How To Do a Derry Accent | Louisa Harland - Derry Girls

[@AlsActionEnglish]

✔️ *WATCH NEXT* ✔️ Northern Irish Accent Coaching | #1 /aʊ/ Diphthong kzbin.info/www/bejne/ipWZe2OCrbh1nqs

[@AcademicNut593]

She says "wee" 3 times ☺️

[@AlsActionEnglish]

@@AcademicNut593 "Wee" - once and "wee-er" = more wee - twice ;)

[@AcademicNut593]

@@AlsActionEnglish ohhh omg thats so cool. I would love to visit Derry i could,hby

[@AlsActionEnglish]

@@AcademicNut593 I have been there quite a few times.

[@AcademicNut593]

@@AlsActionEnglish oh my whats it like 😊?

[@_JimS]

Louisa is a true gem. Even when she not part of the scene, she's still in the the scene. When I watch this show I watch it twice, once for what's going on and another to just watch "Orla". Her facial and physical expressions are just comedic genius!

[@AlsActionEnglish]

How true! She's constantly at the forefront of your mind. Saying that, I personally prefer Erin's facial expressions.

[@dj3114]

Agree, what a great actress. I read that she is from Dublin and based her Derry accent after her co-star (Erin) who is from Derry. I don't know how actors can pull off such a different dialect.

[@maia8222]

yes i agreee her reaction to everything is so realistic

[@davidhines68]

Everytime I hear Louisa outside of Derry Girls, it completely shocks me, because of the difference in accent and much lower voice. I keep thinking I should get used to it, but still haven't.

[@gerardstephens58]

I just did this to watch Orla; so glad I did. She’s hilarious.

[@nutsriket9687]

Derry is my favourite Northern Irish accent but it’s quite complicated and hard to understand sometimes!

[@AlsActionEnglish]

How do you distinguish between a derry accent and others in Northern Ireland?

[@nutsriket9687]

I think the Derry accent has its own distinctive inflection which is quite similar to Liverpool.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Similar to Liverpool? I find it fascinating that a Thai national has noticed this (:

[@eatingbaconnie]

@@AlsActionEnglish Omg Im a filipino and i noticed that derry girl accent somewhat resembles scouse cuz im a big jodie comer fan and the way they speak kinda reminds me of jodie’s scouse i thought i was the only one

[@DiamandaHagan]

I'm from Derry and married to an American, years later they are still amused that my sister-in-law used the term 'wee cathedral' in a conversation.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Class! Are you able to remember the context of your sister-in-law saying this?

[@DiamandaHagan]

@@AlsActionEnglish Rewatched the video and found this reply, sorry it took so long. Basically she was referring to the cathedral at the end of their street.

[@drewharper1142]

Belfast: car Derry: cyar

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Yo!

[@quagmire4469]

Or anyone in Co. Tyrone

[@laponiec]

cyar, cyard, brayn (brown), they are also typical for County Armagh

[@keithbraham6438]

I love Louisa and her talent, she is subtle and brilliant at the same time, she is like sunshine whenever I see her

[@chowderismyboyfriend]

I’m from the US Virgin Islands, and I had to say that sometimes Irish and Northern Irish accents sound Caribbean! Like the way, Orla said “can’t” reminds me of the way some of us Caribbeans speak! It’s really fascinating :) I hear it might be due to the fact that Irish folk were sent to work in the islands long ago and influenced the way the enslaved Africans spoke English.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Awesome analysis, I'd never looked into this possibility. Perhaps it's the occasional /j/ that slips in... I "cyant". Is this what yu mean?

[@andymgreen]

There is a specific historic reason behind that! A lot of the people taken to the carribbean in the age of colonisation of the Americas from Europe were largely from 2 places: Slaves brought from Africa; and indentured servants (and occasional slaves) from Ireland, all largely via Britain. Which meant that the vast majority of people on the islands were Irish or African, outnumbering the mainly British and Spanish landowners who brought them there. Many of the Afro Carribbean accents have become a mongrel of Irish and African accents. There was also a lot of breeding between both those ethnic groups (sometimes by choice, sometimes forced by slave owners/servant owners) and chances are a lot of modern day island inhabitants have some Irish blood in them, this is why there's such a variety in skin complexions in Jamaica and Barbados for example compared to parts of Africa, and there are even 100% white Bajan's who people mistake for Irish immigrants due to their accents.

[@DrRinse]

Have a listen to the Southern-Irish Cork accent vs Caribbean. You might find even more similarities.

[@andymgreen]

@Mr. Crash Bandi I have not got it twisted at all. As you can see from my comment I said they were indentured servants and occasional slaves, as an add on, I never for one second suggested it was more than that, I have shot down arguments of the Irish slavery myth online several times. But there is evidence of Irish indentured servants being held beyond their agreement and kept as slaves against their will, that is in no way comparing it to chattel slavery, but it was still slavery. No different than modern slavery is still slavery.

[@hamrickdr]

The dipthongs and the -ing to -in' at the ends of verbs make me think of the "Southern Mountain" dialect of the U.S. Might be for the same reasons others have mentioned, a lot of "Scotch-Irish" (I think you call them Ulster Scots?) came here in the 1700s as indentured servants or laborers. When they were able, they went up in the mountains to carve out their own farms. Very distinct culture to this day.

[@Stevo935]

The "ow" sound comes across radically different in this show, I've noticed. Like when Jenny says "boogie on down", it sounds like "boogie on diyun". Or when Claire is wearing her union jack shirt, and says they needed to "take the power back", power sounded like "pyre". Such a fascinating accent!

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Absolutely, great examples!

[@Stevo935]

@@AlsActionEnglish Another one: when they're cleaning Fionnula's chip shop and realize too late that they were using the wrong products......Erin says "how is it still sticky", and her "how" sounds like "hoi". (On a side note, for the longest time I thought the name was "Vanilla" but then I realized that couldn't be right. Of COURSE it's Fionnula. Is that a common name in Derry?)

[@lucillebluth2616]

@@Stevo935 sorry this is late but yes fionnula is very common throughout Ireland!🥰🇮🇪

[@nozrep]

as an American when he said “vowel” I heard the word “vial”. hahaha but I still knew what he was saying because he was in the middle of explaining it simultaneously. I love it!

[@alydamarincovich5704]

I always find it interesting the way that my friends from Donegal change their accents when we go to the North, especially in either Belfast or Derry.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Where are you from?

[@alydamarincovich5704]

Al's Action English I’m from Seattle but I study in Dublin

[@AlsActionEnglish]

What differences do you notice between Donegal and Belfast / Derry?

[@jimmyogres8000]

I love in Derry and this video is very accurate

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Orla FTW!

[@sukhpreetsn4945]

You make love in Derry?

[@doctorbuddha1906]

@@sukhpreetsn4945 as someone with friends from derry, from down myself, he probably does.

[@sukhpreetsn4945]

@@doctorbuddha1906 lol

[@TaraRoss]

Still trying to figure out how they say "now" and "down". Is it like 'noy' and "doyn"? Or is it more 'nigh" and "digh-een?" Seriously....I have more important things in life but this confounds me! hahaha.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Haha, trying to write it phonetically is a dead loss - you just have to have the ear for it...

[@RichardDCook]

I think that's the oddest part of that accent, the now/cow sound. Note that when Al says "vowel" it sounds (to me) like English "vial". Al, is it unrounded? Fronted?

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Apologies for not being notified of this question. In standard British English it is the rounded diphthong /aʊ/ - same in now, cow and vowel. Yes, it is not round in Northern Ireland and kinda located at the back of the throat. The video below goes through this specific sound further: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qXaVYqyId9WDlZY

[@alphawhore]

@@AlsActionEnglish Hi! I'm preparing a presentation on the Derry accent using clips from Derry Girls and I was wondering this same question. How would you transcribe phonetically these words? I'm lost! haha

[@sion_grace]

the derry accent sounds more musical and smoother to me to a standard NI accent

[@Katie-hj6pv]

I’m Scouse but I’d love to master this accent 😂 it’s amazing

[@MaybeHarvey]

I can understand what they say and say it pretty well I just can’t say my own sentence unless planned

[@AlsActionEnglish]

This is common and in fact is how anyone learns to speak any language. You have to understand before you're able to produce the target language. I wish you well as you endeavour to speak like Orla 😇

[@adamdalzell8111]

Classic words/phrases that folk from Londonderry use a lot: -Mucker (friend e.g. "yes mucker what's the craic?") -Lad -Pure (but drawn out like puurrree) -Hi (at the end of sentences e.g "I'm freezing hi") -Canny (as in can't) -while (e.g "I'm while warm") -Gone away (go away) -catch yourself on (wise up) -up to hi-do (stressed/busy) -quare (somethings good e.g "that's a quare set of golf clubs") -banjaxed (broken) -yeooooo (sound we make when something good happens) -wains (children)

[@pitchshifthub]

Am an actor trying to master 4 lines with a derry accent. I have been binge watching derry girls and then this video came out, I have to say it was really helpful, it helped me improving my knowledge about this accent. Still have a lot of work to do, I am trying to give the sentences the right intonation and placement in the nose I suppose

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Hey, yes the derry accent is a tricky one to master. I'm glad this video provided some assistance - there's a lot more to it though! What are your 4 lines; I'd be happy to help?

[@pitchshifthub]

@@AlsActionEnglishthanks for the reply, here are my lines: The stab was like someone slapping me in the back. But then the pain, then I saw the blade which was nine or ten inches long. I really thought this is it. This was my curtain call. He just looked at me and didnt seem to care. I had never seen him before in my life"

[@AlsActionEnglish]

@@pitchshifthub Some tips for you: 1. Pay attention to the /ɪn/ sound in slapping. 2. Shorten the /eɪ/ diphthong in pain and blade. 3. Clearly say the /r/ in care and curtain. Break a leg!

[@pitchshifthub]

Al's Action English thank you so much really. of course I subscribed and I will suggest you to all colleagues looking for an accent coach for these beautiful accents

[@AlsActionEnglish]

@@pitchshifthub You're all welcome! Drop me a comment, email or use Social Media if anyone is interested (:

[@ClaireHawkins]

This is so cool! I love the Derry accent. I just posted a video from my trip there. It was so cool to hear the accent I know so well from 'Derry Girls!' haha

[@AlsActionEnglish]

How was your trip?

[@ClaireHawkins]

@@AlsActionEnglish It was great! Feel free to check out my recent video if you'd like! :D

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Just checked it out, for some reason I wasn't notified of your response...

[@Muldoon111]

This is a brilliant channel. The wonder of KZbin never ceases to amaze me.

[@HYSTERIA-ee2re]

I absolutely love her accent my dad was from derry and unfortunately I grew up in England so have a mancunian accent

[@aaronboggs9719]

I never thought I'd see a day where people learned to speak Derry. Hahaha wow! Good luck d'ye's hi!

[@rabbitscooter]

Fascinating. Derry is basically the opposite of a Canadian accent, then. They tend to over-emphasize the diphthong, thus boat sounds like bowt. With the Derry accent, boat probably sounds closer to bite, right?

[@donala4628]

I'm from Derry and one thing I've noticed that's different about a general Northern Irish accent is the word "Do". From what I've heard, the Belfast accent has a much harsher D constonant, closer to what I'd describe as a glottal stop with your tongue. It's almost like the sound is spat out and when I try to replicate it I notice that my tongue is pressed further into my top teeth. It sounds very similar to a bubble popping "I don't know what you want me to do" -- the last word do it will be especially emphasised on. When I say it and when I've heard this sentence used in Derry, I notice that it's a lot softer. The harsh version is the one that is heard often in media.

[@cing9545]

A feature in my view, because I know someone from there, the speaking pitch is a bit lower than in RP, as a Spaniard it is closer to the pitch we would use when we speak. RP's pitch is more fluctuating, perhaps higher and from a different part of the mouth. In Scotland, I noticed the pitch drops a bit too, so I wonder, has anyone else in such areas noticed it?

[@kiltilly98]

I'm a Yank, but my Dad and three grandparents were from Belfast. I find the Belfast accent to be more broad and with a stronger inflection at the end of sentences, which makes it sound more "questioning". The north of Ireland I like best is from Strabane.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

That's an extremely specific area! What is it about Strabane?

[@kiltilly98]

@@AlsActionEnglish I grew up in San Francisco with a McCormick family from Strabane and I just loved the accent. It seems a bit more clipped and flatter than Belfast or Derry and I really liked the slower tempo of speech. The oldest member of the family seemed to say. "... yur gunnie hav tee..." in every sentence! And to his grandkids, "Come here til I give ye a kiss." I know they say that in Belfast and Derry too, but it's flatter from Strabane.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Thank you for sharing your background, I thoroughly enjoy it when people do so in the comments section - reckon that foreigners who are living here struggling with the language get so much more value here than in the actual video! Have never visited Strabane myself and this is the second time it's cropped up during a video!

[@stephenbrown1622]

I love Louisa Harland she is gorgeous a new wonder in the world they should name a planet after her character planet ORLA

[@youtubinwithMissTina]

I’m American and when I hear an Irish accent, the dialect always sounds like a question is being asked towards the last few words spoken. It’s interesting that vowels are pronounced separately instead of being ran together like we speak in English ( ou, ai, etc)

[@84DJB]

I tried explaining this to a friend, I live in England that in Northern Ireland, you can go from Belfast accent to country I'm 3 miles lol and everything in-between

[@davidmcnulty8181]

Sam Neil was born in Northern Ireland. I think his parents were with the Kiwi Air Force and were stationed there for a few years, so he would have left as a young child. But he did so a very good accent in Peaky Blinders

[@hughmckendrick3018]

Actors clips at the start, Sam Neil was born in Omagh and moved to New Zealand when he was about 7 years old. He would got some exposure the to NI accent at play and in early school.

[@DiamandaHagan]

If there's any justice Louisa will eventually play Doctor Who. Orla's wide-eyed Tom Baker-y eccentricity is perfect.

[@stolasish1184]

The first seconds of this video managed to activate my Siri. This is amazing, it’s never happened before!

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Seriously!? Orla, and her strong Derry accent activated your Siri?

[@megansaltzman1815]

when I used to live in southern New Zealand (city of Dunedin) the world "wee" was used frequently. I wonder to what extent Ireland influenced the English spoken there, which, I should add, was very diverse

[@ballyhigh11]

'Wee' seems to be quite commonly used across NZ. Considering how many Scots and Irish emigrated to NZ, I can see why that is.

[@daisyrushton1574]

from a london perspective, there's something more 'rural' about the kya thing, and the whole wee-Wean thing is very Terry Pratchett (Wee Free Men etc.)

[@davidhines68]

I was really interested to observe the difference in the diphthong you use in 'vowel' from how my accent pronounces it. I'm not sure I could reproduce your pronunciation without a lot of practice. It was also interesting that this was in the context of a discussion of 'rain' not having a diphthong in Norn Iron.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

From where do you hail may I ask?

[@AndalusianIrish]

The big thing with the Derry accent is the intonation.

[@jpipes915]

The end joke gave me a literal lol

[@mow3186]

Sorry, you picked an actor from South Dublin to demonstrate a Derry accent. That’s some recognition to Louisa Harland skill.

[@johnvelas70]

in 7th grade I accidentally asked a new Nun out she was from Derry started her sentences with with awk (sounds like the German ach).

[@AlsActionEnglish]

How'd you *accidentally* manage this may I ask?

[@johnvelas70]

@@AlsActionEnglish She wasn't wearing her habit but work clothes that were the style for the public high school girls at the time (Sep 1984). @ years of getting yelled at by her & I can still do a passable Derry accent.

[@johnvelas70]

bad news for me, she's back in the Occupied North. but she's helping me track the 1/4 Irish side of my family (yep I know they're all dead) but...

[@jonathanramsey]

I'd argue that the Derry /eɪ/ is realized as /ɪə/. A diphthong still, but a different one. NY dialect uses the same in its merger of /ɔɪ/ and /ər/.

[@jonathanramsey]

I should say "often" it is. I do hear the lone schwa from some.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

I see where you are coming from and on occasion, yes. A shorter than usual diphthong I'd wager... Which NY dialect? Upstate?

[@anthonygillespie3140]

In belfast there seems to be more a sounds than in the derry accents, they say nai in belfast where we would say the general northern irish now. They pronounce tower as tar where we would pronounce it in the general northern irish way. For the word mate, in belfast it's like saying me and it together as fast as possible, in derry its more like saying mit

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Excellent analysis! Are you from either of these cities?

[@anthonygillespie3140]

@@AlsActionEnglish im from derry but study in belfast

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Do you feel like it's the same country? What are you studying?

[@anthonygillespie3140]

There's actually the same kind of base accent just with certain sounds ramped up differently between them so yeah sounds like the same country but just about, engineering

[@santiagojosecaballerocalab3750]

Amazing video

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Thanks!

[@TMPreRaff]

Vowel = VOIL.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Are you a local?

[@nozrep]

as an American with a midwestern and southern USA “city accent” I would be very curious to know and understand when, how, and or why “wee” switched meanings in America to be another word for urination versus meaning “something small” in the Irish or British accents. Have always wondered that. Ok I gotta go wee now please excuse me.

[@ballyhigh11]

We still use 'wee' to mean pee too. I have genuinely heard an Irish parent say to a young child 'do you need to do a wee wee-wee?' In fact it could well have been one of my parents to me when I was a wean (wee one)!

[@briank10101]

Oui Oui 😂

[@jackmcm892]

variations in NI accents based on areas include, ulsterscots, *not understandable*

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Hahaha, could you kindly give an example?

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Appreciate the history lesson. Have you studied this in detail?

[@okeydokey827]

I'm from derry

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Yeeoooooo!

[@auntiecarol]

Born in Magherafelt, spend the next 18 years in England (because '71 was not a good time to be around), and spent every summer holiday "back home", then another 25 in the East Coast US... it's funny how the drunker I get the more I regress. Speaking with my cousins, too, it all comes flooding back. Try as I might, though, without the chemical depressant or the emotional stimulus, I just cannot fake/act it. Interesting too... common Norn Irn words like "skillet" and "pail" which are lost to modern British English are alive and well in the US.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Magherafelt! Great to have you on board! I think this is a common effect that alcohol induces. Where are you living stateside?

[@auntiecarol]

@@AlsActionEnglish CT.

[@remlatzargonix1329]

Don't most people try to lose the Norn Iron (Northern Irish) accent?....acquiring one?...

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Hi, you'd be surprised how many contact me wanting to acquire it. Certainly a niche within acting circles...

[@YogeshTiwari-do7no]

Hey brother i am from India

[@AlsActionEnglish]

How do you find the Derry accent?

[@phern2389]

If the Derry accent is spot on it can’t be understood by Americans . We use subtitles

[@carmijar71]

😄🤗yay! 3 times

[@AlsActionEnglish]

What is 3 times?

[@carmijar71]

@@AlsActionEnglish the number of times 'wee' and/or a variation is said by Orla about Russian nesting dolls 😊

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Ah, yes. This is 100% my favourite line in the series!

[@carmijar71]

@@AlsActionEnglish I couldn't pick an absolute favorite but the lines that stick out to me are, (in s1:e1), by the character Claire Devlin about wearin jean jackets instead of the uniform blazer: "...I thought we were gonna be individuals this year...I'm not being individual on my own." 😄

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Oh my goodness, you must know every line from every episode!?

[@nunyabizness690]

We don't pronounce rain as "rayin"

[@answersinreality6316]

In fairness, Orla doesn't actually have a realistic Derry accent.

[@alfienice3636]

Omg I have a friend that I met at a summer camp I worked at and she’s from Derry and her name’s Cara, but because of her accent everyone (and we had people from Manchester, London, Hungry, Australia, and New Zealand) thought her name was Ciara because she added the yuh noise in her own name 😂 she’s so funny and amazing

[@tarmaco]

Wee is actually a Scottish term, but it's no surprise that they use it in Derry because Scottish people invaded Northern Ireland 400 years ago. Och is also a Scottish term.

[@brennanando]

Did Louisa Harland grown up in Northern Ireland, as her Wikiedia says she was born in Dublin?

[@AlsActionEnglish]

She was indeed. I don't know exactly where she grew up. Maybe someone else in the comments does...

[@AlsActionEnglish]

Thank you for drawing everyone's attention to this interview. Her accent to me definitely comes across as Irish here rather than Derry. What do you reckon?

[@brennanando]

@@AlsActionEnglish I'm Welsh, but lived in England most of my life, so I'm not an expert on Irish accents, but she definitely sounds like she's from Dublin. I found out yesterday that Nicola Coughlan who plays Clare is actually from Galway.

[@mermaidmotel3672]

If we were friends I would always make you talk to me in different accents 💖

[@sedecim]

sounds similar to a Jamaican accent

[@davidmccarter9479]

Lurgan has the cya consonant too.

[@AlsActionEnglish]

It certainly does, to be sure.

[@michaelhalsall5684]

Is there a soco-ecomonic influence on the North Irish accents? I believe the Derry Girls were supposed to be from Working Class families. In the Australian English we have a similar feature of diphthong "squeezing" thus "Monday" because "mundee". Dropping the final G, thus "walking" becomes "walkin'". It's considered sign of being poorly educated to speak like this. The Australian accent is a sort of Cockney meets Northern Irish.

[@birdfriday]

You saying “vowel” is a diphthong

[@donzioldbuddy]

Car in a northern Irish accent is pronounced Cyar...

[@irishfergal]

As a Derry non-binary myself, I'm now an English professor in California, I love teaching my ESL students a few fun workshops on linguistics including the Derry accent - and how to order a sandwich from Subway in a Derry accent. Three of my students from Taiwan watched season one of Derry girls without subtitles and they got quite a lot of the plot and action from context and sometimes language. When they went to the Subway shop on campus and plucked up the courage to order in a Derry accent. The lady behind the counter is San Diego/Mexican, and has a strong Chicano accent (Think about the Latino characters in Breaking Bad). So, first student, Mindy is asked what the would like, 6" or 12" - she replied in a strong Taiwanese accent, "I want wee one. Wee one" in a perfect cantonese pronunciation. The Latina server threw her arms up un the air and said,, "Hey, we need to find a way to make our orders clear to everyone." And they learned that this is very very difficult. But for people who love language, this is like playing in a a great big sand box.

[@TedEhioghae]

Why does it matter if you are non-binary? Can't you just write "male" or something? Fact: Male or female Feelings: Non-binary.

[@briank10101]

Trying to force a fairytale 🎉 on the people. What will be the next flavour of the month?

[@dt8150]

Sounds like Alister is saying VIAL instead of VOWEL lol

[@lilisa6518]

Wee means small girl or boy kids as well right?

[@AlsActionEnglish]

'Wee ones' or 'wains' means this.

[@hardway1746]

Pickin, grinnin, sinnin, southern slang

[@kevindevlin6287]

I'm confused? There are many different accents from different parts of many countries but given there is no such country as Northern Ireland as there is no such country as Northern Scotland, Wales or England is this not just a dialect?

[@upthera2376]

Up the ra

[@scooby1435]

🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@danielafcw]

Title should be Londonderry accent not Derry accent 🇬🇧

[@PS-ru2ov]

Who cares I call it both

[@danielafcw]

How can u call it both either ur one of us 🇬🇧 or ur one of the taigs 🇨🇮

[@fuzzasco4896]

Seriously guys? Here?

[@danielafcw]

Fuzzasco yes coz he is clearly biased for the IRA

[@nathanmcintyre1]

Keeping it classy guys