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.
One of the main reasons for Streep's success is that she manages to make her characters sound convincing. Compare her in any film she's acted in to, for instance, Kevin Costner who portrayed Robin Hood, one of Britain's most famous heroes, while speaking like an American. Costner's career never really recovered after that while Streep can get any role she wants.
What many people think of as a British accent is only one of many different ways in which the people of Britain may speak. It's known as Received Pronunciation and is often associated with the upper classes and being posh. The members of Britain's royal family normally speak this way and people in positions of power, such as the country's prime minsters, have often learned Received Pronunciation by taking elocution lessons.
Not every character from Britain that you might portray will be from the upper classes. Instead, you may play a Scottish highlander or a Welsh coal miner. Only in England there are hundreds of ways to pronounce a word and the way that you do it can tell people whether you're from Yorkshire, Cornwall or Northumberland, for instance.
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.
When you travel across England's borders, you'll find that in the UK, English is even more varied than you may have thought. The rolled r is generally typical of the English spoken in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. However, each of these parts of the country has a distinct character reflected in the way its inhabitants speak. Moreover, just like in England, there is often variation among towns and cities.
Once you start working on different accents, you also need to learn the vocabulary. In some parts of the USA, people will talk about 'soda' while others might say 'pop'. The situation is similar in Britain and vocabulary may differ from region to region. It's also important to learn the differences between American English and British English in terms of vocabulary.
The best way to learn an accent is to go live in the area where that dialect is spoken and just listen to the locals as they speak. However, this is not a practical approach if you're rehearsing for a movie or a play. For faster results, a good option is to invest in the services of a dialect coach.
One of the main reasons for Streep's success is that she manages to make her characters sound convincing. Compare her in any film she's acted in to, for instance, Kevin Costner who portrayed Robin Hood, one of Britain's most famous heroes, while speaking like an American. Costner's career never really recovered after that while Streep can get any role she wants.
What many people think of as a British accent is only one of many different ways in which the people of Britain may speak. It's known as Received Pronunciation and is often associated with the upper classes and being posh. The members of Britain's royal family normally speak this way and people in positions of power, such as the country's prime minsters, have often learned Received Pronunciation by taking elocution lessons.
Not every character from Britain that you might portray will be from the upper classes. Instead, you may play a Scottish highlander or a Welsh coal miner. Only in England there are hundreds of ways to pronounce a word and the way that you do it can tell people whether you're from Yorkshire, Cornwall or Northumberland, for instance.
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.
When you travel across England's borders, you'll find that in the UK, English is even more varied than you may have thought. The rolled r is generally typical of the English spoken in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. However, each of these parts of the country has a distinct character reflected in the way its inhabitants speak. Moreover, just like in England, there is often variation among towns and cities.
Once you start working on different accents, you also need to learn the vocabulary. In some parts of the USA, people will talk about 'soda' while others might say 'pop'. The situation is similar in Britain and vocabulary may differ from region to region. It's also important to learn the differences between American English and British English in terms of vocabulary.
The best way to learn an accent is to go live in the area where that dialect is spoken and just listen to the locals as they speak. However, this is not a practical approach if you're rehearsing for a movie or a play. For faster results, a good option is to invest in the services of a dialect coach.
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If you have an interest in taking up British accent lessons, there are many classes in your local area. The one you should join right now is available at http://www.windsor-cunningham.com.
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