When it comes to the global language you instantly think of English. No matter where you go in the world you can get from A to B by deploying your vocabulary and asking the questions that you need answers to. The beauty of this is that you’ll hear all manner of interesting and intriguing accents. Wherever you go the locals will put their own unique twist on each syllable.
To give you plenty of food for thought we’re going to take a look at a few of the accents you’ll find around the world.
American
The most common accent you’ll find due to the size of the country itself is the American accent. Whilst every country has plenty of accents within its borders (more on that a little later) there’s no escaping the unique twang of an American accent.
Engaging, excited, and confident. If there were only three words to use to describe how Americans sound it would be these. No matter where you go in this green and pleasant land you’ll sure to be greeted with a resounding: “Howdy” or “Hey!” There’s nothing like a big American welcome to make you fell at home.
There’s also the added tick against the American accent that we’re all used to it. With so many movies coming out of Hollywood we’re all used to seeing the American accent in movies and hit TV shows. Ideal if you want to be able to go anywhere in the world and have people instantly understand what you’re trying to say!
Canadian
The close cousin of the American accent lies north of the border in snowbound Canada. Whilst the two countries may be bedfellows in so many ways, the accents couldn’t be more different. Canadians adopt a more languid style of speaking which allows them to exude the same confidence as their American friends, but to do it whilst remaining reassuringly calm and relaxed.
If you’ve ever been to Canada then you’ll have experienced firsthand why they have a reputation as possibly the friendliest people in the entire world. With a calm and relaxed pace of speaking combined with a reassuring and approachable accent they really are the perfect hosts.
One thing they will tell you that happens all too often is that they’re asked which part of America they’re from! Still, you can’t have everything…
Australian
Third up are the far-removed cousins of the English known as the Australians. They may sound like Americans to the uninitiated: the changes in pitch, the friendly free-flowing way of speaking, and they way that they project confidence all make the comparisons inevitable. What’s markedly different however is how they pose questions, or at least how they appear to be doing so…
One of the clearest indicators that you’re talking to an Australian is that their pitch inclines during the last few words of most sentences. Whilst English speakers the world over use this technique to ask questions, the Australians simply cannot get enough of it. It may sound a little confusing if it’s the first time you’ve come across it but given time you’ll find it endearing. It’s what makes this one of the most desirable accents the world of English speakers has to offer.
New Zealand
No trip to Australia would be complete without crossing paths with a few of the neighboring New Zealanders so who better to turn our attention to next? Their accent is so calm and relaxed they’re often mistaken for Canadians or mild mannered and not so posh English people.
They may be small in number (there’s only 4 million of them) but you’re bound to encounter this accent sooner rather than later. If we’re awarding marks for a friendly, relaxed, and calm way of speaking this it has to be full marks for the New Zealand accent.
French
Next up is the French accent which you’ll not only find in France itself, but also throughout large areas of Canada — chiefly Montreal. The beauty of the French English accent is that it’s a blend of French and English pronunciation. This means that every word is infused with centuries of culture and tradition.
With French being the language of love so many people identify it as one of the most desirable accents in the world. It allows passion and romance to be taken to new heights and the elegant sound of every vowel is sure to melt the heart. If you’re looking to impress that special someone then adding a little French flourish to your accent could be just what you need.
English
Last on the list is the English accent, and there’s a little surprise in store for you.
England may not be the biggest country in the world but as any of the best translation companies in the world will tell you they that there are whole host of different English accents. You can learn a lot about the area someone is from purely by the way they speak.
English West Country
The West Country refers to Devon, Cornwall, and Somerset. For those of you that don’t know this little corner of the UK it’s the part that sticks out towards Ireland at the bottom. The area is known principally for farming and tourism and the accent is highly distinctive.
Speakers are often jokingly mocked by people with different accents in the UK as their way of talking can be a little slower. That said, if you’re looking for a unique accent that will be loved the rest of the world over then they don’t come much more endearing than a West Country accent.
English SouthEast
The SouthEast is dominated by London and Essex — two accents that sound quite different to the stereotypical posh English accent from Oxford and Cambridge most bad guys in the movies have.
It may be a little hard to understand for people outside of the UK, but within Great Britain it’s an accent that is revered. Turn on any TV drama and there’ll be someone speaking with it and they’ll probably be the most popular character in the show.
There are however a couple of regional accents that may sound like a completely different language if you haven’t heard them before.
English Liverpudlian (Scouse)
First off we have Liverpudlian, or Scouse as the locals call it. Found throughout Liverpool and the wider Merseyside area, the Scouse accent certainly takes a little getting used to. It’s one of those accents that you’ll either love or hate, and that’s not a bad thing really is it? Take the time to get to know it and you’ll gain a whole new appreciation for the corner of the UK that will be forever Liverpool.
English Newcastle (Geordie)
Our other entry is known as the Geordie accent and it resides in Newcastle. It may not be as strong as the Scottish accent that is a mere stone’s throw away over the border, but it will take some getting used to nonetheless.
Final Thought
Now that you’ve read about a few different accents why not find a few YouTube clips so you can hear them in all their glory. Perfect for deciding which ones you find the most and least attractive.
Kristin Savage nourishes, sparks and empowers using the magic of a word. She does her voodoo regularly on the Pick Writers blog and occasionally contributes to other educational platforms. Along with pursuing her degree in Creative Writing, Kristin was gaining experience in the publishing industry, with expertise in marketing strategy for publishers and authors. You can find her on Facebook and Medium.
