How To Put on a Convincing Irish Accent
- March 5, 2010
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from
Kevin Veselka
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Director
Kevin Veselka
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Writer
Kevin Veselka
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Music
Steve Milto
- Voice Over Artist Sarah Street
You may have the luck of the Irish, but you’d better work on getting the sound.
You Will Need
- Observation skills
- Accents to observe
- Ability to imitate
- Colloquialisms
- Time to practice
Step 1: Watch and learn
Listen and learn. The best way to learn any accent is to observe and imitate it. Find speakers with the accent, or look for authentic examples of it in movies or audio recordings.
Step 2: Match inflection
Match the famous lilt, or pitch pattern of an Irish accent. Practice by starting a sentence speaking a little higher than your natural speaking voice, lower the pitch in the middle of the sentence, then raise it slightly at the end.
Step 3: Change the vowels
Change the vowels. Elongate the “aw” sound in words like “father” and “ball,” and the “ow” sound in words like “town.”
“Been” is “bean” in an Irish accent.
Step 4: Learn consonants
Learn the consonants. Elongate “r” sounds and pronounce them harder. Pronounce “l” sounds harder and drop the “g” from “i-n-g” endings.
Step 5: Use colloquialisms
Use colloquialisms. “Ossified,” “fluthered,” and “in the horrors” are synonymous with drunk. If something is good, it’s “deadly.” If you’ve ruined something, you’ve made a “right bags” of it, and the expression “What are you like?” means “I can’t believe you’re so dumb.” Most British colloquialisms are also acceptable.
Avoid using cliches like “top o’ the morning to you” and “blarney” – unless you’re in a leprechaun costume.
Step 6: Use it
Take your accent for a test-drive. Just make sure you go where it’ll be appreciated, not someplace where it’ll seem annoying or like you’re making fun. Cheers!
According to a survey in the UK, the sexiest accent is Northern Irish.
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Comments (6)
Love the pig! Great performances from your actors and really gorgeous shots!
about 1 year ago by HeatherMenicucci
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7 months ago by jiefmo
I like how you incorporated strips of paper with words from the script. That seems like an effective way to show something like ";lowering the pitch";.
about 1 year ago by matt2221
wow!!! the shots are so great! you guys did a really good job on this one. great great camera movement and editing!!!
about 1 year ago by clifton_000
awesome lighting job!!
about 1 year ago by adventurebound
according to a survey in Ireland, the sexiest accent is on vacation somewheres.
2 months ago by Thelostkerryman
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