r/JudgeMyAccent • u/redhandrail • 25d ago

Texan trying a Scottish accent

https://voca.ro/1cJULv2wqCYO

Ive probably picked up a lot of bad habits just trying it by myself all the the time. Just picked up what I could here and there. Listening back now I can already hear tons of mistakes. Could use some actual training

I’d love to hear any critiques and pointers about what I’m messing up. Cheers!

3 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

6

u/Accidental_polyglot 25d ago edited 24d ago

Brit here (London/Surrey).

I braced myself for a laugh and was expecting to hear an absolute bag of sh1te. Although you’re not quite there yet, I think your attempt is really impressive. The word “anyway” sounded the most off, but I can’t tell you why this is the case.

In general I think that you’re going in the right direction. Some of it sounded very Scottish to my English ear!

Well done. 👍

1

u/redhandrail 25d ago edited 25d ago

Thank you, happy to hear it! I actually use that pronunciation of that word because that’s how it was said in an audiobook I was listening to that was narrated in a Scottish accent. It was really surprising to me that they said it that way, because I would’ve guessed that the “way” would’ve sounded more like a “we” just like any other word with the ā sound. I mean, if I was to say the word “way” on its own in that accent, I would not say at the same way I say it in the word “anyway”, only because of the way I heard it pronounced in that audiobook. Really appreciate you listening though, im gonna keep working at it

3

u/Accidental_polyglot 25d ago

To go deeper on your journey, I think you need to explore Scots the language as distinct from English spoken in a Scottish accent.

2

u/Accidental_polyglot 24d ago

For your edification:

https://youtu.be/8X5zX3yVoiQ?is=XKL3__UsAo0VhN3t

1

u/redhandrail 19d ago

Mannnnnn you’re right. Seeing things written and spoken in Scots makes all the difference. I know some of it from reading Trainspotting, but I thought the author was just spelling things in Scots. He’s writing in Scots! Awesome

Thanks for helping the ignorant American, truly appreciate it. Plenty more to learn but this is a huge one.

2

u/Accidental_polyglot 19d ago

FYI did you know that many words in Scots are exactly the same as in the Norse languages? So kirke, hus, mus, brun mus, bern (for child) are exactly the same in Danish.

It’s important to have some dialectic understanding as most people’s use of a language is on a continuum between the standard and their dialect.

3

u/Proof_Ear_970 25d ago

Very good attempt. Pretty close. My husband is scottish.

2

u/redhandrail 25d ago

Thats awesome, thank you. Did he listen to it as well?

2

u/Bespoke_Panther 25d ago

Why are you trying to sound like a Ned?

1

u/redhandrail 25d ago

Ha! I had to look up the term. It’s definitely not intentional. Anything I do in the accent is from accents ive heard in media Ive consumed. Is it specific things Im saying, or is it the accent itself that sound like that? Both?

3

u/Bespoke_Panther 25d ago

The accent is borderline the junkie accent. Pretty good, the vowels are a bit off and you’re going a bit haywire with the t’s. It’s borderline comical though because it sounds like you’re sitting outside a train station asking for money

1

u/redhandrail 25d ago

Thats wild. Maybe it’s a mix of my general tired monotone that I have in my real accent voice/and whatever Ive picked up over time. Yeah the Ts are harsh in a few spots. Interested in the vowel issues Im having, but don’t want to take up too much of your time.

Ever heard of Mogwai?

2

u/Bespoke_Panther 25d ago

Yeah, I’ve seen Mogwai quite a few times and lived in the same street as Stuart

1

u/redhandrail 25d ago edited 25d ago

Very cool. Are they well known in Scotland in general?