The best actors are also the most versatile ones. Take Meryl Streep, for example. She has played everything from tragic heroines to moms you don't mess with to ditsy ex-hippies. She's also portrayed several real-life characters to great acclaim. Meryl Streep never has to sit around waiting for a great role. They come to her and directors and producers know that if they want a character who doesn't speak standard American English, Streep is the person to cast. If you want to improve your versatility as an actor, a good way to start is with British accent lessons.
If you're studying for a role in a movie, a TV show or a play, making your character sound convincing is half the battle won. Speaking like a true Brit can make your career but getting it wrong can become a source of lifelong embarrassment. Just ask Kevin Costner, who managed to make English folk hero Robin Hood sound as if he was from across the pond.
Many people make the mistake of thinking all people in Britain sound like the royal family or like the country's politicians. That posh-sounding way of speaking is indeed what is regarded as standard English pronunciation, formally called Received Pronunciation. Few people speak like that from childhood, though. Even Margaret Thatcher had to learn Received Pronunciation so that she could sound more posh.
Most English people speak in specific regional accents. There are hundreds of these. In England you may find distinct variations even in neighboring towns but especially from one county to another and between the northern and southern parts of the country.
Many English people speak in accents that are specific to the cities where they're from. John Lennon, for instance, spoke the Scouse of Liverpool, while Ozzy Osbourne's Brummie pronunciation tells you that he's from Birmingham. However, even in the same city there may be variation. This is especially true of London, where some of the accents include Cockney, North London and South London.
Of course, Britain does not only consist of England. It also encompasses Wales, Scotland and Northern Island, as well as islands such as Man or Jersey. At first, many of these accents may sound similar but if you know what to listen for, you'll soon be able to tell whether someone is, for instance, from Edinburgh or from Glasgow, the two largest cities in Scotland.
Of course there's no point in learning how to speak in a specific dialect from Britain if you're going to use American vocabulary. You'll need to learn that in Britain, the fall is called 'autumn', 'corn' is really any kind of cereal and 'pants' are underwear rather than trousers. Vocabulary also varies across dialects and where people in some parts may say 'My mum', others may say 'Me mam'.
To learn how to speak in certain accents, there are different approaches you can take. Most involve listening to people and trying to imitate the way they speak. However, hiring a dialect coach will be money well spent if you're a professional actor and want the best results.
If you're studying for a role in a movie, a TV show or a play, making your character sound convincing is half the battle won. Speaking like a true Brit can make your career but getting it wrong can become a source of lifelong embarrassment. Just ask Kevin Costner, who managed to make English folk hero Robin Hood sound as if he was from across the pond.
Many people make the mistake of thinking all people in Britain sound like the royal family or like the country's politicians. That posh-sounding way of speaking is indeed what is regarded as standard English pronunciation, formally called Received Pronunciation. Few people speak like that from childhood, though. Even Margaret Thatcher had to learn Received Pronunciation so that she could sound more posh.
Most English people speak in specific regional accents. There are hundreds of these. In England you may find distinct variations even in neighboring towns but especially from one county to another and between the northern and southern parts of the country.
Many English people speak in accents that are specific to the cities where they're from. John Lennon, for instance, spoke the Scouse of Liverpool, while Ozzy Osbourne's Brummie pronunciation tells you that he's from Birmingham. However, even in the same city there may be variation. This is especially true of London, where some of the accents include Cockney, North London and South London.
Of course, Britain does not only consist of England. It also encompasses Wales, Scotland and Northern Island, as well as islands such as Man or Jersey. At first, many of these accents may sound similar but if you know what to listen for, you'll soon be able to tell whether someone is, for instance, from Edinburgh or from Glasgow, the two largest cities in Scotland.
Of course there's no point in learning how to speak in a specific dialect from Britain if you're going to use American vocabulary. You'll need to learn that in Britain, the fall is called 'autumn', 'corn' is really any kind of cereal and 'pants' are underwear rather than trousers. Vocabulary also varies across dialects and where people in some parts may say 'My mum', others may say 'Me mam'.
To learn how to speak in certain accents, there are different approaches you can take. Most involve listening to people and trying to imitate the way they speak. However, hiring a dialect coach will be money well spent if you're a professional actor and want the best results.
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