how to confuse americans

I love to hear a British accent. It always sounds classy. I enjoy Irish, Scottish, even cockney. And no, they don't confuse me There are many regional accents here in the states. I am from the Pittsburgh Pennsylvania area, and my accent is recognizable almost everywhere. I have been far from home in other states, and invariably someone will say "You're from Pittsburgh, aren't you?" So...I wouldn't say its confusing...it is however, somewhat unexpected at times. I guess Americans don't expect to see many black people in other countries, which really makes no sense, but it is what it is.

*shrug* Whats so confusing about it? Now, a blue (or any color for that matter) rabbit with a Scottish accent, that's not only confusing, it's disturbing....since rabbits aren't supposed to have accents....or thoughts expressible in an accent for that matter.

well JB, a lot of things confuse me regularly but this isnt one of them. I am sure it confuses some, but then so does juice from concentrate....

Actually, jb, it was during my teenage years, when the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were all the rage, that I first had the opportunity to hear a Brit of African descent speak and it certainly was an oddity at the time. I don't believe it's any less so today. People have their general stereotypes of others so any variation of the norm can be confusing and entertaining. I seem to recall seeing an Asian female comedian who had a British accent once...her ethnicity combined with her accent was a big part of her act. Black country music singers fall into the same category.

I grew up a military brat and lived all over so it does not confuse me at all. I am used to it. On the funny side....I took the kids to disney at the beginnging of the year. There was a lady waiting for a show in line in front of us that was from England. My three year old asked her if she was Mary Poppins because that was the only person she had ever heard speak with an English accent. Thank goodness the lady just laughed and thought it was cute. LOL.

Brits are annoying? lol. I think the French are worse but thats me. Im Canadian and we're told that we dont sound American at all. We do have different accent from province to province here, as someone said, Canada is so big, Im sure we dont all sound the same. I had a friend in Tennessee and most of the time when he called, I had to tell him to slow down, I couldnt make out what he was saying with the brawwwwl !! I dont care if people have accents. We have people of all nationality here in Canada who dont look Canadian but are Canadian and it always surprises me when they talk the same as we do. So its global and it must be the same in the US. YET, its always a surprise to see ....lets say a Japanese talk with an American accent or British accent or even a French accent. We'll get used to it eventually. As for me, my parents were born in Canada but my grandparents on my father's side were born in Italy. I have an Italian name and sometimes I like to nag the salespeople at the store, I pretend I have an Italian accent haha......its so funny how they talk louder and slower lol. We have your Queen here in Canada for 9 days. Im sure she'll notice the different accents as she's travelling all over the country...maybe she'll go back home with a Canadian accent???

I can't speak for the whole country, but it's never seemed odd to me. Most people are well aware that there are plenty of black and Indian people living in England. Granted, I spent the last 20 years living in Florida and 17 of those years were in Orlando, home of the top entertainment destinations in the world so I saw people from all over the world on a regular basis.

A zillion years ago, when I was a child, there was a children's show on TV which I can't remember the name of but can hum the theme tune of. Of the several children featured, one was a black boy with a British accent. I was surprised, but I was a child with limited knowledge of the world beyond my experience. Of course these days, we've plenty of exposure to famous black Brits such as Lenny Henry; and anyone who follows F1 knows of Lewis Hamilton. I think television has done much more to de-mystify the world and spread understanding of culture than most give it credit for. Sure, it's a great wasteland for the most part, but even though we might cringe at the exports from our countries to others and the often exaggerated or false images that might be promulgated thereby, we have to acknowledge it does break down barriers to understanding. Interestingly, there is a commercial on TV for a candy which portrays two Korean Scotsmen as an example of a contradiction. So, it's apparently Koreans with a Scottish accent that confuse Americans.

All I know is I can understand a British black better than I can the blacks in my state. My neighbor talks to me. Her daughter has to interpret what she's saying. LOL

jb the black, british, reasonably successful comedians do not confuse this American at all. Why should it as we have a lot of people from Africa, Scotland, Ireland and yes Brittain too who all have accents. Why is it that p;eole think we Americans are dumb bunnies? Are therenot dumb bunnies in all the other countries too? or is this bash America day? Guess my sense of humor just evap;orated over this so will say this yet , another annoying Brit trying to upset me. I have heard all these v arious accents before and am not really that amused. My 3 gr grandparents on one side came form ireland , on the other side from Scotland so am really familar with all sorts of accents. Most Americans are much smarter than you seem to give them credit for.or is this my warped sense of humor blue bunny at having to wait three to five minutes to load responses on our dear MyLot tonight.

Many people have accents which are different than one would expect. I don't find those instances confusing at all. Interesting maybe, but not confusing. Probably a few centuries ago it may have been more confusing, but with the mobility of many of the world's peoples...why should it be? I love the exotic nature that any accent adds to speech, it's almost musical for many. Comedians too frequently rely on old and outdated materials to just get laughs. Give me cLASSIC Stephen Wright, George Carlin or Bill Cosby over them anyday.

I think that you are feeling naughty Blue Bunny. After 40 years I still have a Brit accent - at least they tell me that out here.But when I am in the U.K. they tell me that I have a Jamaican accent. I don't know

I'm not really sure why it should be. In Canada, at least, and I'm know is also true in the States, and even more so, accents are widely varied, depending on the geographic area you come from. 4000 or so kilometres (or is it miles?) divide me and my BC compatriots. My accent is bound to differ somewhat. The UK is tiny compared to North America yet what an amazing variety in accents between one area and another, even within the same city! I do admit, however, seeing a Korean, speaking English, with a Spanish lilt, does make my mind do a double take!

I wouldn't be surprised, I confused them by being white (or pinkish) and sounding slightly Scottish (thanks to my crazy friend and Kilmarnock fan from Ayr) and Welsh (Norwegians have a quite singing accent) and foreign at the same time. I kept repeating myself in the US (especially Chicago), the locals didn't understand much. Never had problems in any other English talking countries. But wouldn't a real cockney accent confuse most people without one?

Hi JB. I think it is less confusing now than it was a number of years ago - or at least less surprising. The first time I returned to England, in 1980, I was served in a shop in London by a black man in a turban - and a very upper crust English accent. I have to admit to being surprised, but now take it for granted. As the saying goes, "the world is getting smaller." Many of England's Olympic team are coloured and some of our Aussie team have very "foreign" names. I wonder if in another 20 years or so there might be a bigger mix of cultures in most countries.

We don't really have that issue in Australia because we are extremely multicultural. There are people of all races here and so if we see a dark person in the street we understand they could be from anywhere! But yeah I guess we are so bombarded with American TV that when we hear a dark person speaking in a British accent it does seem strange at first. It's just what we're exposed to a lot in our day to day lives I guess!

Nope, that's not confusing to me at all, Rabbit. However, what IS very confusing to me is when someone implies that I and others from my part of Pennsylvania have accents because EVERYONE knows we're the only people on earth with absolutely NO accent! Annie

How would that be confusing? Do people think Americans don't know that black people live in Europe, and thus have European accents?

There was a black girl from England the year I was in Germany, folks were looking at her kind of strangely as I recall. She said she was from southern England, so I asked her if she had a southern drawl. She didn't get it...