h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Oh - and Dudley Moore. But that was a while ago, I suppose.

<< if ever a terrorist is called for in an American film they're either Irish or Middle-eastern!>>

This is even truer now, than when it was said in 2000.

personally I think most Brits can pass off any accent because there seems to be a lot of dialects for our small country. Every twenty miles you travel there seems to be a new accent. I've also noticed there is two Irish, the northern 'James Nesbitt' variety and the Southern 'Dermot Gaven' styly!!!

Yes, I have noticed that British actors are better at accents than Oz, NZ or Americans... The Australian is supposed to be the hardest in the world to do.

Are Scottish accents easier to do than Australian ones?

I think it is - mind you, I find a Scottish accent quite easy, because there are so many Scottish people in NZ..

That's where they all went, I wondered why Scotland was looking a bit empty!!!

The ones that didn't go to Canada... My Mum's family did both - her maternal grandparents came straight here and the paternal ones came via Canada.

The Highlands are empty
much of that land devoted to sheep, and to hunting and fishing used to be used by crofters
Then came the Highland Clearances

Was that similiar as the Peak District Sales???

What about Sean Connery playing all manner of nationalities, but keeping his broad Scots accent?

Maybe the accent (and the way he pronounces the “s”) is meant to be a camouflage in all those films!

Does it really matter what the actors accent is in playing a part. Especially when playing a foreigner. Some people seem to think that the English actor can play foreigners better than American actors but the actor is speaking English not the real foreign language. The English accent is not some neutral sound that lets English actors play foreigners with ease. I think its just a question of familiarity. English language specialists tell us that the American accent is more like the old English accent, so they should be better at playing English historical parts.

Hmm. Personally I think that as long as they act the part well, then they should keep their own accents. Think back, those who are old enough! - Mary Poppins - now if DickVanDyke had just kept his US accent we probably would have accepted it alot better than his absolutely awful cockney one.

However, familiarity does come in to play alot - hence an American accent playing Elizabeth I may be technically correct, but completely unacceptable.

It's a shame we can't have a Universal Accent Translator

I thought the old English accent was the west country accent...that's why Shakesphere's comedies weren't funny!!!