the throat, and it’s easy for them to pull it back or push it forward. Hope this helps for anyone curious.
that is only true, with American accents from the West Coast. East Coast , whether New York, Boston, New England, they never pronounce the 'r' sound ie pahd cah hahvad.... Probably has to do with the first American settlers were from England, who also don't pronounce 'r's . The 'r' got harder as it went further West.
British and Australians watch so much American media that is easier for them to learn the American accent. When it comes to foreign accents though, I believe Americans tend to get the foreign accent better and faster than Brits and Australians. I lived in Mexico for a few years and the Brits and Australians there just butchered the Spanish language. I was asked by so many Mexican women to help out their British boyfriends with their Spanish pronunciation. And even after months the British guy still sounded horrible in Spanish.
I’m assuming you’re American based on your comment. Gotta love it when Americans think foreign languages could only mean Spanish in Mexico 🤣. There’s a whole lot more countries and languages out there buddy! I think Americans are better at Spanish because they neighbour Mexico and there’s a lot of Mexican influence in America these days.
Gogglebox is absolutely prime material for real British accents. Downton far less so. Call the Midwife's not bad; although it's still quite London-centric it does have some regional elements, and different classes.
Of course Australians would be better at British accents. Australia had one dominant colonizer for centuries, and still has a union jack on their flag. America is named after an Italian, and has states names of at least 4 different languages (English, Spanish, French, and Native). To this day, the US still has no official language. Australia still has at least one monarch on their money. It would be weird if they didn't do a better British accent.
It’s not a doubt a strong agree lol. So many British actors are so good at playing Americans, people are shocked to find they’re not American. Hugh Laurie, idris Elba, Christian bale, Daniel day Lewis, Andrew Lincoln and so many more. In also kind of agree that Australian actors are good as well because they can do both British and American. But I wouldn’t say they’re better than Brits at that (already half way there), but they have the edge because they can do Aussie accents which brits can’t do as well (mind I can’t think of too many examples of Brits doing Aussie accents)
I don't know where I get this from but I feel like British English has some more complicated phonetic pronunciations than American English, but American English doesn't really have a lot of complicated phonetic pronunciations the British doesn't have. so it's easier for British people to talk without those phonetic flourishes than for Americans to learn how to pronounce them. Australian also have there complicated pronunciations, some of them are very similar to the British ones, some are different and some are more similar to American so it's easy for them to do both
Both of them are great actors. Elizabeth is correct. I do watch all British shows through Britbox and Acorn paid subscriptions as there are no American shows on that are any good. Even the music for the shows are amazing. But I do hear American news and people all day and would never have the guts to feign being British in public.
Is wish there was more access to British content here. While there are some on streaming service but it so little and hard to find what you are looking for. The ones that get the most attention or known of here are ones that have been adapted to American such as The Office, Shameless. I know there have been many but not on the top of my head. It’s easier to look through Asian Dramas than Korean.
As an American I completely agree. When it comes to performing arts I think Brit’s are just better than most Americans anyway! However we have RDJ- and he rocks at everything- especially performing arts and accents.
That's not true as much I love American shows I love British shows too I love peaky blinders, Sherlock Holmes and specially British singers Their charming ❤️
This isn’t a dig but British actors usually have been doing it since children and have been in multiple theatre productions before they’ve even seen a camera. On a stage there is no room for mistakes, including when doing an accent that isn’t their own. It’s a lot of pressure and that’s their early career. By the time they’re on TV they’re already seasoned actors and just need adapting to acting to a camera instead of a live crowd.
It’s true I’m always gobsmacked finding out someone is Australian, and I’ve thought about it a lot…100% American accents dominate media. British English is heard a lot as well but we just don’t get as much access to Australian accents.
I'm an American and I'm pretty good at a British accent. I grew watching British dramas with my mom as a kid, and I've listened to audio books with British narrators. I decided to get an opinion from a friend of mine whose from the UK and he said my British accent was pretty good. It takes a lot of practice though. I can do a London accent, but I still need to practice the other regions of the UK.
As an Australian this is so true. We are exposed to American and British content all the time so it’s easy to pick up and imitate.
It's also the fac that American Accents are generally easier to do. It's why Brits can do it better than Americans do British.
The British generic accent is not easy, but obviously Australians can do it quite easier since well it came from them.
Do you watch the sidemen in Australia? Or if you don't do some people watch them or is it only here in UK?
@@ElseyLC A lot of British and Irish media used to air in Australia, but in the past 15 years or so that has changed a lot. I remember when I was a kid it was all British, Irish, and Aussie shows on tv and now there are hardly any, it's all American.
@@a.m11558 Damn do you live in new south wales? Because I live in the real south wales 🤣🤣
@@midgetwars1 there’s no such thing as a generic British accent lol.
I think you mean “RP” - and that’s no even a real regional accent.
Never heard an Australian come close to doing a decent Glasgow accent lol. It’s hard tbf apparently. I mean I’m Glaswegian so it’s hard to comment 😂
Us Scottish are good at accents generally. We barely have ANY “Scottish content” lol.
It’s all American, English…my generation were even raised on “Neighbours, “Home and Away” and “round the twist”.
I think us Scot’s are the best at accents tbh 💪 - except Gerard Butler and Sean Connery. They don’t count 😂😂
Wow I never realised how strong Elizabeth's own American accent is until I heard it compared to Benedict's.
It’s got kind a an extra flat sound, yeah!
It's quite a posh American accent she's got though. Drawn out like one of those New York intellectuals.
What do you find to be strong about her accent?
Hmm? She is American
@@PurushaDesa She has terrible vocal fry. Ugh.
Benedict Cumberbatch channeling his inner Chris Martin
😂 I can’t unsee it anymore… That gave me a good laugh… Now I will always check it when I see him
WOW YEAH they sound totally similar! 😮
Many still don't realize that Christian Bale isn't American because his accents are so good.
wait what is he then?🤯
@ He was born in Wales and his parents were British. 😊
love that man, incredible devotion to his career
@@SheilaR.08He’s parents are English, you mean. English, Welsh and Scottish people are all British
@@SheilaR.08HIS PARENTS WERE ENGLISH. WELSH IS BRITISH.
As an Aussie can confirm I intake a lot of American and English content and basically no Aussie content lol I've always had vocab and inclinations that most people say sound English mainly from watching "skins" but my little cousin is almost 4 and sometimes she will have a full american accent thanks to the content she watches so I think it has a pretty strong affect on people, good theory elizabeth olsen lol
Yup. Plenty of kids have faux pas accents that aren't Australian despite being Aussie born and raised, can confirm as an Australian.
@@dreamsteddybearsmaster I know right! I see it more and more nowadays when I'm around younger kids and it always catches me off guard lol
I think the Australian accent is tending more American. Especially the younger generations as they consume everything online and its hugely American biased
@@danellis-jones1591 I even read that Brits are pulling alot more of their language and pronunciation from Americans.
@@danduntz2539 Yeah, absolutely. It's been going on for ages. Gotten is becoming normal I think and some pronunciation, like Raoute, instead of roote for Route.
We can't forget Hugh Laurie being house and how great of an American accent he did not knowing he was British for quite a few seasons. Yeah he slips up so I'm in the first couple of seasons here and there but he does a great American accent. He's so multi-talented anyways
I am super good at figuring out accents and he had me fooled. As far as Australians speaking with an American accent, there’s always one word or vowel that gives it away.
I mean, most Brits probably knew he was British if they grew up watching Blackadder 😅 But yeah, his NE US accent is pretty spot on 👌
@@barbaravyse660 I’m sure he read that he had the casting department fooled. He went in with an American accent and they got confused because they thought he was British. The director believed he was from the US. That’s great.
If you didn't know that's just your ignorance
There's a pretty good clip from House where he plays the character imitating the british accent. So essentially he is a british guy playing an american that's imitating a british accent in the stereotypical way that americans do it
She’s right about Goggle Box. It’s “regular Brit’s” and not some over stylized accent.
I think it's because American accents are easier because they have more open vowels, but British English emphasize more the consonants which is harder to pronunce
It's not ba case of easier, it depends where you're coming from, it's c easier for some, more difficult for others
They're not easier, it's simply due to do with exposure.
All depends on which accent, both American and British.
There's plenty of distinct American accents across the country, however there's a different accent every 30 miles in the UK.
@@Olivetree80 incorrect. there is a reason why a lot of british singers sing in an american accent
It’s because the Australian accent is the easiest to lose and it borrows from both American and British English / accents.
Dam thats just mean
Australian has nothing of American. What a ludicrous claim
@Federico Mack 💀
@Federicomackwtf? You’re a creep bro
?
As a Brit, I’m glad she’s not biased towards her own country. I love her ❤
Elizabeth is so right! I’m Turkish and I’ve heard a lot of comments about my accent sounding very American despite never being in the US. Mind you I’ve been hearing the American accent since the day I was born because my parents were crazy movie/show lovers❤
I am still shocked when hearing these few actors in interviews speaking their normal voice. Daniel Kaluuya, Hugh Laurie, Christian Bale, James McAvoy, Andrew Lincoln. They American accent is so good
linguistically, it’s also easier to ADD rhotics (the ‘r’ sound after vowels) than it is to DROP them
Not always. I'm an American from California, but for some reason my accident developed to have a very soft rhetoric. In fact, people even in my hometown ask me where I'm from all the time, because they can't quite place me from my slightly more open and precise vowels than usual and the soft rhetoric (possibly from being a classical singer and growing up acting). Trying to add rhetoric in is very difficult for me and takes concentrated effort
This is absolutely true! I'm British and grew up watching a lot of disney channel and still consume mostly north american content, my own accent is so strange and I find doing the American accent the easiest thing in the world
Why you write so American if your British?
@@angellondian7628 its the same language?
Honestly, true.
I did not expect her to drop GoggleBox 🤣
A fair amount of Avengers films were filmed in the UK. Probably got exposed to that rubbish then. Same as Chris Pratt finding The Only Way is Essex with the first Guardians of the Galaxy being filmed over here.
I am a kiwi and I have always been able to do a flawless English accent and American, down to the regions, but don’t ask me to do an Aussie accent lol
One of the hardest to mimic well & one of the easiest to lose. We're like a sponge & take on other accents the longer we're exposed to them/ staying away from home.
that's very interesting. I'm guessing it's because Aussie accent is so close to your own. I don't know. I'm pretty good with accents. And I have Aussie and Kiwi friends, but I can never detect the difference in accents
It’s true but as a Brit I believe it’s because we’re immersed in American culture from birth. We literally play in American accents as children.
Speak for yourself. I never did that as a kid
@@rowanmelton7643 Well then you’ve never truly known how it feels to be Indiana Jones.
That is not true
That's not true because America took our language and change it all, the reason why British actors and actresses are better at American accents is because they learn to before they become a big Star!!!
@@cjsvids8760and stop lying cuz usa got better actors
"Absolutely."
is it?
"No."
What a chaotic cute beauty 😂♥️
lizzies bang on the head with this one, and the fact brits and aussies have such varied accents that they end up practicing different accents their whole lives
RDJ did a really good English accent in the Sherlock Holmes films.
Wasn’t bad but still made some mistakes that gave him away. He didn’t hold his fork as a Brit would.
From memory, Aussies actually do have a linguistic advantage when it comes to accents. Apparently our accents are flatter or something (not the right term, idk what is though), so we have fewer region specific sounds and mouth shapes/tongue positions that we have to unlearn before learning those of the accent we're imitating. It's generally easier to add something than take it away, and the Aussie accent is kind of a "blank canvas" that lends itself well to that (which is probably why it's so rare to find non-Aussies who can do a believable Aussie accent). Or something like that. Combine that with extensive, long term expose to both American and British programs and you've got a lot of Aussie actors who are accent chameleons.
That being said, I'm terrible at accents. And there are a number of (quite big name) Aussie actors who always sound glaringly Aussie to me, regardless of their character's supposed nationality.
Yes, I read somewhere that the Australian accent likely developed from the children of immigrants trying to lose the accent of their parents. So, the Australian accent is the product of losing a lot of the harder sounds. Or something like that.
There is a WIDE range of American accents from Brits. A lot of big actors do a great job, then you start watching British TV and you will figure out that a character is supposed to be American halfway through a season, but you just thought they had one of those weird, regional British accents.
Weird regional accents. Are you saying the US don’t have regional accents? 🤭 if you’re saying someone from queens sounds like someone from the Deep South, I’d just laugh. There is a wide range of US accents to Brits because there are a large range of US dialects. It’s better than the alternative, the 2 accents that yanks associate with us. The royals or a London commoner. 🤭 They’re usually really bad as well, not inconclusive.
Name one such show
This may be true, but there are countless awful British accents in huge blockbuster productions - and that’s only when attempting the standard posh King’s English, or Cockneys from East London, which are the only two British accents that Hollywood seems to think exist. I’d love to see some of these A-list actors attempt Scouse, Glaswegian, Welsh Valleys, Cornish, Geordie, Yorkshire, Northern Irish etc. accents - these are more distinct from one another than entire national dialects are. This may be another reason Brits are better accents, because you have to pick up on these variations to understand people here.
It’s true with the Australian part, look at performers like Anna Torv(Mistresses, Fringe, Mindhunter, Last of Us), Travis Fimmel(Vikings, Raised by Wolves, The Beast), Cate Blanchett(Tár, Lord of the Rings, Elizabeth), Hugh Jackman(Logan/X-Men, The Greatest Showman, Les Misérables)-- just to start with-- they all go back and forth between American and British accents, almost perfectly…😮😮
I think Eliza Taylor, who plays Clarke on The 100, has an excellent American accent. I was surprised when I learned she was Australian for sure
The LaPaglia Brothers
I think too American accents and it's variations are descented from different European accents from immigration and the migration over time durign different centuries
Like when Liam Neeson displayed his irish accent and how slowed down with a slight infliction change it sounded Appalachian from the part of Kentucky where a lot of Irish and Scottish immigrants settled outside the cities
As an American who consumes a good amount of British media, I get it. From being little and watching Harry Potter on repeat to my obsession with Doctor Who, when you hear it enough, it just sort of happens. I didn't even realize i picked one up when I was little until my mom asked why I was talking in an accent. As an adult, if I watch enough content with a specific accent, I just slowly start to melt into it. I always figured if I went abroad, i would slowly lose my American accent and not even notice lol
I've heard plenty of British actors doing such perfect American accents I didn't even know they were British till later.
I've NEVER heard the opposite.
Chris Pratt can do a flawless English accent, specifically Essex. I'm English and I couldn't it as good as he does it.
Speak for yourself, my middle school Downton Abbey/Sherlock phase was so strong that my British accent is on point lmao
Lmao same British media was a huge part of my childhood. Let’s also not forget that weird era of TH-cam that was dominated by Zoella and all her friends
Or you just think it is. 🤭 People who are good at something don’t need to brag. It’s probably nowhere near as good as you think it is. Actors work with etiquette specialists to perfect it. A random 14 year old coaching herself isn’t going to be that standard. No need to be so rude to online bubz.
Your *English accent is decent. Guaranteed you can't do a basic Welsh, Scottish or NI..
Downton Abbey would only teach you the stereotypical British accent, not how the majority actually sound.
theres multiple british accents mate
Very true, in Australia I grew up on QI and Doctor who, as well as a range of American broadcasting.
Benny boy straight up speaking the truth. So many Aussie actors out there that nail the British and American accent. Even if I know they’re Aussie I still get surprised how authentic and native they sound.
E.Olsen is such a classy & charming person. Same with BC, btw. Could watch these two chat for hours
The way Elizabeth said "Absolutely" was hilarious lol
It because American actors only attempt southern English accents. Some more northern English accents have some similarities American and Australian. In the 1970s and 80s when I was in London I was often asked if I was American.
I'd agree. Brits are more exposed to American media than Americans are exposed to British stuff. I think purely because American media is usually more advertised, bigger and better. Yes, some stuff they do is shit, but it ultimately reaches further.
IDK I grew up in the mid 2000s and from ten to early twenties I only consumed British media (it was a phase 😂) and I couldn't do an accent to savey life, BUT I do recognize the different regional accents
Thats true American hegemony is world dominating. Everyone is brought up more with American culture even more than their own.
@heda kom
Thats not true. American culture permeates and often trumps other cultures like no other. If you play video games watch tv, or use the Internet you are being exposed to, and even pertisapating in American culture, never mind other forms of media. Most people particularly those post "Gen X" have been brought up with it. Hell even the charactorisatins of the generation is its self an American concept. So it even effects the way we think of and classify what could be deemed as our "own culture" and even the language we use
@heda kom
And the point is all those countries show American tv shows.
Thats why their are universal cultural touch shows like the Simpsons, family guy, the wire, CSI, and braking bad to name just a few have produced. You go to any country in the world, particularly though not exclusively, English speaking countries, and they will know characters like captain kirk, darth vader, and the terms and phrases used like light saver, ect.
Something in the news of late is the term "burner phone" which people now refer to for what was once called a PAYG phone, and is a term that came from the tv show "the wire". This is cultural hegemony in action and that is the point
Oh and the countries you referred to as not showing US TV are the exceptions that prove the rule not an negation of it.
@heda kom I went to England and probably 70% of the shows on TV were American shows. It was disappointing honestly.
@heda kom
The point is, their own culture is so heavily influenced and informed by US culture, their own culture is - as far as being a souly a product of the endemic population -- does not have AS MUCH of an influence on them as the American one does.
Of coarse they are still raised in the culture into which they are born. But that culture is so influenced and informed by the US it dose not have as much of an influence on them as the american one does. This really should not really be that difficult to understand. You must realise this your self.... if you are honest
@heda kom
I am not American.
But thanks for the interaction.
For me, Emma Watson somehow single-handedly makes this not true.
Yeah she was just plain awful
She was the first person that came to mind and I instantly disagreed. She’s so bad at the American accent, they really tried to put her in things she shouldn’t have been in for a couple years there.
But then again, there are a lot of convincing English actors
Not me immediately thinking of Cate Blanchett 😂
As a Brit, from birth, we are bashed over the head with American media etc etc. It's very easy to mimic the different accents!
The same goes for Aussies. The UK/Australia has a long history (hense the flag!) and many expats from both sides settling.
It’s about the structure of the mouth/pallet that is built by each particular accent. It is easier to go one direction than the other.
I met people in Europe that grew up watching American cartoons and learned the American accent that way. The knew mainstream slang from shows but didnt know the region dialect/jargon.
That’s facts.
Obviously content consumption is a major reason, but also the exposure to different accents in the U.K. due to proximity to Europe, the long history communities from various colonies, the history of various regional dialects within the U.K, all necessitate a greater ability to pick up on accents to able to bloody understand anyone over here. The yanks have also made it easier for themselves by only attempting posh King’s English, or East London Cockney, the only two British accents that Hollywood seem to think exist. I’d love to see some of these A-list actors attempt Scouse, Glaswegian, Welsh Valleys, Cornish, Geordie, Yorkshire, Northern Irish etc. accents - these are more distinct from one another than entire national dialects are.
so true, i mainly grew up watching american programmes (disney channel and nickelodeon)
I agree with Liz because British people have a really nice accent. I watched HP, The Great British Baking Show, and british movies and tv shows because I love the accent and have been trying to do it one.
Tv only prioritises one/two English accents. We have many that you guys don't get exposed to. Just remember that the ones you're refering to are RP London and Cockney. Please don't lump us all together. X
In the US we just don’t have a reason to do it (besides watching Mary Poppins and Eliza Doolittle or maybe a Guy Ritchie film)
That makes sense, I've read a lot about Potuguese children picking up Brazilian accents because they watched a lot of Brazilian youtubers, while the opposite generally doesn't happen
her stylist dressing her in spring color palette 🤌🏼🤌🏼
I think its because, in the UK we watch so much American TV and film. Like wise the Australian watch a load of UK and US tv and film.
I love how it is easy for these guys to say one race is better and it's okay for that
I also think that there is more of an american undertone to Australian accents even though sometimes australian and British can be difficult to tell apart at times for americans. I watch australian vloggers and their vowels are less pronounced
Counter point ... Depends on thr american accent. I have seen few that are good at mimicing southern accents authentically. Even Americans struggle with it if they were not exposed to it. But i think that goes with her therory of why. There are not many media with authentic southern accents.
It doesn't sound who it is. Robert Downey Junior as Sherlock Holmes, brilliant. I've forgotten his name somehow, Tyrion Lannister. Brilliant.
I agree that it depend on the content you consume, because as an American who LOVES alot of time period/historical films and a good amount of British series, I can pick up accents pretty easy! the most reason one is an Irish accent because I've gotten back into watching Jacksepticeyes video ^w^.
Recall learning that, for LA Confidential, Aussies Russell Crowe and Guy Pearce beat out American actors to play 1950s era Los Angeles detectives. All about education and dedication.
Not gonna lie started watching more British and Aussie shows over the years, now some times my fuck sounds like fook when I get real upset or passionate about something 😅😂
I don’t think it’s as much to do with that as people think other wise we’d of to some capacity adopted American pronunciation into ours at some point even if ever so slightly and we haven’t.
I think the American accent is just genuinely easier to emulate.
The Aussie accent is so wild that someone else’s isn’t hard for us cause we already make such off sounds all the time anyway and I say this as an Aussie dating a Canadian
Something else that might play a small factor as well is that America is a really big place with lots of different accents. You can get away with being a little more vague with the accent when it's American because there are so many different variations. When you compare that to English accents, yes there are definitely regional variations but England is a significantly smaller area and you are able to get a more specific feel for the nuances of those individual variations then you are in an area as vast as the US. Something being slightly off on an English accent would stick out a lot more to an English audience than something being slightly off about an American accent.
I think it’s also that American accent regions are way less defined than British ones. Because people have lived together for so long, the accents are really distinct and isolated, so a small mistake is noticeable. American accents have some distinctions but there’s a lot of variation within them so a mistake sounds like natural variation.
The real question is why. Let’s hear from a dialect coach because there is a technical reason.
It also may just be that more stuff is made in the US, so actors in other bug markets feel they HAVE to learn an American accent(s) to get roles or be able to break into a higher level.
I've worked professionally as an accent/dialect coach, as well as an actor. There are a few reasons. The main one is what Elizabeth said- the world listens to American accents more than any other, whether tv shows, movies, music, news.
Its'' also more of a recent thing to have the authentic accent. There were many Brit actors in Hollywood in the 30,s40's,50's who never lost their accents or donned an American one. Everyone just suspended belief, and accepted it, such as - Cary Grant, David Niven, Deborah Kerr, Jean Simmons, Ray Milland, Michael Caine, Albert Finney,etc.
What has changed is that many Brit and Aussie acting conservatories has put more emphasis both on character and on doing authentic accents, especially American. Some British and Aussie conservatories have extended courses just on doing American accents for those planning to hit the Hollywood market. I know RADA,Guildhall does. The main acting conservatory in Sydney, Australia has students graduate, and offer another 6 months extensive program for those planning on going to Hollywood, with American accent being the main focus.
to add to my last comment- I went to an acting conservatory in NY years ago. We did have accent/dialect training, which helped me in being an accent coach. Sadly, in the US, there are not as many conservatories, and it's not pushed. There are many acting classes, where you can study with an acting teacher for 3 months, 6 months, 1,2 years. There are electives like movement, speech, accents,etc. but not mandatory. So most don't take it. I'm glad I went to an acting conservatory (american academy of dramatic arts) where you had to be accepted in, and then they give you the program you have for the 1,2,3 year study. So along with acting, it included movement/dance, speech, accents, make up, classics,etc. . I'm not sure if I was given the option ,like a lot of the acting programs are nowadays, I probably wouldn't have taken dance, accents,etc. I'm glad I did .
Little british children 'play' in American accents to replicate the shows & games they like abd have done since 80s... Used to do it myself with Power Rangers in early 90s and my kids do it now with Barbie etc
she’s completely right
This has to be the reason. I love British productions because theyre less dramatic in general than American content and I've tried to introduce British stuff to my friends and they legit struggle to understand the British accent lol. But pretty much the whole world, not just English speakers, get exposed to a lot of American content. I have at least two friends who learned English as kids almost entirely from American movies and shows! Just wild.
Thats a 100% agree.
Her ring is BEAUTIFUL
Renee Zellweger and Robert Downey Jr. are the exception. They both do a flawless British accent.
please show this to any american who doesn’t think they have an accent😭 even as an american, her accent is so strong when you hear it compared to his strong english accent
I don’t think anyone thinks they have an accent. But everyone does.
@@rlee7389 there’s a difference between not really hearing your own accent and straight up denying you have one tho, I’ve seen other Americans literally claim they didn’t have an accent
and there you have it!
Someone said this before, what she said is spot on 👍
On the flip side: I grew up watching British television shows & I went to see Downton Abbey with a friend and she (somehow) didn’t understand half of what they were saying. She barely ever has seen anything outside of Hollywood, so that along side her logic I believe there is major truth to being exposed versus not being exposed.
America used to have more diverse accents but with younger people relocating to urban areas & the rise of social media and now worldwide streaming, it seems to be dying out unless you hit the smaller towns.
i was born in 2000 and have a very thick southern california accent (think surfer and valley mixed). since i’ve lived in the same area-ish for my entire life in a small town in orange county-by the time social media started to blow up my accent was already solidified. a lot of the locals here, especially young ones, still have a thick southern californian accent. the only ones that don’t are the transplants, and we have a lot, lol. thanks hollywood
I agree for the British actors who work over here! I do watch a lot of BBC though, and ohhhh...honeyyyy...😬😂
I like Benedict but people don’t “rip” his American accent enough. In Dr. Strange his American accent was all over the place.
Content is partially a factor but a major one is just how we naturally form vowel sounds in Australia and Britain allows greater flexibility than the natural way Americans do.
Not only in accent but also in acting
Renée Zellweger 👀
The reaspn for that is americans speak english correctly. So you can look at the words and just know what the sound like, instead of having to guess. Imagine youre building a house and you cant use the blueprint
I’m going to try to briefly explain why this is so often the case. The American accent sits very far back in the throat, and certain vowel sounds are very hard like r’s - haRRRd - and it’s hard to pull that all the way to the front of the throat to achieve a British accent - and the British accent sits at the very front of the throat and vowels are a lot lighter like hAArd. When you think about this, it makes sense how it’s easier for British people to pull their voice back a bit rather than for Americans to push theirs forward. Of course, with both British and American accents, there’s a lot of different types of the accent, but those rules are true for almost all of them. The reason why Australians are seemingly so good at both accents is because their accent sits in the middle of the throat, and it’s easy for them to pull it back or push it forward. Hope this helps for anyone curious.
that is only true, with American accents from the West Coast. East Coast , whether New York, Boston, New England, they never pronounce the 'r' sound ie pahd cah hahvad....
Probably has to do with the first American settlers were from England, who also don't pronounce 'r's
. The 'r' got harder as it went further West.
@@johnmarengo3988 ah, I grew up in the Midwest, so I suppose I was going off of the American accents I was used to in my childhood.
British and Australians watch so much American media that is easier for them to learn the American accent. When it comes to foreign accents though, I believe Americans tend to get the foreign accent better and faster than Brits and Australians. I lived in Mexico for a few years and the Brits and Australians there just butchered the Spanish language. I was asked by so many Mexican women to help out their British boyfriends with their Spanish pronunciation. And even after months the British guy still sounded horrible in Spanish.
Well Ur just wrong
@@sib1930 Says you! Who made you the king of info? I have seen it firsthand and I know I am correct.
Erroneous. But cool story broooo
@@yoholmes273 It's 100% correct.
I’m assuming you’re American based on your comment. Gotta love it when Americans think foreign languages could only mean Spanish in Mexico 🤣. There’s a whole lot more countries and languages out there buddy! I think Americans are better at Spanish because they neighbour Mexico and there’s a lot of Mexican influence in America these days.
Gogglebox is absolutely prime material for real British accents. Downton far less so. Call the Midwife's not bad; although it's still quite London-centric it does have some regional elements, and different classes.
Of course Australians would be better at British accents. Australia had one dominant colonizer for centuries, and still has a union jack on their flag. America is named after an Italian, and has states names of at least 4 different languages (English, Spanish, French, and Native). To this day, the US still has no official language. Australia still has at least one monarch on their money. It would be weird if they didn't do a better British accent.
Charlie hunnam, Christian bale, tom hardy, idris elba are the first ones i think of for a very good American accent
It’s not a doubt a strong agree lol. So many British actors are so good at playing Americans, people are shocked to find they’re not American. Hugh Laurie, idris Elba, Christian bale, Daniel day Lewis, Andrew Lincoln and so many more. In also kind of agree that Australian actors are good as well because they can do both British and American. But I wouldn’t say they’re better than Brits at that (already half way there), but they have the edge because they can do Aussie accents which brits can’t do as well (mind I can’t think of too many examples of Brits doing Aussie accents)
I don't know where I get this from but I feel like British English has some more complicated phonetic pronunciations than American English, but American English doesn't really have a lot of complicated phonetic pronunciations the British doesn't have. so it's easier for British people to talk without those phonetic flourishes than for Americans to learn how to pronounce them. Australian also have there complicated pronunciations, some of them are very similar to the British ones, some are different and some are more similar to American so it's easy for them to do both
Both of them are great actors. Elizabeth is correct. I do watch all British shows through Britbox and Acorn paid subscriptions as there are no American shows on that are any good. Even the music for the shows are amazing. But I do hear American news and people all day and would never
have the guts to feign being British in public.
Is wish there was more access to British content here. While there are some on streaming service but it so little and hard to find what you are looking for. The ones that get the most attention or known of here are ones that have been adapted to American such as The Office, Shameless. I know there have been many but not on the top of my head. It’s easier to look through Asian Dramas than Korean.
As an American I completely agree. When it comes to performing arts I think Brit’s are just better than most Americans anyway! However we have RDJ- and he rocks at everything- especially performing arts and accents.
Well brits aren't just better at accents. There's specific reasons when anyone is better at accents. It's not arbitrary .
@@johnmarengo3988 well I think they are
The only exception I have seen is James Marsters, the actor who played Spike on Buffy. I honestly had no idea he was American.
i disagree tbh you can tell it’s not his actual accent cause he slips up sometimes or his voice just sounds really off
Yeah you can hear a lot of slipping no matter who it is with any accent eg I hear Margot Robbie slip a lot or Aussies slip a lot with American accents
& as an Australian, that accent of hers kills me
It’s funny her talking about consuming US content. I grew up watching her sisters in England 🤭🤭
My brother has a strong American accent from watching TH-cam. I have a Aussie accent most of the time and a mild English accent the rest of the
That's not true as much I love American shows
I love British shows too
I love peaky blinders, Sherlock Holmes and specially British singers
Their charming ❤️
Some good exceptions though. Johnny Depp and Rene Zelwegger's English accents are flawless.
This isn’t a dig but British actors usually have been doing it since children and have been in multiple theatre productions before they’ve even seen a camera. On a stage there is no room for mistakes, including when doing an accent that isn’t their own. It’s a lot of pressure and that’s their early career. By the time they’re on TV they’re already seasoned actors and just need adapting to acting to a camera instead of a live crowd.
So many Aussie Hollywood actors that would wouldn’t even know, if you hadn’t grown up watching Neighbours like I did.
Elizabeth's theory makes sense. Personally, the only British show I was exposed to growing up in the 90s was Mr. Bean.
I'm American, but I learned to do a flawless Dublin accent.
this is just objectively true
Johnny Depp and RDJ are just some of the few who can actually nail a British accent
then there’s John Krasinski’s kids
@@carina9295 😂
It’s true
I’m always gobsmacked finding out someone is Australian, and I’ve thought about it a lot…100% American accents dominate media. British English is heard a lot as well but we just don’t get as much access to Australian accents.
I'm an American and I'm pretty good at a British accent. I grew watching British dramas with my mom as a kid, and I've listened to audio books with British narrators.
I decided to get an opinion from a friend of mine whose from the UK and he said my British accent was pretty good. It takes a lot of practice though. I can do a London accent, but I still need to practice the other regions of the UK.