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.
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.
When you learn the particular accent that fits the character you'll be playing, it's also important to remember that regional variations of English are about more than pronunciation. Vocabulary often differs too. A good start is to know the differences between American and British English. In the UK, for instance, a sidewalk is called a 'pavement'. Sometimes the same word has a different meaning elsewhere, for instance the word 'pants' that in the UK means underwear.
Learning different accents mostly involve listening and imitating. A good way to do this is to go live in a region for a while, where you'll constantly be exposed to the way the locals speak. When you're studying for a part in a play or movie, though, you'll need quicker results and a dialect coach may come to your rescue.
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.
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.
When you learn the particular accent that fits the character you'll be playing, it's also important to remember that regional variations of English are about more than pronunciation. Vocabulary often differs too. A good start is to know the differences between American and British English. In the UK, for instance, a sidewalk is called a 'pavement'. Sometimes the same word has a different meaning elsewhere, for instance the word 'pants' that in the UK means underwear.
Learning different accents mostly involve listening and imitating. A good way to do this is to go live in a region for a while, where you'll constantly be exposed to the way the locals speak. When you're studying for a part in a play or movie, though, you'll need quicker results and a dialect coach may come to your rescue.
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