British dialects

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To the untrained ear, all British people may sound alike. However, there are quite a few British dialects throughout the United Kingdom. A person from the northern part of the country definitely pronounces various words differently than a person from the southern part of the country. And, of course, a person from Ireland or Scotland sounds almost completely differently from a person from Great Britain itself. For this reason, learning the various British dialects can be quite a daunting task, especially for a person who is not from the United Kingdom. To learn British dialects, most actors will recommend going to live in the United Kingdom for awhile. Living and breathing the specific British dialects that you are interested in learning will help you immensely in your quest. You will be amazed at how quickly you pick up the various British dialects when you live with everyday people who speak with that accent and only watch TV in that accent, etc. Before you know it, you will be speaking in a British accent without even thinking about it. Do not try to learn more than one of the many British dialects at once. This will only confuse you and you will end up with a completely new dialect that will not help you get any acting jobs. Instead, choose to learn a specific one of the many British dialects and learn it well. Spend a good three to six months learning that dialect. Once you native speakers of the dialect confuse you for a native, then you can add that dialect to your resume and move on to another one of the British dialects. Until then, stick to the dialect you have chosen. Another way to learn British dialects is to use a speech therapist. Such a therapist will be able to point out the various nuances of the British dialects and will help you learn how to physically pronounce each word in those British dialects. Using a speech therapist is definitely a good idea, especially for someone who is new to learning dialects. Such a therapist will be able to give you specific exercises that will stretch your vocal cords and help you to learn dialects faster. Remember that though directors appreciate actors who have a lot of British dialects on their resumes, directors appreciate actors who have mastered their British dialects on their resumes even more. Thus, be honest. If you have not completely learned every nuance of the specific dialect you have chosen to learn, then do not add it to your resume.



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