Lousy Voiceovers

[andy-hughes]

I do enjoy nice voices, men and women, and grating ones really bug me.

I am trying to enjoy reruns of 'Call The Baliffs', but I have to grit my teeth when the voiceover comes in.

Actor Paul Barber talks so slowly, it's like he's talking to someone who speaks English as a third language!

I think the programme makers can assume basic English on the part of their audience, so why not have their programme voiced by someone who can speak properly. 

Things like thus bug me, but I'm probably in the minority. 

Any thoughts?

[ladybirder]

Brainiac I think there are very few newsreaders and others who bother pronouncin' their g's.  GGGRRR!

[Tuvok]

I remember the days when you saw the continuity anouncer on screen.

[cashier]

I can't stand the voice of the woman on Masterchef. I have never understood why she whispers. When the Professionals (Masterchef) started John Torode did the voiceover and he whispered it as well.

[Atheist]

Accents change over the years. Remember the Queen's voice? And the Pathe News people? There's more acceptance of regional accents; at least we haven't got to the point of "arksed" instead of "asked".

[Atheist]

Not to mention Lord Haw-Haw!

[david small]

Don't mention the war....

[Countrylover]

Ken, I agree.  A really clear voice

[Countrylover]

I must admit I'm a bit of a snob about voices. 

[Tilly2]

Do you still hae a Stokie accent, Andy?

[andy-hughes]

Tilly - // Do you still hae a Stokie accent, Andy? //

No, because I have never had one.

My parents were both born and brought up in Newcastle-under-Lyme, and I was born in Wolverhampton, but we moved back to Newcastle when I was one.

Neither my parents, or my sisters, or I, have a Stoke accent.

I know Newcastle is not really Stoke, but it's near enough, and a lot of the people I grew up with had very strong Stokie accents.

My accent is neutral, with possibly the occasional inflection, but you would not be able to identify me like you can with most people from the area.

My wife has a slight accent, not broad Stokie, even thoough she grew up in Trent Vale, and we lived in Hartshill for over twenty years.

My older two daughters have mild accents, but the youngest has an accent as broad as the A50!

Quite why I have no accent, I have no idea, but I have never had one, and don't suppose I'll get one now.

I think accents, and picking them up, is interesting.

If you listen to Graham Nash, who has lived in America for over fifty years, he has not a trace of an American accent.

If you listen to Ulrika Johnson, she has not a hint of a Swedish accent, even though she didn't move to the UK until she was twelve.

We have a Chinese friend who has lived in the UK for over fifty years, and it has not made the slightest dent in her very strong Chinese accent.

Who knows why some get an accent, and some don't?

 I think I had a lucky escape, I don't like the Wolverhampton accent at all, and I could have had one!!

[andy-hughes]

Atheist - // Accents change over the years. Remember the Queen's voice? //

I read a fabulous book by Craig Brown about Princess Margaret, and in it, he comments on her prounciation.

He said that she, and the Queen, had a particular way of prononcing the word 'Yes' - the said 'Ears'.

Say it out loud to yourself a couple of times, you'll hear exactly what he means.

So everytime he quoted her, and the word 'Yes' was in the quote, he wrote 'Ears' instead!

[brainiac]

Some accents are difficult to lose - Scottish ones for example.  A woman who used to work in our village Post Office still had a Glasgow accent, and she left when she was 6!

[SurreyGuy]

@Tuvok - I remember Philip Elsmore on ITV from my childhood in the 70s.

[andy-hughes]

Can someone please advise the child on Channel 4 doing the continuity announcements, that there is no 'v' in the word 'with'.

Thanks.

[Barsel]

Accents have always puzzled me.

Andy, you think you don't have an accent, but you probably do.

I always thought I didn't have an accent until I moved down south and everybody I spoke to knew I was from Manchester.

Atheist, everybody south of Watford says 'arsked' instead of asked. It's a dead giveaway when they put an 'r' where there isn't one.

One of my neighbours is from Germany, moved here when he was about 12 years old and yet he doesn't have the slightest accent He had to lose it because of the bullying he got at school.

[andy-hughes]

Barsel - I listen to my recorded voice all the time, I know I don't have a Stoke accent.

I have odd inflections here and there, but nothing that would pin it down to anyone who recognises someone from this area. 

Sit thee dine youth, thee looks clemmed!

[barry1010]

Let us be the judge of that, Andy :)   

[barry1010]

I know I don't have a recognisable accent, strangers can never guess where I am from - until they ask me.  There is one word I cannot say without a very strong accent - Birmingham. 

[andy-hughes]

Barry - You'd have to fork out for a luxury cruise and come and hear me then!

[Tilly2]

Are you not on the radio anywhere, Andy?