Nuu Zilland ikksint.

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#1456812 24-Dec-2015 22:17

One good thing about the NZ accent is its so hard to emulate that most seasoned actors get it really wrong (Enders Game - Sir Ben Kingsley)

gzt

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#1456818 24-Dec-2015 22:30

I remember this. At the time I thought the guest exaggerated 'ten' a few times for comic effect. But UK has no concept of 'Ute' and Norton would be clueless about that anyway. Maybe a few other examples in there. Chair would sound like cheer etc.

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#1456822 24-Dec-2015 22:45

gzt: I remember this. At the time I thought the guest exaggerated 'ten' a few times for comic effect. But UK has no concept of 'Ute' and Norton would be clueless about that anyway. Maybe a few other examples in there. Chair would sound like cheer etc.

Yes, a ute would be a pick up - usually driven by builders more than farmers. Also those ones that look like cars with no back rather than 4WD trucks are not sold in Europe at all.

Other good ones from that clip include "Hum and Mum".

My missus used to do speech therapy and she says it's partly "because nobody opens their ******** mouths when they speak, so they do not enunciate clearly!"

Sex and six were a source of early hilarity for us, I recall. I was asked by a lady selling eggs at a farmers market if I "would have sex'.....belatedly realising with much relief that she meant six! I wasn't too sure I would have survived the encounter if she'd meant the former.

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#1456860 25-Dec-2015 02:27

alasta: I have also noticed that New Zealand newsreaders sound a lot more British if you listen to archival material that is several decades old. Dougal Stevenson and Philip Sherry, for example, sound quite different from the modern newsreaders.

That's because they were taught diction and how to pronounce words clearly back then I don't think they really bother to much with it these days

eracode

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#1456868 25-Dec-2015 05:15

Athlonite:
alasta: I have also noticed that New Zealand newsreaders sound a lot more British if you listen to archival material that is several decades old. Dougal Stevenson and Philip Sherry, for example, sound quite different from the modern newsreaders.

That's because they were taught diction and how to pronounce words clearly back then I don't think they really bother to much with it these days

That 'received English' on radio and TV was artificial and doesn't reflect how people spoke in everyday life back then.

Some time ago in SE Asia we met an arrogant American guy who said he was intrigued by our accents - but flatly refused to accept that he had any accent himself. Obviously he regarded himself as normal and us as oddities. We though he was ridiculous.

In the 1970's I worked for a while with a young guy who had recently come here from Glasgow. He was speaking English but with the thickest accent I have ever heard. I was young and had not really travelled much at that time and I could barely understand a word he said. I had to keep asking him to repeat what he said and then to repeat it again. I often still did not understand what he was saying so I would just smile and nod yes. Was a bit embarrassing.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

geek4me

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#1456924 25-Dec-2015 08:18

If you don't think we have an accent go overseas for a few years and when you come back you'll realise how 'bad' our NZ accent is.

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tdgeek

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#1456926 25-Dec-2015 08:24

geek4me: If you don't think we have an accent go overseas for a few years and when you come back you'll realise how 'bad' our NZ accent is.

Yep

"Been nice meeting you, although I didn't understand most of what you said for these 4 weeks"

In Smokey Mountains, saw a black bear up ahead, stopped. SUV stopped as well.
"I saw a bear here just now"
"a what?"
"a bear"
"a what?"
"a beaRRRR"
"Oh, a bear"

MikeB4

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#1456967 25-Dec-2015 10:44

geek4me: If you don't think we have an accent go overseas for a few years and when you come back you'll realise how 'bad' our NZ accent is.

accents are not bad they are different.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

roobarb

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#1456969 25-Dec-2015 10:50

New Zealanders have a curious inflection in sentences where they rise in tone at the end, which makes even simple statements sound like questions.

Geektastic

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#1456973 25-Dec-2015 10:56

eracode:
Athlonite:
alasta: I have also noticed that New Zealand newsreaders sound a lot more British if you listen to archival material that is several decades old. Dougal Stevenson and Philip Sherry, for example, sound quite different from the modern newsreaders.

That's because they were taught diction and how to pronounce words clearly back then I don't think they really bother to much with it these days

That 'received English' on radio and TV was artificial and doesn't reflect how people spoke in everyday life back then.

Some time ago in SE Asia we met an arrogant American guy who said he was intrigued by our accents - but flatly refused to accept that he had any accent himself. Obviously he regarded himself as normal and us as oddities. We though he was ridiculous.

In the 1970's I worked for a while with a young guy who had recently come here from Glasgow. He was speaking English but with the thickest accent I have ever heard. I was young and had not really travelled much at that time and I could barely understand a word he said. I had to keep asking him to repeat what he said and then to repeat it again. I often still did not understand what he was saying so I would just smile and nod yes. Was a bit embarrassing.

Yes, Glaswegian accents can be pretty indecipherable, especially after a few beers...!!

Geektastic

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#1456974 25-Dec-2015 10:58

tdgeek:
geek4me: If you don't think we have an accent go overseas for a few years and when you come back you'll realise how 'bad' our NZ accent is.

Yep

"Been nice meeting you, although I didn't understand most of what you said for these 4 weeks"

In Smokey Mountains, saw a black bear up ahead, stopped. SUV stopped as well.
"I saw a bear here just now"
"a what?"
"a bear"
"a what?"
"a beaRRRR"
"Oh, a bear"

From a Kiwi that may well sound like "I saw a beer here just now" to an English speaker. Could be fatal...!

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kiwifidget

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#1457119 25-Dec-2015 17:04

For some weird reason I have particularly clear diction and pronunciation.
So much so that NZers often ask me where I am from, as in what country.
I am however NZ born and bred.
I've never even lived overseas.
It would seem that mumbly incoherence is an NZ accent trait, and if you aren't mumbly incoherent you must be foreign!

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andrew027

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#1457134 25-Dec-2015 17:37

I've lived and worked in a number of countries, some where English was decidedly a foreign language, so have learned to speak slowly and clearly. I remember one conversation with an American where he complained we didn't pronounce consonants at the end of words, so "bear" sounds like "beah". I countered by asking why he pronounced consonants in words that weren't there, so "bob" sounds like "barb".

JWR

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#1457265 26-Dec-2015 01:27

OK. There isn't any correct way to pronounce English.

If there was, then it would be an American or Indian accent - based on numbers.

There is a view that accent displays class or learning.

I am glad to say that doesn't apply here.

People have commented on John Key's accent. But, his accent is similar to many New Zealanders- including me.

So - any who you don't like our accent - tough!

MikeB4

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#1457275 26-Dec-2015 07:40

To me mocking or likewise of accents is the same as racial, religious, gender, disability slurs.

Here is a crazy notion, lets give peace a chance.

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