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this post was submitted on 22 Dec 2023
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South Africa has 11 official languages and some of the friendliest people you'll ever meet.
That's what it is. I've always been able to tell a distinct difference between the British English accent, and the South African English accent, even though they're almost identical. You speak English with a happy accent.
Genuine question here from a place of interest, what do you count as a British Accent? Is there like an actor or someone with an example?
I’m Scottish and for such a wee country (meaning both Scotland and also the UK) we have such a wide variety of accents I am always interested when someone says ‘British Accent’ as the difference between south Wales to Newcastle to Essex to Aberdeen are chalk and cheese to me.
Oh, well we don't get to compare those accents much. Trevor Noah when he first started playing in the US had a very clear South African English accent as opposed to now when he sounds a lot more American. John Oliver is who I think of for a classic "British" accent, but having never visited the islands, I wouldn't know the difference between a Yorkshire accent and a London accent, and as I understand it, London even has multiple accents
But there's a distinct tonal shift between Brits and South Africans. The SA English speakers are more high pitched and variable in their tonality making them sound "happy." The British English accent is more monotone to my ear, which sounds "mildly depressed, just waiting for the rain to stop for two days in the summer." Which is extremely English.
Forgot to reply to this but if you want a real depressing UK accent check out Brummies, messing folks from Birmingham. Another level of depressed!
All the South African folks I've met working in tourism had been absolutely lovely! Just a joy to talk with. Last time we had a South African gal I managed to blindside her with an unexpected Tot Ziens as she went to leave the gift shop, and we wound up just chatting for a good while. Coincidentally that was the day me and a coworker were talking coins, and it just so happened I had my Rand coin with me that day. Seeing one of those this far away from her home was uncanny for her.