摘要：在探索英国各地的口音时，会发现这些独特的发音不仅丰富多彩，还带有浓厚的地方文化色彩。接下来带领大家走进五种最难以理解的英国口音，领略到口音的魅力与挑战。无论是布朗米口音还是格拉斯哥口音，这些声音都将为你打开一扇了解英国的窗口。
在探索英国各地的口音时，会发现这些独特的发音不仅丰富多彩，还带有浓厚的地方文化色彩。接下来带领大家走进五种最难以理解的英国口音，领略到口音的魅力与挑战。无论是布朗米口音还是格拉斯哥口音，这些声音都将为你打开一扇了解英国的窗口。
Today, we are talking about accents, in particular British accents, in particular the five hardest British accents to understand.
今天我们要聊聊口音，特别是英国口音，重点是五种最难懂的英国口音。
Now a few disclaimers, okay.
首先说明一下。
We have many, many, many different accents in the UK.
英国的口音种类非常多。
Some of them are so far away from each other that they don't even sound like they're from the same country.
有些口音相隔很远，甚至听起来像是来自不同的国家。
So when people say "I love the British accent" or "I want to learn a British accent", it doesn't really make sense because a British accent can sound like this: "And then I messaged her back and then she messaged me back and it was pretty glorious".
所以，当有人说“我喜欢英国口音”或者“我想学英国口音”时，这其实没什么意义，因为英国口音可能听起来像这样：“然后我给她发了条消息，她又回我消息，感觉特别棒！”
But also a British accent can sound like this:
但也可能像这样：
"Can I ask the Honorable Gentleman, what work is being done to make sure that this place is more accessible, particularly for some of our colleagues who have a disability?"
“请问尊敬的先生，这里是否有为同事提供更便利环境的工作正在进行，尤其是残疾同事。
Or like this: "Oh and she went 'that's lucky I'm going that way, I give him a lift!'"
或者像这样：“哦，她说‘真巧，我正好顺路，载他一程！“
So if you are at all interested in British English, you really need to get familiar with the accents of the UK.
所以，如果你对英式英语感兴趣，就需要熟悉英国各地的口音。
If by a British accent you mean how I'm speaking right now, you actually mean an RP accent or a Standard English accent.
如果你说的“英国口音”是我现在说话的方式，那你其实指的是“RP口音”或“标准英语口音”。
So, it's really good if you can start calling it 'Received Pronunciation' (RP) or 'Standard English' rather than 'British Accent' because as we've seen it doesn't really work that way.
建议大家用“接收发音”（Received Pronunciation，简称RP）或“标准英语”来称呼这种口音，而不是笼统地说“英国口音”，因为如上所示，英国口音可不止一种。
So I have made a list of what I think in my opinion are the five hardest British accents to understand for people who aren't from Britain.
我列出了五种我认为对于非英国人来说最难懂的英国口音。
This is because I think they are the furthest away from what people expect and they have sounds in the accent that are very different from say RP, how I'm speaking now.
因为这些口音与大家预期的相差最远，其中的发音与RP，我现在的发音截然不同。
Okay, let's start with the one that is closest to my heart: the Black Country/Birmingham.
好吧，让我们从一个对我来说最亲切的口音开始：黑乡/伯明翰口音。
My homeland, the place of my people.
这是我的家乡，也是我的同胞所在之地。
"I mean you'll be familiar with the Brummie accent.
“我猜你对伯明翰口音应该不陌生吧。”
Are you familiar with the Brummie accent?"
“你听过伯明翰口音吗？”
'Brummie""Brummie, sort of like that, alright".
“‘伯明翰口音’...就是那种感觉，好吧。”
"I don't understand a word you're saying." "Oh,
“我完全听不懂你在说什么。”
you should go to the Black Country, that's where it's real fun!"
“你应该去黑乡，那才是真正有趣的地方！”
Now, I have lived in the Black Country all my life.
我一辈子都住在黑乡。
Now the Black Country is a small area in the West Midlands. It's near Birmingham and it has places in it like Dudley.
黑乡是西米德兰兹的一个小地方，靠近伯明翰，包括一些像达德利（Dudley）这样的地方。
You might have heard of Dudley.
你可能听说过达德利。
"In the Black Country they they've got proper like... Dudley... they sort of talk like that".
“在黑乡，他们的口音很正宗，比如‘达德利’听起来就像这样……”
And the Black Country accent and the Birmingham accent are different for people who live here, but for most people who live outside of the UK they sound very similar so I'm going to put them in one group.
对于住在当地的人来说，黑乡口音和伯明翰口音是不同的，但对大多数不住在英国的人来说，它们听起来非常相似。所以我把它们归到一起了。
Don't attack me if you're from Birmingham or the Black Country.
如果你是来自伯明翰或黑乡的人，请别生气。
I know the accents are different okay but they're very similar.
我知道这些口音不同，好吗，但它们确实很像。
The thing that's tricky about the Birmingham accent is the vowels, alright.
伯明翰口音最大的特点是元音的发音。
So it's not exactly the vowels you'll expect, okay.
发音和你预期的完全不同。
For example, the word 'bus', okay, you might expect in Britain for people to say 'b-uh-us', 'bus' 'uh'.
比如，“bus”这个词，你可能预期英国人会说“b-uh-us”，'bus' 'uh'。
However in Birmingham or the Black Country they'll say b-oo-s。
但在伯明翰或黑乡，他们会说“b-oo-s”。
'oo' Or for example this word, 'right'.
再比如“right”这个词。
You might expect someone from the UK to say 'right'.
你可能以为英国人会说“right”。
However, in Birmingham or the Black Country they say 'raaa-eet', 'raa-eet'. It's a completely different sound.
但在伯明翰或黑乡，他们会说“raaa-eet”，发音完全不同。
Now if you want to practice listening to the accents of Birmingham and the Black Country, a good place to start is a TV show like Peaky Blinders, very worldwide famous it's a brilliant tv show and they speak with Birmingham and Black Country accents to varying degrees of success!
如果你想练习听伯明翰和黑乡的口音，推荐从《浴血黑帮》（Peaky Blinders）这部剧开始，这部剧非常有名，讲述了伯明翰和黑乡口音（有的演员发音成功程度不一）。
"Nevertheless John, despite the bad blood, I'll have none of it on my carpet." So the thing you want to watch out for with the Birmingham and Black Country accent are the different vowels.
“不管怎样，John，虽然有矛盾，但我绝不允许这些发生在我的地盘上。”所以，学习伯明翰和黑乡口音时，你需要特别留意它们独特的元音发音。
It's completely different.
和标准英语完全不同。
Next up we have Geordie and Geordie is a term that we use to describe the accent from Newcastle.
接下来是乔迪口音（Geordie），乔迪口音是纽卡斯尔的地方口音。
I am not going to attempt to do the Newcastle accent because I can't do it but here are a few examples.
我不会尝试模仿纽卡斯尔口音，因为我做不到。不过这里有一些例子。
"It's like a bad marriage isn't it.
“就像一段糟糕的婚姻，对吧。
Like you fall in love with them initially, and it's like, it's really great.
一开始你爱上了对方，觉得一切都很棒。
You're infatuated. You can't wait to see them".
你沉浸其中。迫不及待想见到对方。”
"Ironman, Spiderman Superman!
“钢铁侠，蜘蛛侠，超人！
Why did that get so Geordie?" Again, we have a lot of different vowel sounds here.
为什么这些名字说着听起来就这么乔迪？”乔迪口音同样有很多不同的元音发音。
For example, this word, 'away', okay.
比如，“away”这个词。
You might have learned to pronounce this word 'away', 'uh-way'.
你可能学到的发音是“uh-way”。
However a Geordie person, please forgive me if you are Geordie.
但乔迪人可能会说，如果你是乔迪人请原谅我，我尽力了，
I'll try my best... might say 'are-wee, are-wee'.
“are-wee, are-wee”
It's a completely different sound.
这完全是另一种发音。
It's like a different word.
就像另一个单词一样。
Or let's take a word like 'better', okay.
再比如“better”这个词。
You might think this is either pronounced like 'bet-uh' or 'bet-err' if you've learned American English.
你可能以为这是“bet-uh”或“bet-err”（美式英语发音）。
However, a Geordie might say something like 'be-ta', 'be-ta'.
但乔迪人可能会把“better”这个词读作“be-ta”，“be-ta”。
So the t's get split up into two sounds 'bet-ta', 'bet-ta', and the ending is more of a 'ah' sound.
也就是说，t音会被分成两个音“bet-ta”，“bet-ta”，结尾还更像“啊”的音。
The t sound is actually one of the sounds that is most different in the Geordie accent.
其实，t音是乔迪口音中和其他口音差别最大的一种音。
"In the time it takes this cat to shake off the tape, name five delicious foods...
“在这只猫甩掉胶带的时间里，说出五种好吃的食物……”
sunday roast, bangers and mash, shepherd's pie...
“周日烤肉、香肠土豆泥、牧羊人派……”
" I love the Geordie accent.
我真的很喜欢乔迪口音。
I think it's so melodic, so cheery sounding.
我觉得它特别有旋律感，听起来总是那么开心。
I think it's very hard to sound miserable if you've got a Geordie accent.
如果你有乔迪口音，我觉得想要听起来不开心都很难。
It's very sort of bouncy.
乔迪口音很有弹性，特别有活力。
That was terrible, I'm so sorry if you're from Newcastle.
（试着模仿）太糟糕了！纽卡斯尔的朋友们，很抱歉。
I can't do this accent!
我完全模仿不了这个口音！
Okay, moving on to another accent, another place that is so close to my heart, Liverpool.
好了，让我们来说另一个口音——同样让我觉得特别亲切的地方，利物浦。
And people who are from Liverpool their accent is often called Scouse.
来自利物浦的人，他们的口音通常被叫作“斯卡塞口音”（Scouse）。
They have a Scouse accent.
他们有一种斯卡塞的发音特点。
Now when you think of Liverpool, you might think of The Beatles, that's the first thing you think of.
提到利物浦，你可能会想到披头士乐队，这可能是你脑海中浮现的第一个画面。
And yes, The Beatles do have a Scouse accent.
没错，披头士的确有斯卡塞口音。
"Yeah but there are four of us and we'd like it open, that's if it's all the same to you, that is".
“是啊，不过我们是四个人，想要开放式的，如果你觉得没问题的话。”
But actually, because they are a lot older, um... because maybe they've travelled around a lot, they've maybe not lived in Liverpool all their life, their accent isn't as strong as some Scouse accents can be.
但实际上，因为他们年纪更大了，呃...也可能因为他们到处旅行，或者不是一辈子都住在利物浦，他们的口音没有一些浓厚的斯卡塞口音那么重。
Have a listen to this example.
来听听下面这个例子。
This is a really good example of a strong thick Liverpool accent.
这是一个典型的浓厚利物浦口音。
"Them things, you know, the things that dangle and that but I didn't go I just sort of stayed at the uh...
“那些东西，你知道的，就是会晃来晃去的那些东西，不过我没去，我就待在……呃……
we wasn't...do you know what I mean, did I?"
我们没……你懂我的意思吧，是吧？”
So I think the most defining characteristic that makes Scouse very different from something like RP is the 'k' sound.
我觉得，斯卡塞口音和RP（标准发音）之间最大的区别在于“k”音的发音。
This doesn't happen with every k sound but for example, let's take the word 'chicken'.
这并不是所有“k”音都这样，但比如“chicken”这个词。
You may hear some people from Liverpool saying 'chicken' with a 'chhhh' sound in the throat.
你可能会听到一些来自利物浦的人把它读作“chhh-ken”，用喉音发出“chhhh”的声音。
This is very unique to Liverpool.
这种发音是利物浦特有的。
You don't really hear it in many other places in the UK.
在英国其他地方很少听到。
It's wonderful.
它非常独特。
I love how different it is.
我特别喜欢这种与众不同的特点。
It's amazing.
太棒了。
So that is something to be aware of if you travel to Liverpool or you know someone who's from Liverpool and has this accent, this is going to be a sound that you will hear.
所以，如果你要去利物浦，或者认识来自利物浦的人，他们可能会有这种口音，这是你会注意到的一个特点。
So you just have to be aware that if you hear a 'chhh' that's in place of a 'k' sound.
如果你听到“chhh”的音，那就是代替了“k”的发音。
There's a very stereotypical sentence that people use to do a Scouse accent and they tend to say something like "chicken and chips and a can of coke".
有一句非常刻板印象的句子，大家用它模仿斯卡塞口音，常会说类似“chicken and chips and a can of coke”（鸡肉薯条加一罐可乐）。
Whether or not people in Liverpool actually speak like that I don't know but it's a good way to illustrate the 'k' sound.
至于利物浦人是否真的这么说，我不确定，但这是一个展示“k”音发音特点的好方法。
Scouse also has a very distinctive melody and a very distinctive intonation which can also make it a bit harder to understand from people outside of the UK.
斯卡塞口音还有非常独特的语调和音调，这对非英国人来说可能也会增加理解难度。
I recommend listening to someone like John Bishop to hear more of that Scouse accent.
我推荐听听像John Bishop这样的利物浦名人，来感受斯卡塞口音。
"I was always, always busy. I was always liking a laugh but I actually enjoy just being with people and talking to them a little bit more." There are other celebrities from Liverpool for example Jodie Comer: "Thank you so much BAFTA.
“我总是很忙，我总是喜欢开玩笑，但我也特别享受和别人聊天的时光。”其他来自利物浦的名人还有Jodie Comer：“谢谢你们，BAFTA奖。
Sorry, I'm the only one who's turned on the water works!" She's from Liverpool but I think her accent isn't quite as thick as John Bishop.
抱歉，我是唯一一个在台上感动到流泪的人！”她也是利物浦人，但她的口音没有John Bishop那么浓厚。
So, if you want to listen to a really thick one - John Bishop.
所以，如果你想听更浓重的斯卡塞口音，可以去听John Bishop。
Okay, let's move to an accent from Scotland.
好的，让我们来谈谈苏格兰口音。
Now obviously lots of different accents in Scotland as well.
显然，苏格兰有很多种口音。
There's not just one Scottish accent but I think one of the hardest to understand for non-UK residents is the Glaswegian accent from Glasgow.
并不只有一种“苏格兰口音”。但对于非英国人来说，最难理解的之一可能是格拉斯哥的格拉斯维根口音（Glaswegian）。
Here's a little example of the Glasgow accent, because I can't do it: "In Glasgow, how means why.
我不会尝试模仿格拉斯哥口音，但这里有个例子：“在格拉斯哥，‘how’的意思是‘why’。
I don't know why that is.
我不知道为什么会这样。
You don't say '£1.70 why?' You say £1.70 how?' See what I mean?
你不会说‘£1.70 why?’ 而是说‘£1.70 how?’”明白我的意思了吗？
I'd say everything is very different here from RP.
可以说，格拉斯哥的发音和RP（标准发音）完全不同。
From the vowels, the consonants, the melody, the intonation, it's a whole different thing.
无论是元音、辅音、语调还是音调，都是截然不同的体系。
So I can't really single out one thing to focus on with the... with the Glasgow accent it's just a case of listening.
我无法单独指出格拉斯哥口音的某个特点，只能通过多听来适应。
"Well very popular today.
“今天很受欢迎。
I'm saying that a number of parliamentary colleagues who have disabilities do find it quite difficult getting around certain parts of the estate." If you want to get better at understanding this accent, listen to someone like Kevin Bridges, Billy Connolly, "And it goes on and the guy starts punching the bit of perspex to get to the driver and over years I've taken the bus I have familiarised myself with the on-board safety instructions." You can watch with subtitles to begin with and then try and take them away and see if you still still understand what's going on.
我想说的是，一些有残疾的议会同事在某些区域的出行确实比较困难。”如果你想更好地理解这种口音，可以听Kevin Bridges，或Billy Connolly的演讲。“司机面前的防护板上被一个人疯狂拳打，这些年来，我乘公交车时已经熟悉了车内的安全指示。”开始时可以带字幕观看，之后再尝试去掉字幕，看自己是否还能听懂内容。
But I highly, highly recommend getting to know the Glaswegian accent because I feel like if you can understand that one the rest of the Scottish accents you should be able to grasp as well as well.
我强烈建议学习格拉斯哥口音，因为如果你能听懂它，那么其他苏格兰口音你应该也可以掌握。
And finally we got Cockney, all right.
最后，我们来聊聊伦敦的考克尼口音（Cockney）。
Cockney is one of the accents found in London and it has been widely done in Hollywood, sometimes terribly, see Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins: "Number 17 Cherry Tree Lion, you say?Alright!"
这是伦敦的一种口音，在好莱坞电影中经常被模仿，有时模仿得非常糟糕，比如《欢乐满人间》（Mary Poppins）里的Dick Van Dyke：“你说是樱桃树巷17号？好吧！”
And then we have delicious Cockney accents like Michael Caine in pretty much anything he's ever done. "I suppose you think you're going to see the bleeding titles now.
当然，也有像迈克尔·凯恩那样精彩的考克尼口音，他出演的几乎每一部作品都能听到这种口音：“我猜你们现在想看到字幕了，对吧？
Well you're not so you can all relax." I'd say one of the reasons that cockney is so difficult to understand is the linking, the words get very mushed together.
但不会有的，所以大家可以放松了。”考克尼口音难懂的原因之一是连读，单词之间的界限模糊。
There's not a lot of separation in there.
单词之间几乎没有分隔。
It tends to be a long strain of words with different vowels in there which makes it even harder to understand.
更像是一长串连贯的音节，还带着各种不同的元音，这让理解变得更加困难。
So the more you learn about linking sounds and how we link words together in the English Language, it'll help you massively.
所以，了解英语中连读的方式，学习如何连词，会对你理解这种口音有很大帮助。
Good people to listen to, like I said Michael Caine: "So we went looking for the stones but in six months we never met anyone who traded with him." Or someone like Micky Flanagan: "You can pop out to go to the shops. Couple of bits.
值得听一听的口音，比如我提到的迈克尔·凯恩：“于是我们去找那些石头，但六个月过去了，我们从没见过有人和他做过交易。”或者米基·弗拉纳根（Micky Flanagan）：“你可以随便出去买点东西，几样东西。
That's the way I pop out you can do whatever way you like."
我是这样出去的，你随意怎么都行。”
And there you have it.
就是这样。
There are five accents in the UK that I think are quite difficult to understand if you are not familiar with them.
以上是我认为对非英国人来说比较难懂的五种英国口音。
But like I said there are so many variations of accents in the UK.
但正如我说的，英国的口音有非常多的变化。
Some people have a mix.
有些人会有混合口音。
So if they lived in Glasgow for half of their life and then they moved to London they've got this mix.
比如他们一生中一半时间住在格拉斯哥，另一半时间住在伦敦，就会形成混合口音。
There are accents in between the major cities.
还有大城市之间的区域性口音。
There are so many so immerse yourself in all these different accents.
种类繁多。让自己沉浸在这些不同的口音中吧！
It will help you so much if you're planning to visit here or live here.
如果你计划来英国旅行或生活，熟悉这些口音会对你帮助很大。
来源：英语东