• Welcome to this forum . We are a worldwide group with a common interest in Birmingham and its history. While here, please follow a few simple rules. We ask that you respect other members, thank those who have helped you and please keep your contributions on-topic with the thread.

    We do hope you enjoy your visit. BHF Admin Team

birmingham accent,good or bad

R

Rod

Guest
I dont Dave nope!! I am proud indeed of the way I talk, and anyone who judges me on my accent I treat with contempt!! As far as I'm concerned, no matter if your Brummie Scouse, Cockney or whatever, how can your accent have any bearing on what kind of person you are. Its all part of the rich diversity we have here in the UK with our local cultures. I remember not so long back on another forum, this exact conversation. I also remember particularly two academics arguing the toss about the Brummie accent, one of em for, and one against? I reckon theres more to life than worrying about your accent :lol: Cheers Dave!!
 
But that just shows you how dumb, and shallow those people are Dave? your right of course, it isnt nice, but maybe theyre just jelous of our warmth?
 
Once a brummie always a brummie

I haven't lived in Birmingham since 1971 and I don't think I sound like a brummie any more, until I started to view this site!!!!!
I was reading something that my husband wanted to look at, but he, being the lad that he is wouldn't take it from me, so what did I say? CUM ON TEK IT. GO ON TEK IT. I certainly know where I cum from.
Lynda
 
Hey Dave the penny just dropped :oops: Your the very same Dave who writes on our guestbook? Welcome to the Forum, hope you like it? Have you lived in Devon long? I wonder if another Brummie would be able to tell that you are no longer living in the Midlands. My son moved to Ireland in early 2000. His accent is a bit strange neither Irish nor Brummie, having said that, once hes been in our company a little while it soon reverts to his old self.
 
Well you live in a part of the world which I think you would admit has an equally distinct accent, but would you personally judge them? I know I wouldn't....... It seems to me those who judge us are nothing but snobs?

Carole Lyons..... I know the surname, but I couldnt put my hand on heart and say I knew them? where in Phillips Street did she live?
 
:D Rod I think I know the exact forum you were talking about and as I added my two penneth there I will here also. First I moved from Brum to Middlesex where for some strange reason they think that they have no accent and my cousins made fun of how I spoke, until I started pointing out that words like ‘Butter, Gutter and Mutter’ had no 'a' but do have 't’s' … enough said. Then I came to NZ and I found most people here liked my accent and said things like try and keep it… Ever lived anywhere for over thirty years and tried to hang on to your original accent? Can’t be done, not if you are teaching small children of the area, or country to speak from an early age. I now get asked if I a Australian a lot even by some Aussies, but am proud to tell people “no I’m from Birmingham England and my accent is a mix of Brummie and Kiwi ‘ Again a lot of people like my accent and the Brummie phrases I often use with out realising I’m using . them. After six months in England in the 80’s my daughter on my return did say, “Mum stop talking funny” and even now laughs (in a nice way)when I've been on the phone to my sister in Brum as it just cums back natural like.
 
:DDave I think that you may have just been unlucky with the people that you've met. I have had people try speaking like myself, and then getting annoyed when told by my son that they don't sound right. Now Dean my son although born in 'The Big Smoke' London can speak every bit like a Brummie and better than me unless I've just got of the phone from my sister. :lol:
 
Dave ,the reason people think that 'brummies' are thick is the fault of the media.Just try to remember all the adverts where the people have brummie accents ,all of the people concerned were portayed as 'thick'.My son did some work as a barman when he was at university and was sick to death of customers saying 'awl roight' in an awful attempt at a brummie accent,all thanks to a beer advert.
 
where do yo cum from Burmingham I suppose most of us have had that said to us at some time but it's not a new thing we have Marlene to thank for some of it what was the name of the show she was in
Rod will probably come up with a clip for it from some where
 
How I miss the brummie accent

It may sound strange to some people, but after being away for so many years you really warm to someone with a Birmingham accent. Its a case of 'Where do you come from?' 'Where did you live?' and so on. I always liked the brummie on the comedians. I didn't even mind if they came from Wolverhampton!
Lynda
 
Many years ago I worked on a building site, with a guy from Gornal near Dudley. :(
He spoke with a real broad Black Country accent.
One day he said to me " gissapacesud "
I hadn't got a clue what he was talking about and he repeated it about 4 times. :?
The site foreman came past and I asked him if he knew what the guy was on about .
He asked the guy what he wanted and he replied " gissapacesud "
The foreman came back and said "he just said give us a piece of wood " :shock: :roll:
 
Be Proud,be happy

Hi Dave, we live in the next county to you and always home in on "the Brummie accent" for a chat and are always proud to say we come from good old Brum :D Are you the Dave who used to be on the Radio on the late night show in the south west? We miss you if you are :cry: " remeber, a hug a day keeps the divorce lawyers away "
 
Dave, we loved the poem, well done. Can I put it on the main site, in our poems section?
 
this is all I have to say

How I speak
Do you know I don’t care and give a dam
I was born Birmingham that’s what I am
Brought up and reared in a back to back
Through years when all appeared black
Went to school to learn to read and write
We all spoke the same and that seemed right
He sounds thick they say with a nod and a wink
So why should we worry about what they think
I have no problems with this electronic age
And I am able to keep up on this earthly stage
So does it matter that we have a Birmingham tongue
I’ll tell you straight this is were I belong
 
Sarndin Brummy

Now Pom..has heard me speak..She says I have a Brummie accent but I assure you if you put me next to most Brummies who've stayed in this country (not like a certain blonde haired traitor I know) then you would immediately hear me as different.
I use words a lot of you dont..for instance Police may come from me as Pollis,
I never ever call anyone Bab..its not a snobby thing, I just dont..
The words Bab or Babbies simply have no place in my vocabulary.
My accent has even picked up the Tamworth drawl..cross that with about most all other places I've been to and well it's 'different'
Of course there are certain expressions I use that are commonly used in Brum...'ta-ra' springs to mind and so does 'yow' but there aren't that many..
Depending on what company I'm in I will often alter my accent accordingly..
The truth is (as written here)
Although Midlanders are some of the most innovative, forward thinking people in the world..we are judged by our accent..
Whay aye ya bugger..

Oh yes,
The very first posting I ever made here deserves a dusting down and a reprint..they're my words, they always are... unless I attribute..

I'm English and its awful,
It's the way I speak you see.
Not for me a voice like Royalty
Or the 'plummy' BBC
I'm not Geordie like my mother,
And the Welsh one leaves me cold
Yets mine's the one that's hated
From the Borders to the Wold.
Have I given you a clue yet,
To what I sound like on the phone?
Well they're showing it on MTV
The accent of my home
They treat me like a Leper
If I travel north or south
There's a look of horror on their face
When my accent leaves my mouth
It's not a Scouse one like the Beatles
And it's not an Irish brogue
No..mine is of the Midlands
Like a Duck with a heavy cold.
Of course you can't imagine it..
So here's the sound of mine..
I speak like 'Ossie Osborne'
And it's called a Brummie whine..

I post on about 12 different websites..including a few American ones..out of the 200 or so Poems I've ever posted, this was the one that got me my most replies..
Guess they love our Ossie in the States, huh?
Ta-ra everybody...

Damn I'm proud to be a Brummie..
 
I think Les has a point. I too, involuntarily, modify my accent according to who's company I'm in. Sometimes I slip into Black Country mode when I'm conversing with someone from that direction. Also like Les, I have published a few things on various website, the Americans often comment on my use of Brummie slang and saying - they seem to really like it.

I think I've mentioned somewhere else that I once lived in Tubbercurry, a small rural town in the West of Ireland.

When my mother-in-law, Dublin born but living in Brum for 45 years, used to visit us on holiday, I had to act as interpeter between her and the locals. They had no trouble with my (s'pose modified) accent, but her Dublin drawl appeared too much at times. :?

I was coming back here on holiday the Christmas after the Birmingham Bombings, when there was heightened security on both sides of the pond. I was stopped at a checkpoint on the road to Dublin. I got asked the usual questions. You should've seen the faces on the Garda when I replied in a Birmingham accent that I lived in Tubbercurry. :lol:


I went through the same thing at the docks in Liverpool. There they were even more suspicious of a Brummie from Sligo with just two stamps on his passport: Poland and Bulgaria! :shock:

Then the were the nurses in a Co. Galway hospital who told me my accent was actually sensuous. :p "Just talk to us, Tubber [the nickname they gave me] we love it," they'd say. I spent nine weeks in that place and, apparently, it wasn't long enough for them (or me :wink: ).
 
You say either

I'm going straight over there! I can do a great Brummy accent...Nurses you say? 8)
 
I would like to say that I have never had a problem with my Brummie accent. Having lived here in the States for 51yrs, I have never met anyone that didn't like my accent. Most people say, "Oh, are you from England, I love your accent., and a lot of the young guys say, "I wish I had your accent , all the girls love it". Even my neighbors love my accent. I'm proud to be British, and Brummie, and I have Dual Nationality, British and American.
A very Merry Xmas,and Bless you all, where ever you live.

Wally.

:hohoho:
 
Re: You say either

Kandor said:
I'm going straight over there! I can do a great Brummy accent...Nurses you say? 8)
Click to expand...

Doesn't quite work on a certain nurse stationed more locally though, eh?
 
Wally you are great to have kept your accent for so many years. :D

On holiday in Virginia I was once asked did I come from California!!!! When I said no I'm English, the reply was that from where we stood England was just about as far. We all have our own regional accents, but not many to beat a Brummy.
 
Accents..

Hi Wally,

You probably live in a less insular area than the places I've seen in the States,
In California, Nevada etc..I've had people ask me if I was Australian far more times than anyone ever saying I was a Brit..it could be I do talk a little differently..
Wally, have a lovely Christmas my friend.
 
Local Nurses?

Ahhh Paul, that's cos she's not local..I live 20 miles away.. 8)
 
:D Kandy, bet you've never been asked by an Aussie if your an Australian - Not with that accent I've heard any way :) . But on a more serious note there are similarities in the way the Brummies and Aussies pronounce some words. Hope that doesn't say who may have filled the convict boats, but more about the Soldiers who were sent out to guard them :) .
get asked if I am an Australian a lot even by some Aussies,
Click to expand...
But what would they know :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
torkin proper

I had a normal childhood until I started at Aston Grammar. For the first two years we had a weekly lesson entitled "Choral Speech", which was intended to knock the Brummy accent out of us. It worked quite effectively on me, but my dad (who went to the same school and even University afterwards) never lost his accent.
It isn't just the pronunciation, I think it's more the intonation or sing-song. It's still very pleasant in my local in Croydon, when the odd Brummy comes in to ask him "Owaryerrourkid orrite?" And its nicer when he replies just "Ar".
Peter
 
Let's put it this way, when someone from the 'Black Country' is accused of being a 'Brummie' they are NOT best pleased! I am merely observing a general response here; so please don't shout at me!
 
I live in Cornwall these days, and although I've had no trouble with Cornish people, I find Londoners tend to think they're better than me.
We once had London neighbours who literally pushed us around.They could do exactly as they pleased, but we couldn't breath without them complaining about something.
I remember one occasion when they were having work done on the driveway we shared, (but they had the monopoly most of the time). The workmen were a bit concerned about digging up shrubs belonging to us, and I heard the Londoners say to the workmen " don't worry about them, they're only 'Brummies'"
We have been unfortunate enough to have 3 lots of London neighbours, and every one of them has treated us like scum.Where I live is truly gorgeous, but I wish more Brummies would come and keep me company. I've had it up to my ear holes with bloody Londoners!!!
 
I think the low regard of Londoner's for Brummies is something to do with hands. It's less the case now I suppose but Brummies used to use their hands to make things for sale and their heads to dream of and desiign the product. Totally foreign for Sir Humphries crowd and since London was the capital they thought we were all labourers and regarded that tough occupation as demeaning. Even BBC series denigrate Birmingham with snide remarks...such as when Lionel had to go to Brum to advertise his book in 'As Time Goes By".
If it's any consolation it's the same here in Canada although here it is a general thing against engineering and manufacturing. Whenever honors are handed out you never see anyone from these quarters included. Usually polititions or ex-hockey players or civil servants grab the goodies. I suppose it is impossible for the powers that be to quantify the value of manufacturing careers and input into such. (since we are rapidly getting to the point of not having any maybe an awakening is about to happen)
Accents here are so diverse and mixed that none stand out. Quebec is French speaking of course. Can't you have a white line painted down the middle of your drive way. Better still a low fence.
 
JohnO said:
Let's put it this way, when someone from the 'Black Country' is accused of being a 'Brummie' they are NOT best pleased! I am merely observing a general response here; so please don't shout at me!
Click to expand...

I am not knocking the Black Country accent, In fact I have a lot of friends from there.
What gets up my nose is, when someone is acting a Brummie it nearly always comes out as a Black Country accent. The accents are so different.
 
Last edited:
Frothy,on another thread I posted exactly the same type of comment. I said someone impersonating a brummie accent always sounds like a tipton foundry worker. The respons from one member was not pleasant. He assumed or imagined that I was saying foundry workers are thick. Nothing could be further from the truth and as far as I can recall, he is the only unpleasant B. Country person I have witnessed. I love their 'bostin fittle' and sense of humour. When I loaded my lorry in the foundries years ago they amazed me with the way they worked. I have to tell you I could not have done what hey did for living.
 
Yes Stitch, thats why we have to so careful how we wrote thing on here. Can be taken in different ways.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top