Reading aloud in a "fake" accent

HareBrain

HareBrain

Smeerp of Wonder
Staff member
Supporter
Joined
Oct 13, 2008
Messages
13,897
Location
West Sussex, UK
I've been practising reading the start of my book aloud for an event this coming Friday, and I've found something quite weird. I don't know how others would describe my normal accent, but I'd say it's a bog-standard lower-to-middle-class southern English London-influenced one.

And I hate reading aloud in it. Not only do I read too quickly, but it seems to lack any interesting intonation. If I were listening to myself narrating an audiobook CD I'd eject the disk and send it spinning out of the window -- and I hate littering.

In desperation, or something, I tried reading it in what I would describe as a soft rural accent, somewhere between my own and a comedy oo-ahr yokel. Not only does this slow it down naturally (i.e. without me having to think about it), it seems to add a lot more intonation. To my own ears, it sounds much better.

Has anyone else ever tried or observed this? Is it just because I hate my own voice for some reason, or might it be that my own accent is naturally unsuited to oral storytelling?

And the crucial question: dare I read aloud in this voice to a class of undergraduates?
 
In my opinion it's not impossible to read with an accent that isn't your's, sometimes I do it with Italian accents, but it may make you feel uncomfortable if it's for a serious thing, you would slow down and after a couple of minutes you might return to speak with your accent anyway.
If your audience can understand you, why even bother to change your accent? You may encounter some problems only if you would talk to an audience with people of other countries, sometimes may be hard to understand an English man talking a bit faster (at least for me), I blew my mind once trying to understand what a speedy journalist was saying.
 
Have you tried reading it yet in @Dan Jones fake Geordie accent? "Me eyes! Me eyes!"

More seriously, I think you have been overthinking this for far too long. Just read it in your own voice and it will be fine. Remember that everyone has come along to hear you. No one is being forced to attend (they aren't, are they?)

Edit: No one likes to hear their own recorded voice played back.
 
Last edited:
After playing with it a bit more, I've found that the main thing with the "rural" accent is that it lengthens the vowels, and when I go back to my normal voice but concentrate on that, it sounds a lot better than it used to, although some of the intonation is flattened out.

Best yet, though, is a halfway Irish accent, which, to my ear, allows me to speak at about my normal speed, but much clearer and with a warmer sound.

TheDustyZebra said:
This question is impossible to answer without examples to compare. Please upload.
Click to expand...

"""""Sadly""""", I don't have anything with a microphone.
 
HareBrain said:
Best yet, though, is a halfway Irish accent, which, to my ear, allows me to speak at about my normal speed, but much clearer and with a warmer sound.



"""""Sadly""""", I don't have anything with a microphone.
Click to expand...

TJ, Dave, someone help me out here. He’s not allowed to say those two things in the same breath, is he?

...I do hear the lengthening of the vowels in that last bit, though.
 
Hmm... let me dig out my dictophone... HB, what's your address? :devilish:

I have tried this though. Gumshoe Paladin sounds right in a clipped demi-Ulster accent. I don't think I'd ever have the balls to do a reading in that voice though.

p.s. Try it in Dan's Geoffrey Boycott impression too.
 
The Big Peat said:
a clipped demi-Ulster accent. I don't think I'd ever have the balls to do a reading in that voice though.
Click to expand...

Dublin 2019! I will if you will.

The Big Peat said:
Try it in Dan's Geoffrey Boycott impression too.
Click to expand...

Oh God, I crack up as soon as I reach one of Cass's lines. I can also reveal that Scouse and Brummie are best avoided, in my version at least.
 
I don't see what's wrong with a nice clipped demi-Ulster*** accent for readers*

Anyhow. This thread brings to mind 'Allo, 'Allo to me.

The best readings are when people are relaxed and having fun. Which you can't do if you're mucking around with accents. Stop worrying about it, go be your lovely Southern English self and be thankful everyone can actually understand you. (See *) And enjoy it. Have fun. be yourself.

(On another note pseudo Irish accents basically make most of the Irish fall around in laughter at the poor craighter**)


*for those who have met me, most of my country folk think I was brought up in England, most Scots recognise I'm Northern Irish and everyone else either says Scotland or looks like they have a headache....

**a word required for all demi Norn Irish accents. Pronounced like Cra-ter with a kind of funny hitching sound in the middle, it's basically any poor sod. Other required words include wee before pretty much anything of note (that wee hurricane down your way seems rough), eejit (yes, it's used) and 'so, it is' Also 'you see'. And ''bout ye?' in a reasonably fierce manner that denotes lack of response will not be popular.

*** but to say this term is terribly misleading since 1/3 of Ulster (3 of Ulster's 9 counties are in the Republic of Ireland) have a charming Irish brogue, 1/3 have a soft Northern Irish brogue and only those in and around Belfast have the accent that I suspect is being referred to.... Just so I don't get lynched for incorrect use of the term Ulster...
 
Jo Zebedee said:
Pronounced like Cra-ter with a kind of funny hitching sound in the middle, it's basically any poor sod.
Click to expand...

From "creature", I guess?

I will use my own accent, fear not. But the exercise has been useful in learning to slow things down without having to keep the words "slow down!" in my head. I still maintain, though, that some accents naturally suit reading aloud better than others, and I'd be interested to know of other people's experiments with them.
 
HareBrain said:
From "creature", I guess?

I will use my own accent, fear not. But the exercise has been useful in learning to slow things down without having to keep the words "slow down!" in my head. I still maintain, though, that some accents naturally suit reading aloud better than others, and I'd be interested to know of other people's experiments with them.
Click to expand...

From the Irish for creature, it Seems to be more commonly spelled (it's always hard to be sure of definitive spellings)
craythur
 
As someone with a 'soft rural accent' I'd say that this doesn't help me. But, like Dave says, everybody hates their own voice.

Also, I do seem to recall someone taking the mick out of my glottal stops.
 
I get lumped (as opposed to lomped) with being a Brummie (Birmingham for those outside UK) because of my accent when it is a propa Black Country twang, ay it.

Either way though it's a fine accent to gossip down the pub with but not one for good enunciation.

Edit: forgot to answer original post. I'd still go with your normal accent. Unless you are skilled/trained in doing voices you could end up sounding worse.
 
Last edited:
Jo Zebedee said:
From the Irish for creature, it Seems to be more commonly spelled (it's always hard to be sure of definitive spellings)
craythur
Click to expand...
Craitur is one form in Scots. So, similar.
When I read aloud, I go all posh, in best SSE (Standard Scottish English). So, 'wh' is emphatically pronounced 'hw'*, and any 'r' is rolled properly. The last bit is odd, as I have a problem with rolling Rs properly, and pronouncing theta sounds, due to a mild speech impediment, plus my accent is non-descript. Reading aloud, though, brings out how I was taught to speak properly as a child. Allegedly.

Mouse said:
As someone with a 'soft rural accent' I'd say that this doesn't help me. But, like Dave says, everybody hates their own voice.

Also, I do seem to recall someone taking the mick out of my glottal stops.
Click to expand...
Nothing wrong with glo'al stops. ;)

To the original question, speak as you feel comfortable. It may be that the 'rural voice' is something in your background memory. Like my 'formal' SSE, it's some hangover of being taught proper enunciation, and you're giving it the label of yokel. I'm sure you'll be fine. Be yourself.


* an aspirated w -- which I do as standard but, reading aloud, it becomes more Rubislaw Den luncheon date, darling!
 
Also, HB, I assume you're there to talk about writing, not just to read from your book? People won't be expecting a voice actor, they'll be expecting a nice chat with the author. So just be yourself and enjoy!!!! (or try to...)
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Thread starter Similar threads Forum Replies Date
Astro Pen Reading your work aloud, (to an audience) Writing Discussion 7
Extollager Reading aloud seems to be good for you Science & Nature 0
Brian G Turner Reading your manuscript aloud Writing Discussion 33
Narkalui Reading TLOTR and/or The Hobbit aloud to children JRR Tolkien 18
HareBrain Reading your work aloud Writing Discussion 23

Similar threads


Back
Top