your american accent was so good. very subtle and natural, lacking that quality that many non-american english speakers have when doing an american accent
This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
Thank you so much for this! This is by far the best Mid-Atlantic accent tutorial on youtube. The most viewed tutorials don't share nearly this much information as you've showed. I think my biggest takeaway from this video is that I need to combine my American and my English accidents in a natural blend instead of making it sound like a synthetic accident.
Thanks for your lovely comment, Dylan. I like your idea of finding your own way into this accent organically. I'm not a fan of the artificiality of the Hollywood 40s movie version, but I often use a blend of US and UK for my voice work - leaning more into one or the other as the client prefers. Enjoy creating your own unique blend :)
i love this because actresses like Lucy Boynton and Anya Taylor-Joy have this kind of unique accent, I think Lauren Cohan as well, but it’s long gone by now. It’s so satisfying to hear. I’ve been practicing it myself and improving… and I’ve been going back to this vid as a reference :)))
Oooo...aren't you a stunner, just like your Mum. With an amazingly soothing voice to boot!! Fantastic genes 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 She had a natural Transatlantic Accent, u know. Am no voice talent. Just your average Frog ;-). But I enjoy listening to & dabbling in American dialects in my free time, especially Eastern Seaboard. That's how I found you. All the very best, Susannah!
Thank you for your sweet comments, AB. Yes, Leslie's accent was naturally Transatlantic. I remember her recording some airline announcements for a Scandinavian airline who wanted to appeal to an international audience. Incidentally, I am especially fond of frogs - average, capitalised - all kinds. :)
“Guest House” by Rumi: This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
How unexpected! I am Malaysian as well, and the Malaysian accent that people have here varies in degree depending on many things. I was brought up mostly on American television but British pronunciation and spelling is taught here so I've always had a mix of both accents which is the exact reason I clicked on this video! I've been wanting to find a home for my patchwork accent, maybe refine it a little. Thanks for this!
Furniture (American), Furni-CHAH (British), Water or Wader (American), WoTAH (British). That's how I picked it up. Thank you. I've been doing funny voices and sound effects for years but this is my first time getting into "the game." You're tips and practices really helps to get started.
Yes, it makes sense! I think you’re into something very profound here🙌🏼 I can relate being from the Philippines where most of our English language curriculum originated in the early 20th century when the Trans-Atlantic accent had its highest influence in education
I used to have what I call a hybrid English accent, that is to say, I would pronounce many words typically as Americans do, others as the English. Then, I discovered RP in the early 90's. I used Peter Roach's English Phonetics and Phonology: a practical course. Highly recommend it! And don't forget to follow Susannah's advice, she's a PRO!
The fact that you’re using a persian poet’s poems for this demonstration of various accents is a big surprise for me as an Iranian, Iran has some of the best poets and even the translated version of Molana/Rumi sounds very beautiful and teaching, And of course, Your American and British accent sounds lovely, I wish i had remotely the same amount of proficiency as you do as my speech is very weak when it comes to English, Which is a language of many accents which have a lot of affection, I enjoyed this video because i wanted to know what is mid-atlantic accent and how it sounds like.
Thank you for your sweet comment. I think farsi is one of the most beautiful sounding languages on the planet so I can only imagine how lovely Rumi sounds in his/your native language.
I got a part in a Shakespearian musical and I play the Queen. My first thought was Julia Childs accent but upon research found she was from California like myself. She had this accent. Most of the actors in the musical I am in are going for a cockney accent but as queen I was looking for something fuller. Would love to see the phonetics on the words for this accent to get more technical about it. Thank you for your demonstrations!
Congratulations on your role, Stacy - that sounds really fun. As the Queen of the musical you definitely need a classier accent than cockney. I'm thinking listen to some samples of British RP and shift gently in that direction without forcing it. You will land in a natural sounding mid Atlantic mix that will be lovely.
accents come easily to me for some reason, I will randomly slip into accents, like british or southern accent it's really weird. This is perfect it sounds so beautfiul and soft ughh I could just talk like that all day.
This is beautiful. As an American speaker, when I answer the phone...the receiver often starts feigning a British accent. It's involuntary on my part...I tend to find my self speaking in a mid-Atlantic way. I grew up very close to my great-gran, who went to "charm school." Mid-Atlantic sounds like we're both speaking the same language?! Lol
That's really sweet, J.L. I suspect that people who are empaths tend to find a common ground accent to bridge the gap between cultures. I'm proud to be able to do an accent like your "great-gran's" :)
I agree, it was very convincing! I think the pronunciation of the final “y” in “honorably” was the most telling - it’s more of an “ee”[i] sound over here. I wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t already aware it wasn’t your native accent! We also tend to replace “t”s with glottal stops at the end of words (like “not” or “forgot”), at least where I’m from. Very informative video, thank you for taking the time to make this!
Lol, I can't even describe it. I find this very interesting, because this kind of analysis and accent work requires attention to the most subtle of details. It is definitely only in the last syllable, but it may also be the "bl". Do we Americans say "bl" slightly differently? Also, I can only hear this difference on my computer speakers. It sounds perfect on my tablet. We are truly splitting hairs here.
@@susannahsvoice I do stage acting . Elocution and ease of ad lib are called for in my present line study. What is your opinion on using words such as shan't , whilst and the royal "one" ( if one doesn't move beyond one's trivialities ....) for example ?
@@indiosveritas I'm thinking if you want to avoid affectation you might drop the "one" but if you want to cultivate it then that's an excellent way to go. It's a balance, isn't it/is it not? :)
I came to this video partly because after watching Hollywood on Netflix I became obsessed with learning a mid-atlantic accent. (Who knew it was taught to actors in the old days!?) Then on Season 1, Episode 5 of I Love Lucy there's a character actor Robert Emery who plays a "tramp". He has an extreme mid-Atlantic accent that was so much fun to listen to.
@@susannahsvoice Yes, I'm Italian and I'm jealous at how well they speak English, but I must admit many of the younger students I have speak so perfectly like young people from California. Their accents are perfect. I have spent 40 years and I still can't manage it. My (American) English professor at school in Rome told me to listen to Laurence Olivier in the BBC series, "The World at War." He said it was the perfect example of mid-Atlantic speech.
@@michaeldeorio9809 Interesting re Laurence Olivier's mid-Atlantic accent. I'm dreaming of a mid-Atlantic accent blended with an Italian one and in my imagination that is the language spoken in Heaven... :)
Hey Susannah! Hope you are well. I've just found your channel and I was so affected by your kindness and knowledge. I've started to subscribe you from now on. Thank you so much. You are so kind and pure one. I don't know why but whenever I watch your videos, you make me feel happy and peaceful. Love watching your videos. Stay safe and all the best! ☺️
There actually is a mid Atlantic accent which is found in northern Virginia, Baltimore, Pennsylvania, eastern WV etc. The southern accent is very similar to British. The R, the same way of saying new, the O. I’m from that area and always get comments on my accent when traveling. The old Hollywood accent reminds me a little of the faux BBC news speak accent. We shouldn’t forget that the old world accents changed organically and slowly over time. There were plenty of Americans in the 1800s and 1900s who were educated to speak traditional English. Many prep schools and colleges. Listen to President FDR and how British he sounds. That’s not a coached Hollywood influence. Just well educated. And by the way, all Americans learn English; not American. It’s fascinating to think about how it all evolved over time, and how the public school system must have decided at some point to teach a bastardization of proper English.
I find what kinda differentiates them is that a mid-atlantic accent requires an American warmness... but also a coarseness. Similarly, it requires the long vowels you'll find in an Oxford accent... but only sometimes. It may be a bit of an old reference, but if you think of the way Mr. Rogers speaks, you're ALMOST there.
Have you heard of the "Canadian Dainty" accent? It was very similar to the Mid-Atlantic accent. Apparently, though, it was not identical to the Mid-Atlantic. It was a posh accent that tended to be used by the upper-class types, public figures and politicians in Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of course, a lot of upper-class Canadians in that time received their higher education in the UK and spent a lot of time there. A well-known speaker who used the Canadian Dainty accent was Vincent Massey, first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada (in the 1950s). His brother was actor Raymond Massey, and come to think of it, his accent had a certain degree of Canadian Dainty to it as well. Canadian Actor Walter Pidgeon also used a Canadian Dainty accent.
Your American accent is very good! Although when you said sorrow, I thought of Wisconsin, not necessarily Canadian. Of course, Wisconsin borders Canada so that makes sense.
I'm a Canadian language guy, but have never heard the term "Canadian Dainty accent", although I'm familiar with the phenomenon. Btw, the whole topic brings to mind Robertson Davies, who spent a year or two at Oxford and spoke with an RP accent the rest of his life.
I like it. I have always enjoyed affecting accents, especially the British one (British proper, not cockney- I love that one for its humor, but that one I can’t do, at least not easily.) Years ago, when I worked in a restaurant in MA, I decided I was going to work a full double-shift day in a British accent, lol. It was fun.
Hello, Australian living in the USA here. There a very few Australians where I live and it is very common for me to be perceived as British, rather than Australian. My accent is different and not what most people think is a "traditional" Australian because my father is Dutch and my mother is Australian, I haven't lived in Australia for almost 20 years, have lived in 4 different countries and am married to an Irishman. Recently someone asked if I knew/ could do a Mid-Atlantic Accent; I had never heard of it and decided to look it up. Well, with my mish-mash of an accent, I think I can pull off a fair Mid-Atlantic Accent! Thank you for the lesson! Now........does this mean I should embark on my voice-over career??!!! 🤣🤣🤣
You’re very brave to do an American accent in front of any Americans and I thought you pulled it off quite well! Someone once told me that Washington State doesn’t have an accent compared to all the other states in the United States. I never quite knew what the mid Atlantic accent was in films but it always sounds pleasing. People have commented here that your voice sounds like butter and it certainly does :-)
That is very sweet, thanks so much David! Interesting too about Washington State not having an accent compared to the other states. I had never heard that.
I have a MA accent - my family is in the UK and I live in the US. I've had to change it to sound more "American" because of my location - I am considered pretentious if I speak MA that was the way I grew up speaking (I pronounce the "h" in herb, which seems to be a giant problem...) ergo my accent is a mess. I am a working actress and can do a lot of accents, but MA has been a problem. I was booted from an audition for "faking an accent" when I was speaking with my natural accent! I can do a lot of accents, but when I use my actual accent - or even RP - it's a problem. I guess I don't sound right to a person who expects to hear a stereotypical regional British accent. Conversely the Welsh accent is a mystery to a lot of casting directors. I'm also a Welsh speaker so I'm always polite and thank them on the way out ;)
Oh Shan, you have my sympathy! I'll bet your natural accent is wonderful. I would lean into it and trust that the right people will hire you for the perfect jobs. Let the booter-outers do their thing. Not your circus, not your monkeys. And you speak Welsh! What a bonus. I spent my teenage years in Wales
I really like your point about having the freedom to make the blend of accents your own, and authentic. I had never thought of it that way. Great advice! I was hoping to find in the comments links to some recordings of people reading this poems, since you mentioned you'd like to hear what people did with this, but I don't see any.
@@susannahsvoice thank you! As soon as I get time, I will do it. Need to study your video first a couple more times. I feel that even though you read with a British and a California accent, each was a bit subtle, a bit on the neutral side not too exaggerated. So I need to listen for the nuances again.
@@Jamie-se7dq I think it's fantastic that you have come up with a way for people to share their own accent versions with a link in the comments here - I hadn't thought of that. Don't worry about nuances. Let's just enjoy your unique take on the accent and inspire others to upload a link to theirs.
i feel like i have a transatlantic accent sometimes idk every American i have met asked me if I'm from the UK and every British person has asked me if I'm an American, I am neither of those. Does that mean anything???
Interesting! Your Mid-Atlantic accent is lacking the melodrama I associate with that accent as it appears in those movies :D but it had the shades of New York in the 40's that I associate with it. There are so many accents in the US, I can't even begin to figure them all out. I can remember how my relatives from Wisconsin & Michigan sound, but I can't reproduce it, and all the Minnesota and North Dakota accents I hear in movies sound so exaggerated. Today I've been trying to figure out the glottal T in words with N's because I just heard a podcaster with a typical American accent say Parton, important and shouldn't rather unusually to my ear. It's like a glottal T that ends in a glottalized N, so the whole thing just drops off--so it ends up being par•uhn, impor•anh, sh•unh. I'm not sure what region does that, but I think it's somewhere in the PA/NY urban areas.
There is a talkshow host on a show out of Denver that is nationally syndicated who does that. I find it equally fascinating and irritating. 😄 She also adds a k sound onto the end of words that end in ing. (e.g. thinking(k), planning(k)). I think she's from southern California.
The Guest House This being human is a guest house. Every morning a new arrival. A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor. Welcome and entertain them all! Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honorably. He may be clearing you out for some new delight. The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in. Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.
I record my voice from time to time to hear what my accent sounds like. Sometimes it sounds amazing but I can't quite define what sort of accent it is. I'm from Brazil by the way, but it certainly gives no hint of where I am from, mind you.
I love that you have an amazing sounding accent - I wish I could hear it. The "global accent" where no one knows where you from is especially hot in voice over right now. Enjoy!
I can assure you that accent isn't made up. My parents and grandparents, from Connecticut, spoke with that accent. They were born before the turn of the 20th-Century.
Actually, it was. In the early 20th century. My grandmother was also born in the 19th century, but still learned as she was older the mid Atlantic accent. Partly because her children (Mom and uncles) were taught it in private schools. (When she was tired, though, her Irish lilt also showed up) You only know how they spoke in your lifetime. People's accents can change over time. My husband and his immediate family no longer sound as Bronx (NYC) centric as they did (1980 era home movies we have back up my claim here). I grew up on the Main Line outside of Philadelphia at private Catholic prep schools and had the diction classes this video speaks of. This accent then became the default for upper class east coast Americans. Early 20th century Orators learned it It also was taken up to overcome regional and various immigrant ethnic accents for radio, TV, movies. What you listen to a lot can affect your own accent.
When you had said that sounded Canadian- that got me wondering if an exaggeration of a Canadian accent would get you to a similar sound ? In so far as Canadians holds more to the British spelling but tone is more American??
To achieve the voice over version of mid-Atlantic I think you'd still need to blend the Canadian accent with the British one. The beauty of this flexi-accent is that it is so open to interpretation. Thanks for your comment.
Weird off topic comment here. I am an American, and when I was younger and angry would slip into a British accent unconsciously. Curious if you have any input, or think it's all gordan ramseys doing like my parents
That's so interesting, Jess! I've noticed in movies when an actor has to do a foreign accent in a scene which is very emotional their natural accent will often bleed through. Maybe your natural accent, despite being American, is British! Maybe you were a Brit in a past life... Maybe Gordon Ramsey has just shown us all how well rage works in a British accent....
Thanks for your question. You're welcome to contact me through my website www.susannahsvoice.com and let me know what help you are looking for in terms of coaching.
sorry, but this is not a tutorial, but simply a demonstration of the accents. A tutorial would include instructions on tongue/jaw/etc. positions + exercises
@@Shamonwhitehurst252 how insecure one must be to pitch in with this kind of comment, apparently in a noble defence of the channel person. And how immature a grown man must be to sense a perceived threat in a comment with an objective, " emotionless"evaluation of the video. Unfortunately, you won't be able "to get over all that" because someone so insecure and immature at this age as yours is beyond help. Gawd
The problem with the British accent is that there’s dozens of them! Its remarkable really, from sounding very smart, well all over the place. I can do all American accents, but some have a gift for it, others like me have to hang out and imitate.
I just came across this fun video by Alix Roberts who does an excellent job of the more traditional Hollywood mid-Atlantic accent reading commercial copy ruclips.net/video/TEr-Z1QYuxg/видео.html
@@susannahsvoice Peasant talking to posh would be too awkward and careful. While posh talking to peasants is low effort and almost condescending confidence
I was confused by the comments complimenting your American accent. Your natural accent sounded normal to me (as a North Eastern American); and I just assumed you were American. I actually thought, "Gee, her British accent isn't very good." I think I was expecting Downton Abby or something. lol I grew up speaking like you whenever I was reading in public. Then, when you introduced your 'American' accent, I didn't like it at all - not that it was bad, mind you, I just thought your natural accent sounded much better. Maybe I watch too many old movies, but I think you sound perfect and most Americans, today, sound just horrid.
Since the mid-Atlantic accent is non-organic, totally manufactured by the 30s-40s movie industry, why learn it? You’d never fool an American, nor a Brit. If you’re not your self, you’re displaying personal insecurity.
I agree. Yet in the voice over industry today a sort of mid-Atlantic accent has some value. It's about not alienating any English speaking culture by landing somewhere between the US and British accent for international appeal.
What is your self? Either you unconsciously let the self be formed and defined by external factors, or you consciously form and define yourself _for_ yourself. Either way, the "self" is a construct. I'd rather choose what I make my self consciously, but to each his own.
@@Prismatic_Truth Well, you’re right there. We are mostly the product of environmental influences, and to a lesser extent nature. So much of what we are is learned behavior. So who am I to poke fun of the Mid-Atlantic accent? Well, for one thing, it is not found ANYWHERE. No child starts out life speaking this way. The second reason, I suppose, is that people who acquired the accent did so to make the listener’s ears perk up, as if their words by themselves couldn’t get the job done.
your american accent was so good. very subtle and natural, lacking that quality that many non-american english speakers have when doing an american accent
That is so kind, benlittleforest, thank you for your comment.
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
Yes, Alexandra! And I'm guessing your mid-Atlantic accent is flawless :)
LMAO we said “that sounded Canadian” at the same exact time and then you corrected it. Amazing American accent!!
Thank you so much for this! This is by far the best Mid-Atlantic accent tutorial on youtube. The most viewed tutorials don't share nearly this much information as you've showed. I think my biggest takeaway from this video is that I need to combine my American and my English accidents in a natural blend instead of making it sound like a synthetic accident.
Thanks for your lovely comment, Dylan. I like your idea of finding your own way into this accent organically. I'm not a fan of the artificiality of the Hollywood 40s movie version, but I often use a blend of US and UK for my voice work - leaning more into one or the other as the client prefers. Enjoy creating your own unique blend :)
i love this because actresses like Lucy Boynton and Anya Taylor-Joy have this kind of unique accent, I think Lauren Cohan as well, but it’s long gone by now. It’s so satisfying to hear. I’ve been practicing it myself and improving… and I’ve been going back to this vid as a reference :)))
Oooo...aren't you a stunner, just like your Mum. With an amazingly soothing voice to boot!! Fantastic genes 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 She had a natural Transatlantic Accent, u know. Am no voice talent. Just your average Frog ;-). But I enjoy listening to & dabbling in American dialects in my free time, especially Eastern Seaboard. That's how I found you. All the very best, Susannah!
Thank you for your sweet comments, AB. Yes, Leslie's accent was naturally Transatlantic. I remember her recording some airline announcements for a Scandinavian airline who wanted to appeal to an international audience. Incidentally, I am especially fond of frogs - average, capitalised - all kinds. :)
“Guest House” by Rumi:
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
I could listen to you forever, regardless of the topic. Your voice is like butter.
Thank you for the excellent videos!
Thank you for taking the time to share such a sweet comment, William. I really appreciate it.
How unexpected! I am Malaysian as well, and the Malaysian accent that people have here varies in degree depending on many things. I was brought up mostly on American television but British pronunciation and spelling is taught here so I've always had a mix of both accents which is the exact reason I clicked on this video! I've been wanting to find a home for my patchwork accent, maybe refine it a little. Thanks for this!
Same
Such a pleasure to listen to you, Susannah! A music to my ears.
Furniture (American), Furni-CHAH (British), Water or Wader (American), WoTAH (British). That's how I picked it up. Thank you. I've been doing funny voices and sound effects for years but this is my first time getting into "the game." You're tips and practices really helps to get started.
Yes! Love your examples :)
That would be “wooder” for me!
Wader is Philly.
Yes, it makes sense! I think you’re into something very profound here🙌🏼 I can relate being from the Philippines where most of our English language curriculum originated in the early 20th century when the Trans-Atlantic accent had its highest influence in education
Wow, your voice is like ASMR! This was a great tutorial, thank you.
I used to have what I call a hybrid English accent, that is to say, I would pronounce many words typically as Americans do, others as the English. Then, I discovered RP in the early 90's. I used Peter Roach's English Phonetics and Phonology: a practical course. Highly recommend it! And don't forget to follow Susannah's advice, she's a PRO!
Thanks for your sweet comment, Julio - and for pointing out the concept of a "hybrid" accent - that's a great way to describe it.
Thanks for this quick lesson!
(In childhood, I lived in the middle of Atlanta but didn't sound like this!)
Love your comment, Boyd - very cute!
The fact that you’re using a persian poet’s poems for this demonstration of various accents is a big surprise for me as an Iranian, Iran has some of the best poets and even the translated version of Molana/Rumi sounds very beautiful and teaching, And of course, Your American and British accent sounds lovely, I wish i had remotely the same amount of proficiency as you do as my speech is very weak when it comes to English, Which is a language of many accents which have a lot of affection, I enjoyed this video because i wanted to know what is mid-atlantic accent and how it sounds like.
Thank you for your sweet comment. I think farsi is one of the most beautiful sounding languages on the planet so I can only imagine how lovely Rumi sounds in his/your native language.
I got a part in a Shakespearian musical and I play the Queen. My first thought was Julia Childs accent but upon research found she was from California like myself. She had this accent. Most of the actors in the musical I am in are going for a cockney accent but as queen I was looking for something fuller. Would love to see the phonetics on the words for this accent to get more technical about it. Thank you for your demonstrations!
Congratulations on your role, Stacy - that sounds really fun. As the Queen of the musical you definitely need a classier accent than cockney. I'm thinking listen to some samples of British RP and shift gently in that direction without forcing it. You will land in a natural sounding mid Atlantic mix that will be lovely.
accents come easily to me for some reason, I will randomly slip into accents, like british or southern accent it's really weird. This is perfect it sounds so beautfiul and soft ughh I could just talk like that all day.
I’m a old soul and I love it
Maybe it's an old soul accent?! I love that idea
You are so talented. Half the time I don’t even hear the isolated difference even though I know there is one, obviously.
Your American accent is great!
That's so sweet, Whitney - thank you. How is your Mid-Atlantic one?
This is beautiful. As an American speaker, when I answer the phone...the receiver often starts feigning a British accent. It's involuntary on my part...I tend to find my self speaking in a mid-Atlantic way. I grew up very close to my great-gran, who went to "charm school." Mid-Atlantic sounds like we're both speaking the same language?! Lol
That's really sweet, J.L. I suspect that people who are empaths tend to find a common ground accent to bridge the gap between cultures. I'm proud to be able to do an accent like your "great-gran's" :)
Dr quinn was the last mid-atlantic accent I remember being on tv
I just realized that’s what it was
Your American accent was so spot on. Truly amazing. You fell out of it with only one word: "honorably".
What a kind comment and gentle correction - thank you so much
I agree, it was very convincing! I think the pronunciation of the final “y” in “honorably” was the most telling - it’s more of an “ee”[i] sound over here. I wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t already aware it wasn’t your native accent! We also tend to replace “t”s with glottal stops at the end of words (like “not” or “forgot”), at least where I’m from. Very informative video, thank you for taking the time to make this!
Lol, I can't even describe it. I find this very interesting, because this kind of analysis and accent work requires attention to the most subtle of details. It is definitely only in the last syllable, but it may also be the "bl". Do we Americans say "bl" slightly differently? Also, I can only hear this difference on my computer speakers. It sounds perfect on my tablet. We are truly splitting hairs here.
Hello Susannah. I have just discovered your channel. And I must say that yours is truly excellent. 🥇🥇🥇🥇🥇
Thank you so much, I really appreciate your kind comment Zulkifli Jamil
The fear of affectation is a omnipresent roadblock in carrying off this accent.
Such a good point
@@susannahsvoice
I do stage acting . Elocution and ease of ad lib are called for in my present line study.
What is your opinion on using words such as shan't , whilst and the royal "one" ( if one doesn't move beyond one's trivialities ....) for example ?
@@indiosveritas I'm thinking if you want to avoid affectation you might drop the "one" but if you want to cultivate it then that's an excellent way to go. It's a balance, isn't it/is it not? :)
@@susannahsvoice
Exactly.
You and Jon Maclean have the most beautiful voices on RUclips 🥰
Thank you for your kind comment, Arman.
Thank you dear ❤ , I appreciate your work, looking for more tutorials regarding this matter.
Your voice is so beautiful!
I came to this video partly because after watching Hollywood on Netflix I became obsessed with learning a mid-atlantic accent. (Who knew it was taught to actors in the old days!?) Then on Season 1, Episode 5 of I Love Lucy there's a character actor Robert Emery who plays a "tramp". He has an extreme mid-Atlantic accent that was so much fun to listen to.
Ooh I'd love to hear a tramp with a Mid-Atlantic accent :)
Your American accent is dead on honestly, great job
Thank you for this lovely piece of information.
In our country, The Netherlands, we’ve learned to speak such a hybrid kind of English at school….
Yes, and you speak such excellent English too! Some of my favourite voice over clients are Dutch :)
@@susannahsvoice Yes, I'm Italian and I'm jealous at how well they speak English, but I must admit many of the younger students I have speak so perfectly like young people from California. Their accents are perfect. I have spent 40 years and I still can't manage it. My (American) English professor at school in Rome told me to listen to Laurence Olivier in the BBC series, "The World at War." He said it was the perfect example of mid-Atlantic speech.
@@michaeldeorio9809 Interesting re Laurence Olivier's mid-Atlantic accent. I'm dreaming of a mid-Atlantic accent blended with an Italian one and in my imagination that is the language spoken in Heaven... :)
Hey Susannah! Hope you are well. I've just found your channel and I was so affected by your kindness and knowledge. I've started to subscribe you from now on.
Thank you so much. You are so kind and pure one. I don't know why but whenever I watch your videos, you make me feel happy and peaceful. Love watching your videos. Stay safe and all the best! ☺️
Omer thank you so much for your kind comment. Your words really touch my heart.
There actually is a mid Atlantic accent which is found in northern Virginia, Baltimore, Pennsylvania, eastern WV etc. The southern accent is very similar to British. The R, the same way of saying new, the O. I’m from that area and always get comments on my accent when traveling. The old Hollywood accent reminds me a little of the faux BBC news speak accent. We shouldn’t forget that the old world accents changed organically and slowly over time. There were plenty of Americans in the 1800s and 1900s who were educated to speak traditional English. Many prep schools and colleges. Listen to President FDR and how British he sounds. That’s not a coached Hollywood influence. Just well educated. And by the way, all Americans learn English; not American. It’s fascinating to think about how it all evolved over time, and how the public school system must have decided at some point to teach a bastardization of proper English.
James Earl Jones voice acting portrayal of Darth Vader in Star Wars would be a perfect example of a Mid-Atlantic accent.
This reminds me a bit of the Maine accent, coastal Maine, specifically.
I find what kinda differentiates them is that a mid-atlantic accent requires an American warmness... but also a coarseness.
Similarly, it requires the long vowels you'll find in an Oxford accent... but only sometimes. It may be a bit of an old reference, but if you think of the way Mr. Rogers speaks, you're ALMOST there.
Have you heard of the "Canadian Dainty" accent? It was very similar to the Mid-Atlantic accent. Apparently, though, it was not identical to the Mid-Atlantic. It was a posh accent that tended to be used by the upper-class types, public figures and politicians in Canada in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Of course, a lot of upper-class Canadians in that time received their higher education in the UK and spent a lot of time there.
A well-known speaker who used the Canadian Dainty accent was Vincent Massey, first Canadian-born Governor General of Canada (in the 1950s). His brother was actor Raymond Massey, and come to think of it, his accent had a certain degree of Canadian Dainty to it as well. Canadian Actor Walter Pidgeon also used a Canadian Dainty accent.
Thanks for your comment, William. I have not heard of this accent but I look forward to listening to examples.
Your American accent is very good! Although when you said sorrow, I thought of Wisconsin, not necessarily Canadian. Of course, Wisconsin borders Canada so that makes sense.
I'm a Canadian language guy, but have never heard the term "Canadian Dainty accent", although I'm familiar with the phenomenon. Btw, the whole topic brings to mind Robertson Davies, who spent a year or two at Oxford and spoke with an RP accent the rest of his life.
I like it. I have always enjoyed affecting accents, especially the British one (British proper, not cockney- I love that one for its humor, but that one I can’t do, at least not easily.) Years ago, when I worked in a restaurant in MA, I decided I was going to work a full double-shift day in a British accent, lol. It was fun.
Watching you change accent was strange. I'm so used to hearing both accents they fuse together in my head even though my accents British.
Hello, Australian living in the USA here. There a very few Australians where I live and it is very common for me to be perceived as British, rather than Australian. My accent is different and not what most people think is a "traditional" Australian because my father is Dutch and my mother is Australian, I haven't lived in Australia for almost 20 years, have lived in 4 different countries and am married to an Irishman. Recently someone asked if I knew/ could do a Mid-Atlantic Accent; I had never heard of it and decided to look it up. Well, with my mish-mash of an accent, I think I can pull off a fair Mid-Atlantic Accent! Thank you for the lesson! Now........does this mean I should embark on my voice-over career??!!! 🤣🤣🤣
@joeyree22 I love it! And why not? :)
You’re very brave to do an American accent in front of any Americans and I thought you pulled it off quite well! Someone once told me that Washington State doesn’t have an accent compared to all the other states in the United States. I never quite knew what the mid Atlantic accent was in films but it always sounds pleasing. People have commented here that your voice sounds like butter and it certainly does :-)
That is very sweet, thanks so much David! Interesting too about Washington State not having an accent compared to the other states. I had never heard that.
Love it :-) Thank you ❤️
I have a MA accent - my family is in the UK and I live in the US. I've had to change it to sound more "American" because of my location - I am considered pretentious if I speak MA that was the way I grew up speaking (I pronounce the "h" in herb, which seems to be a giant problem...) ergo my accent is a mess. I am a working actress and can do a lot of accents, but MA has been a problem. I was booted from an audition for "faking an accent" when I was speaking with my natural accent! I can do a lot of accents, but when I use my actual accent - or even RP - it's a problem. I guess I don't sound right to a person who expects to hear a stereotypical regional British accent. Conversely the Welsh accent is a mystery to a lot of casting directors. I'm also a Welsh speaker so I'm always polite and thank them on the way out ;)
Oh Shan, you have my sympathy! I'll bet your natural accent is wonderful. I would lean into it and trust that the right people will hire you for the perfect jobs. Let the booter-outers do their thing. Not your circus, not your monkeys. And you speak Welsh! What a bonus. I spent my teenage years in Wales
Thanks so much for this! ❤❤
I really like your point about having the freedom to make the blend of accents your own, and authentic. I had never thought of it that way. Great advice! I was hoping to find in the comments links to some recordings of people reading this poems, since you mentioned you'd like to hear what people did with this, but I don't see any.
Maybe you could be the first Jamie?
@@susannahsvoice thank you! As soon as I get time, I will do it. Need to study your video first a couple more times. I feel that even though you read with a British and a California accent, each was a bit subtle, a bit on the neutral side not too exaggerated. So I need to listen for the nuances again.
@@Jamie-se7dq I think it's fantastic that you have come up with a way for people to share their own accent versions with a link in the comments here - I hadn't thought of that. Don't worry about nuances. Let's just enjoy your unique take on the accent and inspire others to upload a link to theirs.
Im watching Cary Grant now with his Mid-Atlantic accent and i love it
This is very interesting!! Thank you for sharing this tutorial. Your American accent sounds very good as well. 😊
Thank you for your kind comment, TheMerryMeg - much appreciated :)
i feel like i have a transatlantic accent sometimes idk every American i have met asked me if I'm from the UK and every British person has asked me if I'm an American, I am neither of those. Does that mean anything???
Your accent sounds fantastic - keep 'em guessing :)
I like Irish accents the best !
Very good from USA
Thank you, William
Interesting! Your Mid-Atlantic accent is lacking the melodrama I associate with that accent as it appears in those movies :D but it had the shades of New York in the 40's that I associate with it. There are so many accents in the US, I can't even begin to figure them all out. I can remember how my relatives from Wisconsin & Michigan sound, but I can't reproduce it, and all the Minnesota and North Dakota accents I hear in movies sound so exaggerated. Today I've been trying to figure out the glottal T in words with N's because I just heard a podcaster with a typical American accent say Parton, important and shouldn't rather unusually to my ear. It's like a glottal T that ends in a glottalized N, so the whole thing just drops off--so it ends up being par•uhn, impor•anh, sh•unh. I'm not sure what region does that, but I think it's somewhere in the PA/NY urban areas.
Thanks for your comment! That glottal T thing to my ear just sounds like someone needs elocution lessons!
There is a talkshow host on a show out of Denver that is nationally syndicated who does that. I find it equally fascinating and irritating. 😄 She also adds a k sound onto the end of words that end in ing. (e.g. thinking(k), planning(k)). I think she's from southern California.
@@angelavanderlans5064 Ha ha - I would find that fascinating and irritating too!
It is like posh Northeastern America, not artificial at all
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,
some momentary awareness comes
as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows,
who violently sweep your house
empty of its furniture,
still, treat each guest honorably.
He may be clearing you out
for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice,
meet them at the door laughing,
and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes,
because each has been sent
as a guide from beyond.
Thanks, Leon!
It sounded natural coming from Katharine Hepburn; it suited her personality so well.
Your American accent reminds me of Lily van der Woodsen, played by Kelly Rutherford in the original ‘Gossip Girl.’
Your american accent is sounds incredibly native
Video quality is not good as previous video but your so gorgeous and content is awesome!
Thanks for the critique and compliments, Jim!
Thank you!
I'm a natural American and you sound American maybe Midwestern like me
How can I book a private class?
You are welcome to contact me through my website www.susannahsvoice.com and we can set up a time to chat to see how I might help you.
I record my voice from time to time to hear what my accent sounds like. Sometimes it sounds amazing but I can't quite define what sort of accent it is. I'm from Brazil by the way, but it certainly gives no hint of where I am from, mind you.
I love that you have an amazing sounding accent - I wish I could hear it. The "global accent" where no one knows where you from is especially hot in voice over right now. Enjoy!
I can assure you that accent isn't made up. My parents and grandparents, from Connecticut, spoke with that accent. They were born before the turn of the 20th-Century.
That's wonderful to learn.
Actually, it was. In the early 20th century. My grandmother was also born in the 19th century, but still learned as she was older the mid Atlantic accent. Partly because her children (Mom and uncles) were taught it in private schools. (When she was tired, though, her Irish lilt also showed up)
You only know how they spoke in your lifetime. People's accents can change over time. My husband and his immediate family no longer sound as Bronx (NYC) centric as they did (1980 era home movies we have back up my claim here).
I grew up on the Main Line outside of Philadelphia at private Catholic prep schools and had the diction classes this video speaks of. This accent then became the default for upper class east coast Americans.
Early 20th century Orators learned it
It also was taken up to overcome regional and various immigrant ethnic accents for radio, TV, movies.
What you listen to a lot can affect your own accent.
When you had said that sounded Canadian- that got me wondering if an exaggeration of a Canadian accent would get you to a similar sound ? In so far as Canadians holds more to the British spelling but tone is more American??
To achieve the voice over version of mid-Atlantic I think you'd still need to blend the Canadian accent with the British one. The beauty of this flexi-accent is that it is so open to interpretation. Thanks for your comment.
Perhaps it depends on the specific British accent, but I always thought that endings like -tary (ex. momentary) sounded like tree rather than tary.
You are probably right kpg
Your American accent sounds like
Diane Keaton. :-)
What I like most about mid-atlantic accent is the transgender joke as it's also called the trans-atlantic accent.
Mid Atlantic is the US answer to Britain's RP.
Interesting, Tian - I like this comparison
@@susannahsvoice And Modern General American is North America's answer to Britain's Standard Southern British.
Weird off topic comment here. I am an American, and when I was younger and angry would slip into a British accent unconsciously. Curious if you have any input, or think it's all gordan ramseys doing like my parents
That's so interesting, Jess! I've noticed in movies when an actor has to do a foreign accent in a scene which is very emotional their natural accent will often bleed through. Maybe your natural accent, despite being American, is British! Maybe you were a Brit in a past life... Maybe Gordon Ramsey has just shown us all how well rage works in a British accent....
Si you give private classes?
Thanks for your question. You're welcome to contact me through my website www.susannahsvoice.com and let me know what help you are looking for in terms of coaching.
sorry, but this is not a tutorial, but simply a demonstration of the accents. A tutorial would include instructions on tongue/jaw/etc. positions + exercises
I appreciate your comment - thank you
You’ll get over it
@@Shamonwhitehurst252 how insecure one must be to pitch in with this kind of comment, apparently in a noble defence of the channel person. And how immature a grown man must be to sense a perceived threat in a comment with an objective,
" emotionless"evaluation of the video. Unfortunately, you won't be able "to get over all that" because someone so insecure and immature at this age as yours is beyond help. Gawd
@@zzc8505 lol ok
The problem with the British accent is that there’s dozens of them! Its remarkable really, from sounding very smart, well all over the place. I can do all American accents, but some have a gift for it, others like me have to hang out and imitate.
Why do you display the American flag upside down?
This was the graphic I found to combine the two flags and represent a blend of the two accents - no meaning intended to the US one being inverted.
I just came across this fun video by Alix Roberts who does an excellent job of the more traditional Hollywood mid-Atlantic accent reading commercial copy ruclips.net/video/TEr-Z1QYuxg/видео.html
Pretend that you're a posh person talking to peasants
Cute - or maybe a peasant talking to posh people...
@@susannahsvoice
Peasant talking to posh would be too awkward and careful.
While posh talking to peasants is low effort and almost condescending confidence
FUR-na-churr vs FUH-nuh-chuh
the American accent is so much easier on the ears.
I was confused by the comments complimenting your American accent. Your natural accent sounded normal to me (as a North Eastern American); and I just assumed you were American. I actually thought, "Gee, her British accent isn't very good." I think I was expecting Downton Abby or something. lol I grew up speaking like you whenever I was reading in public.
Then, when you introduced your 'American' accent, I didn't like it at all - not that it was bad, mind you, I just thought your natural accent sounded much better.
Maybe I watch too many old movies, but I think you sound perfect and most Americans, today, sound just horrid.
Interesting - thanks for your observations, Katherine
Since the mid-Atlantic accent is non-organic, totally manufactured by the 30s-40s movie industry, why learn it? You’d never fool an American, nor a Brit. If you’re not your self, you’re displaying personal insecurity.
I agree. Yet in the voice over industry today a sort of mid-Atlantic accent has some value. It's about not alienating any English speaking culture by landing somewhere between the US and British accent for international appeal.
What is your self? Either you unconsciously let the self be formed and defined by external factors, or you consciously form and define yourself _for_ yourself. Either way, the "self" is a construct. I'd rather choose what I make my self consciously, but to each his own.
@@Prismatic_Truth Well, you’re right there. We are mostly the product of environmental influences, and to a lesser extent nature. So much of what we are is learned behavior. So who am I to poke fun of the Mid-Atlantic accent? Well, for one thing, it is not found ANYWHERE. No child starts out life speaking this way. The second reason, I suppose, is that people who acquired the accent did so to make the listener’s ears perk up, as if their words by themselves couldn’t get the job done.
@@EmilyTienne
Yes , but the Patty Duke show was so pleasant.
Her refined cousin was a crush for many a young teenage boy.
@@indiosveritas This is true.
hi callback friends