Regional accents in automated announcement systems.

[valenta]

Good afternoon,

Within trains, we're usually stuck with the same generic female announcer in automated announcement systems. I think it would be nice if there was some variation in the accent of the announcer depending on the region (e.g. cockney accents for the London underground or geordie for the Tyne and Wear Metro.) I know some of you will think I'm mad, but I believe that it would add a bit of originality into your commuting!
What are your opinions?

 

[ralphchadkirk]

I can't think of anything worse. At least the emotionless non-accented (well, nearly) voices now mean that anyone can understand them, regardless of where they come from.

 

[valenta]

I can't think of anything worse. At least the emotionless non-accented (well, nearly) voices now mean that anyone can understand them, regardless of where they come from.

Ahh well, I knew people would disagree with me!!

 

[SS4]

I think it's a bad idea for comprehension reasons as ralphchadkirk has pointed out above. Decent visual systems are more important for much the same reason

 

[valenta]

I think it's a bad idea for comprehension reasons as ralphchadkirk has pointed out above. Decent visual systems are more important for much the same reason

Well, I agree to a certain extent, but you could ensure that the accents weren't too broad!

 

[Greenback]

I think it would be nice to have a slight regional accent on stations, but it is probably impractical these days. There's a range of accents covered by ATW for a start, so they would have to have a lot of different recordings for the Wales and Borders network!

 

[bladesman123]

The trams in Sheffield have automated announcements that are in a Yorkshire accent

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6DtWPVm-0U

 

[Greenback]

Yorkshire has always done it's own thing!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It is said that a softly toned Scottish voice is much admired by the BBC.

My favourite voice would be that of James Alexander Gordon, who used to read out the football scores. You always knew if it was a home, an away or a draw by the intonation that he always put on each match result.

 

[valenta]

It is said that a softly toned Scottish voice is much admired by the BBC.

My favourite voice would be that of James Alexander Gordon, who used to read out the football scores. You always knew if it was a home, an away or a draw by the intonation that he always put on each match result.

I remember him well!

 

[WestCoast]

I can't think of anything worse. At least the emotionless non-accented (well, nearly) voices now mean that anyone can understand them, regardless of where they come from.

There is no such thing as no accent! By non-accented I presume you mean Standard English or Received Pronunciation? The accent drawn mainly from the middle to upper classes of the Home Counties.

Well, it's true that Standard English carries weight in England, it doesn't in Scotland and Wales, hence a wider use of accent in certain circumstances. This comes, however, with the notable exception of ATW's auto-announcements.

One piece of research has suggested that people find Scottish accents most reassuring and that a light Yorkshire accent sounds intelligent, whereas an RP accent sounds condescending. Although, I'm not too sure if I agree.

I think there is a case for accents, but only if they are slight and can be understood clearly by a foreigner. It makes things less generic.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

The trams in Sheffield have automated announcements that are in a Yorkshire accent

They have three voices actually, two with Yorkshire accents and one guy with a slight West Country twang - you can hear it when he says "request". Listen Here.

The Manchester Metrolink uses a woman with a Manchester accent (it's not too strong and can be clearly understood). Listen Here.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It has been said many times that a West Midlands accent is the hardest one to receive acceptance at most levels, much to the annoyance of people eminating from that area.

 

[valenta]

The Tyne and Wear Metro used to have various gerodie voices on the "doors closing/ stand clear of the doors please" alarm!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyS76DezjcM&playnext=1&list=PLD24E31CA0FE1B7BE or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwy7FTtb-Cg&feature=related

but have now been replaced by this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBwOcYetglE

 

[Prodigy]

The Tyne and Wear Metro used to have various gerodie voices on the "doors closing/ stand clear of the doors please" alarm!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kyS76DezjcM&playnext=1&list=PLD24E31CA0FE1B7BE or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uwy7FTtb-Cg&feature=related

but have now been replaced by this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBwOcYetglE

It's because the yankies will be mad!

 

[strange6]

By eck, lad! If I was announcing train departures from Wigan NW, nobody South of the Watford gap would be able to catch their train! Let's stick with the lovely computerised voices

 

[Bittern]

I would've loved to have seen someone from England attempt to understand "Annoying Annie" on the Glasgow services before she was replaced.

 

[WestCoast]

I would've loved to have seen someone from England attempt to understand "Annoying Annie" on the Glasgow services before she was replaced.

Was she the one that was called a drunk Glaswegian? I could understand her.

 

[Bittern]

Was she the one that was called a drunk Glaswegian? I could understand, but only because my grandparents were from the area!!

http://youtu.be/kP0B2KMtyok

 

[WestCoast]

http://youtu.be/kP0B2KMtyok

Yes, that's the one. It's not that she's hard to understand, because I personally don't think she is.

She just sounds extremely depressed (and "not all there" if you know what I mean!!).

 

[BrummyBoy]

I wish they would bring back regional accents, would make journeys more fun rather than that the very boring standard english used.

 

[Nym]

You've oviously never heard me on a microphone doing any kind of announcing or calling, I'm not even at all there when I do it.

Although I was calling bingo nubers, and alternating between drinking and smoking between numbers. sparking up a new cig after the game ending announcements...

 

[Greenback]

Yes, that's the one. It's not that she's hard to understand, because I personally don't think she is.

She just sounds extremely depressed (and "not all there" if you know what I mean!!).

I've just had a listen and I can understand every word quite easily, but my God, you are right - she sounds so fed up!

 

[Bittern]

I'm very glad ScotRail got rid of her before I became a regular passenger.

 

[starrymarkb]

Croydon uses Nicolas Owen - who is a tram enthusiast.

The announcer on the Lille metro sounds fed up, though she just calls the station names out as the train arrives (it's surprisingly hard to see station names from the train on that system)

 

[CarterUSM]

It is said that a softly toned Scottish voice is much admired by the BBC.

My favourite voice would be that of James Alexander Gordon, who used to read out the football scores. You always knew if it was a home, an away or a draw by the intonation that he always put on each match result.

East Fife 4, Forfar 5.

 

[northwichcat]

When TPE had non-automated announcements you could get a variety of accents from the different conductors on the same service.

Towards the Manchester/Airport/Liverpool end you tended to get Mancunian/Lancashire/Cheshire accents. If the conductor changed at Leeds you could then get a Yorkshire accent, while if the conductor changed at York you could then get a Newcastle/Middlesbrough accent.

I believe TPE automated annoucements were recorded by TPE employees who TPE thought had 'friendly accents' i.e. not too broad.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

There is no such thing as no accent! By non-accented I presume you mean Standard English or Received Pronunciation? The accent drawn mainly from the middle to upper classes of the Home Counties.

I agree if you have 'no accent' then that would mean if you travelled to a foreign country no-one would be able to tell that you were English/British.

Phil Sayer is an interesting choice as he's used around the country. He used to be on local radio and TV in Manchester. He's now used for automated announcements by Northern Rail, South West Trains and the London Underground.

 

[tbtc]

I believe TPE automated annoucements were recorded by TPE employees who TPE thought had 'friendly accents' i.e. not too broad

I like the way that the TPE ones are pronounced, so that you head the "d" in "Closed Circuit Television"

 

[WestCoast]

Phil Sayer is an interesting choice as he's used around the country. He used to be on local radio and TV in Manchester. He's now used for automated announcements by Northern Rail, South West Trains and the London Underground.

I think the guy who does the announcements on the 333s (Martin Oldfield?) is really good, loud and perfectly clear with neutrality.

 

[PaulLothian]

Responses to accents are very subjective. Most of us would agree with George Thomas, former Speaker of the House of Commons, who defused a row in the Commons by saying "There are so many accents in this House, I only wish I had one myself."

 

[142094]

I can't recall any problems with the old "Stand Clear of the Doors, Please" announcement on the Metro when it was around, even with the various Geordie, Sandancer and Mackem accents they used to have. Now we have to suffer listening to annoucements where if I travel from South Shields I am apparently going to Newcarrrstle. Contacted Nexus about it and it is staying the way it is.