Easy for actors from the U.K. to imitate American accents, but not vise versa?

Based on my experience, Americans are terrible at imitating accents from countries in the U.K., which include England, Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland. However, it seems that if you turn the tables, this isn't the case. For example, the following actors are all from the U.K. and do a fantastic job of impersonating an American accent. Until I looked them on on Wikipedia, I thought that they were all American.

1. Liam Neeson --> Irish

2. Michael Caine --> English

3. Christian Bale --> Welsh

4. Ray Winstone --> English

5. Colin McFarlane --> English

Actors learn to remove their own dialect and take on any that fits for the role. It's part of their training.

Americans can do British accents as well. You're experience is questionable at best because I don't know your experience.CRS98

Name an American actor who does British accents well?

You're experienceCRS98

[QUOTE="CRS98"]Americans can do British accents as well. You're experience is questionable at best because I don't know your experience.BluRayHiDef

Name an American actor who does British accents well?

[QUOTE="CRS98"]Americans can do British accents as well. You're experience is questionable at best because I don't know your experience.BluRayHiDef

Name an American actor who does British accents well?

[QUOTE="CRS98"] You're experiencevadicta

Hmm... good point. Remind me when I plan to change sentence phrasing, I use "ur".

Name an American actor that doesn't do a British accent well.

And Brad Pit does a pretty awesome Scottish accent.

vadicta

[QUOTE="vadicta"]

Name an American actor that doesn't do a British accent well.

And Brad Pit does a pretty awesome Scottish accent.

hesel

Lol. :lol:

[QUOTE="CRS98"]Americans can do British accents as well. You're experience is questionable at best because I don't know your experience.BluRayHiDef

Name an American actor who does British accents well?

[QUOTE="vadicta"]

Name an American actor that doesn't do a British accent well.

And Brad Pit does a pretty awesome Scottish accent.

hesel

[QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

[QUOTE="CRS98"]Americans can do British accents as well. You're experience is questionable at best because I don't know your experience.CRS98

Name an American actor who does British accents well?

also Hugh Laurie plays an American quite a bit during throughout the year.

[QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

[QUOTE="CRS98"]Americans can do British accents as well. You're experience is questionable at best because I don't know your experience.CRS98

Name an American actor who does British accents well?

[QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

[QUOTE="CRS98"]Americans can do British accents as well. You're experience is questionable at best because I don't know your experience.xaos

Name an American actor who does British accents well?

I dont know where he got that info from though.

Although saying that, served to prove a point of his, so... maybe there was inherent bias.

A lot of American actors can, but talking generally, I guess it's because we (UK people) are constantly exposed to American accents through movies, TV and music. I'll take a guess that your average British person is exposed to some kind of American accent at least once every day. Americans aren't quite so exposed to British accents on a daily basis, so I'll guess it would take longer to perfect.

That's not to say anyone can imitate an accent purely through exposure, it takes practice too. I'm good at doing accents, but the best ones I can do are the ones I've heard the most, various American, then 'light' Scottish, then some UK regional accents, then French, German, Spanish etc.

I also think American actor can't do a good British accent. Gwyneth Paltrow... Angelina Jolie... Kevin Costner... ugggh and too many others to name.F1_2004

[QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

[QUOTE="CRS98"]Americans can do British accents as well. You're experience is questionable at best because I don't know your experience.CRS98

Name an American actor who does British accents well?

it wasn't too bad.

I must then state that abviously a british person is going to easily distinguish the slightest imperfection in any form of british accent. As an american will more easily notice imperfections in an american accent. So its hard to say whether or not one impersonates the other better. Also it is my opinion that american accents are slightly easier to impersonate. And there is quite a bit of leeway. Whilst with british accents, 50 miles off the intended location can result in a laughing stock

This is coming from someone without an America accent. When people try to immitate your accent, it always sounds worse.

Main reason is American had greater influence than anywhere else, I remember watching so many American shows and movies but only few Australian made stuff.

Main reason is American had greater influence than anywhere else, I remember watching so many American shows and movies but only few Australian made stuff.

stevoqwerty

This is off topic, but I hate the Australian accent.

[QUOTE="stevoqwerty"]

Main reason is American had greater influence than anywhere else, I remember watching so many American shows and movies but only few Australian made stuff.

BluRayHiDef

This is off topic, but I hate the Australian accent.

Please stop saying British accent.mikegtfc

[QUOTE="mikegtfc"]Please stop saying British accent.Overlord93

[QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

[QUOTE="stevoqwerty"]

Main reason is American had greater influence than anywhere else, I remember watching so many American shows and movies but only few Australian made stuff.

angrules23

This is off topic, but I hate the Australian accent.

You don't know what I sound like.

[QUOTE="angrules23"][QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

This is off topic, but I hate the Australian accent.

BluRayHiDef

You don't know what I sound like.

[QUOTE="angrules23"][QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

This is off topic, but I hate the Australian accent.

BluRayHiDef

You don't know what I sound like.

[QUOTE="Overlord93"]

[QUOTE="mikegtfc"]Please stop saying British accent.mikegtfc

[QUOTE="mikegtfc"][QUOTE="Overlord93"] Its a broad term admittedly, but the topic applies to all accents across the UK

Overlord93

[QUOTE="Overlord93"][QUOTE="mikegtfc"] But looking at the thread it seems British = stereotypical English accent. Also the term British accent can also mean England, Scotland & Wales and their respective stereotypical accents so it's a too broad of a term to use.mikegtfc

edit: muhahaha, they'll never know :twisted:

[QUOTE="mikegtfc"]

[QUOTE="Overlord93"] As examples show, this thread topic applies to all aspects of the accents within britain. Including english irish and scotish. If you look there has been a link to an irish video, and an example of an english gentleman accent, we are discussing all aspects beacuse what TC stated applies to all regions of the UK and is not specific to one. NO one is saying any one person has a british accent. we are simply referring to british accent(s)Overlord93

[QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

[QUOTE="angrules23"] Well i hate your accent.mikegtfc

You don't know what I sound like.

In my post, I implicitly acknowledged the diversity in British accents by mentioning the different countries which compose Britain. America has just as much diversity in accents, hence, there's no way that he'd know what particular accent I have.

[QUOTE="mikegtfc"][QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

You don't know what I sound like.

BluRayHiDef

In my post, I implicitly acknowledged the diversity in British accents by mentioning the different countries which compose Britain. America has just as much diversity in accents, hence, there's no way that he'd know what particular accent I have.

[QUOTE="Overlord93"][QUOTE="mikegtfc"] Ireland is not in Britain.mikegtfc

[QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

[QUOTE="mikegtfc"] Oh wow, you can make a blanket statement on a whole nation which has a fair few different accents in it but put the barriers up when it's fired back. I love this board.mikegtfc

In my post, I implicitly acknowledged the diversity in British accents by mentioning the different countries which compose Britain. America has just as much diversity in accents, hence, there's no way that he'd know what particular accent I have.

I'll admit, that is an assumption which I go by. I've only heard one Aussie accent.

[QUOTE="mikegtfc"][QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

In my post, I implicitly acknowledged the diversity in British accents by mentioning the different countries which compose Britain. America has just as much diversity in accents, hence, there's no way that he'd know what particular accent I have.

BluRayHiDef

I'll admit, that is an assumption which I go by. I've only heard one Aussie accent.

[QUOTE="BluRayHiDef"]

[QUOTE="mikegtfc"] Yet you did the very same thing by assuming Australia has one accent.mikegtfc

I'll admit, that is an assumption which I go by. I've only heard one Aussie accent.

Not at all. I'd simply correct you.