Mary's Accent and Languages

[Layla1971]

I spent 5 months in Japan in high school and it didn't do a thing to my accent.

[Roxsteve]

Originally Posted by Layla1971

But, this is why celebrities exist, for us to have something to do in our boring lives (well, my boring life!). So we're dissecting the CP's accent, we could be doing worse.

You are right. Point well taken.

[Margrethe II]

I dont know about anyone else, but I dont look at royals as being celebrities. Royals are above the status of celebrity as far as I'm concerned. To me, to associate a royal with celebrity is an insult.

Of course this is solely my opinion and I am by no means saying that those who refer to royals as celebrities are rude and insulting :)

"MII"

[Layla1971]

Originally Posted by Margrethe II

I odnt know about anyone else, but I dont look at royals as being celebrities. Royals are above the status of celebrity as far as I'm concerned. To me, to call a royal a celebrity is a very big insult.

Of course this is solely my opinion and I am by no means saying that those who refer to royals as celebrities are rude and insulting :)

"MII"

I think that royals are far more dignified than ordinary celebrities will ever be!
Even the most undignified royal seems more well-mannered than most celebrities.

But, what I meant was famous people, royal or celebrity, they still have publicity, the paparazzi following them and us talking about them.

Just to make you happy MII, and to cause less blurring of lines I'll make sure I clarify my posts from now on!

[boredhousewife]

Originally Posted by eireann

just to add my two cents..as a native english speaker living in germany for 3 years with a french boyfriend (who is still learning english), my spoken and written english has taken a turn for the worse as i´m picking up the foreigners way of speaking and also speak simple english so that people i´m with can understand. on the otherhand once i´m back home or with old friends my accent reverts. Having lived in a number of different countries these last years i have a strange accent and native english speakers find it very difficult to identify my country of origin. i´m sure it´s something similar for Mary, she´s probably had to adapt her way of speaking English when in Denmark but once she´s among her australian friends her aussie accent probably returns.

Been away for a bit so have missed everyones comments. But thank you eireann for clarifying the bit about the grammar, as that was the point I was making in the first place. I have no problem with whatever accent Mary has as I know from friends who have travelled that they take on the accent of wherever they spend an extended time at.

[Roshanah]

I have the same problem. I'm of mixed heritage and have travelled extensively. When others ask about my accent, they say they cannot place it. They say that I'm well spoken but still cannot place the accent. He he he It's unusual at times but at others really irritating.:p

Otherwise I agree with CPM taking elocution lessons in order that she (not saying that others do) does not insult the individuals within the upper crust, with whom she comes into contact with. I by no means criticise anyones accent (not saying that you were:) ,) I just point out that at times speaking with the most distinguished and polished accent within one's country is at many particularly in CPM situation a great advantage.:)

Originally Posted by ysbel

A year in Germany killed my Southern accent. Now people don't know where I'm from.

[pollyemma]

Mary's sisters and brother all speak with very strong australian accents. very different from her. so I dont think her being raised by scottish parents is the cause of her 'british' sound.

btw, Per Thornit (the head honcho of Fred's court)said Mary only began danish lesssons six weeks before the engagement was anounced.

[Layla1971]

Originally Posted by pollyemma

Mary's sisters and brother all speak with very strong australian accents. very different from her. so I dont think her being raised by scottish parents is the cause of her 'british' sound.

btw, Per Thornit (the head honcho of Fred's court)said Mary only began danish lesssons six weeks before the engagement was anounced.

Just because she only started Danish lessons a short time before the engagement doesn't mean that she didn't learn any words or phrases before that.

And CPM travelled in Scotland for a while so maybe that added to her accent.

[GlitteringTiaras]

Originally Posted by Tinika

That would be my guess as well. She's very...careful when she speaks, very deliberate. Some sort of coaching.

I would have to agree. The Crown Princess tends to speak in the third person which, at times, is unnecessary and to me is quite annoying.

Originally Posted by eireann
just to add my two cents..as a native english speaker living in germany for 3 years with a french boyfriend (who is still learning english), my spoken and written english has taken a turn for the worse as i´m picking up the foreigners way of speaking and also speak simple english so that people i´m with can understand. on the otherhand once i´m back home or with old friends my accent reverts. Having lived in a number of different countries these last years i have a strange accent and native english speakers find it very difficult to identify my country of origin. i´m sure it´s something similar for Mary, she´s probably had to adapt her way of speaking English when in Denmark but once she´s among her australian friends her aussie accent probably returns.

That's interesting, Eireann.

[Saragli]

The australian accent has probably simmered down. She was trainied to talk in the proper english way I think. The problem is with learning Danish is that it is such a rough and hard laugage. Many sounds arent in english. When learning to speak flawless Danish you have to change the way your mouth moves and everything about the way you talk. She was probably taught proper english so she wouldnt sound like she didnt know how to speak english after Danish affected her.

[lise]

Thank you Layla and Margrethe for providing my boring day with some laugher. Australian was right your posts were enterianing.

I would like to add being from Australia myself I find the Australian accent to be protayed in an "over the top" manner by various overseas movie companies. There are people who do speak like that in aus but most of the people I know speak with what I'd call the "normal" aussie accent.

Finally I would like to congratulate Margrethe on being a grandmother.

[rchainho]

any videos where she speaks danish without the video the apresentation/engagement?

[regardez]

I think her parents being originally from Scotland and some of her upbring in the states contributes to her accent sounding "less" Australian and more English...

[Margrethe II]

Originally Posted by regardez

I think her parents being originally from Scotland and some of her upbring in the states contributes to her accent sounding "less" Australian and more English...

As the Crown Princess was only in the States for what would be considered a very short time, I doubt if the American accent had any impact on Mary's pronounciation.

"MII"

[Australian]

or perhaps she has a cultivated/ general Australian accent like everyone else i know. Not the ones you hear on tv which are very much exaggerated.
Broad

• Prime Minister Bob Hawke
• actor Bryan Brown
• television personality Steve Irwin
• politician Pauline Hanson

General

• actress Nicole Kidman
• actor Hugh Jackman
• actor Russell Crowe
• actor Mel Gibson (formerly)

Cultivated

• Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser
• actor Geoffrey Rush
• singer Dame Joan Sutherland

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Australian_English

[regardez]

That link was very helpful. You're probably right. Thanks for mentioning it.

[Tinika]

Well...as an American who has spent extended periods of time living in two foreign countries--Switzerland and the Czech Republic--and who is fluent in both French and English, I can say that my accent in my native language (English) hasn't changed. My FRENCH accent did change (I speak with a bit of a Swiss accent now), and perhaps one small change or two did occur here and there in my way of phrasing things in English. I just don't think the drastic "Anglicization" of Mary's Aussie accent can be completely explained away by her travels or by the relatively short time she has lived in Denmark. It can take a lifetime for someone to lose his or her native accent. I'm not criticizing Mary, exactly. I just think there's something a bit more external at work here in her odd accent and occasionally stilted phrasing.

[Australian]

Originally Posted by Tinika

Well...as an American who has spent extended periods of time living in two foreign countries--Switzerland and the Czech Republic--and who is fluent in both French and English, I can say that my accent in my native language (English) hasn't changed. My FRENCH accent did change (I speak with a bit of a Swiss accent now), and perhaps one small change or two did occur here and there in my way of phrasing things in English. I just don't think the drastic "Anglicization" of Mary's Aussie accent can be completely explained away by her travels or by the relatively short time she has lived in Denmark. It can take a lifetime for someone to lose his or her native accent. I'm not criticizing Mary, exactly. I just think there's something a bit more external at work here in her odd accent and occasionally stilted phrasing.

i dont think there is anything odd with her accent, all my friends talk like her, and we are Australian. Like I said in my previous post, there is different sorts of Aussie accents. Broad, General and Cultivated. I have an Aussie accent and I dont even think she has an odd accent.
But I do agree with you Tinika about how you can't lose your accent so fast, it takes a while.

[Sira]

"By the way, we are talking about the former Mary Donaldson who is now Denmark's beloved Crown Princess Mary...Perhaps, the Princess wholeheartedly wants to absorb the Danish culture,language,and accent and its excusable and normal for her to be this way as she will be Denmarks' future Queen..Its not that she is putting aside her Australian upbringing nor Scottish roots, its just that Princess Mary is in another world now, and she is taking her new role with great passion and dedication..Thats what I see in her.."

I completely agree with Mahoggie.

[Toledo]

When you live and work in a foreign country you pick up a lot of things that end up reflected in your speech. And you just don't notice until you go back home and other people hear the diference. Mary seems is making a great effort to use an international english language while learning Danish, and that takes years. It's easier for a kid to be multilingual than for an adult to break old habits and get used not just to a new language but to break speech pattern habits on his or her own version of her native language. I give Mary a lot of credit, her effort shows her interest in becoming a great representative for the people in Denmark in the World community.