John Barrowman's Scottish Accent

John Barrowman's Scottish Accent Fan Expo 2012

[@mauigio]

"people made fun of my Scottish accent, and I was bullied when I was nine years old" THOSE PEOPLE ARE DEAD NOW -Ras Al Ghul

[@lioneltutukatemo3404]

Lol

[@NOONE-cd4gu]

Arrow reference well made

[@chandler8967]

Lol I had the same problem

[@becauseimapotato7599]

I'm going to hunt them down and snap each of their necks one...by...one. *snap* *snap* *snap* Ok you get the picture

[@valentinanoir]

AAJAJAHSJHQQ

[@beatriced222]

When I found out he's Scottish (and NOT American) I was genuinely shocked because I was ABSOLUTELY SURE he was American.

[@amsodoneworkingnow1978]

No Scot forsaken their culture willingly

[@theforestofoak]

same, and i knew he was Glaswegian, yet it never occurred to me that he's Scottish (i'm Scottish so it's not like i didn't know where Glasgow was)

[@theforestofoak]

@@AnonymousJ99 he moved to America as a kid, so if we're going on actual born nationality, then he's Scottish, but if we're going on accents, then I'd agree with you

[@AnonymousJ99]

Exactly so technically he’s probably more American because of how long he’s lived there. He wouldn’t say he’s Scottish.

[@Disney65Fan]

Cause he sounds American 24/7

[@mayleemcclelland7250]

Lol I laughed to hard when he said "was the only time he would ever be bi

[@discreteloner9573]

Me, too.

[@onceitzy2259]

Lmao😂😂😂

[@kane1253]

😂 I love how he can just switch between Scottish and American

[@vermilliongecko]

The technical term for what John is doing is 'style shifting', switching accents effortlessly depending on who he's with. We all do it to some extent, it's a very human thing, it's done to fit in with our companions and create social cohesion. But no-one should ever be made to do it or be bullied into doing it.

[@hirencorn2313]

I natively speak English and French, I can switch from english accent to french accent and vice versa in both languages. Yes I am showing off for no reason

[@BrianRPaterson]

I thought it was just me. We left Glasgow when I was 4 years old. So now I sound English at work and to most people I meet. But if I'm talking to my folks, my kids, or even the dog, my brain switches my accent to Scottish. It's mostly automatic. And a bit weird. But it's nice to have something in common with the great Captain Jack Harkness.

[@alexmccormack8840]

It’s really easy for any Scottish person to switch between the 2 accents

[@tomvesely4008]

😂 I love how they can just comment the most obvious thing about the video

[@romxxii]

There's another term for it, it's called code-switching. Bilingual people do it all the time. It's especially noticeable when I say an English word with a neutral accent, then I say the same word as a loanword for my native language.

[@kellynaz9256]

YES! when i speak punjabi to my mum and say english words integrated in, it sounds like a bad indian accent, but with friends or even my siblings i have a very british accent, and this can be in the same conversation

[@bambino9235]

Absolutely. I speak English and Spanish- There's a lot of English words integrated into Spanish these days, particularly amongst young people. When speaking Spanish I say them according to the rules of Spanish pronunciation. The same sort of thing happens in Japanese- Japanese has a *tonne* of English loanwords that as a native English speaker learning Japanese feels like you're speaking English in a stereotypical (or even racist) Japanese accent, which is essentially exactly what you're doing: they're English words spoken according to the rules of Japanese pronunciation

[@julicm19]

@@bambino9235 same con lo del español 😩

[@bambino9235]

@@julicm19 Right? A no ser que esté con alguien que también hable inglés, simplemente hace que la conversacióon vaya más smoothly. Mi nombre es James, but when dealing with the Spanish government, I am Ham-Es. It's just easier that way 🤣

[@Enivri]

The thing with me is my mother is Scottish, some words I say makes me sound Scottish, but I live in Wales and have learnt Welsh so other words I will sound Welsh. People ask me what my accent is, I just tell them it’s a mixture of Scottish Welsh and Northern English.

[@pikachuisshook2795]

Torchwood episode: Jack gets zapped by an alien and can't stop switching between Scottish and American accent

[@alysonneharris2445]

YES

[@largol33t1]

The alien zapping him gives him a new superpower: the ability to say "purple burglar alarm" three times fast!

[@GreenDay1695]

That same thing with sub-consiously switching accents happens to Gillian Andersson, too. When she speaks with Americans she has an American accent, and when she speaks with Brits she has a Brittish accent. It's pretty cool.

[@vermilliongecko]

I believe she lived in London until she was 16.

[@bradameerbeg2154]

That’s called echolalia. I have it. I am terrible at just doing an accent, BUT if I’m having a conversation with someone who has an accent I pick it up almost immediately and can’t help but mimic their accent. It’s not a conscious thing at all, it just happens. I’m going to get punched in the face one day because of it, I’m certain.

[@audraelynnegrimmelhaussen8808]

I also do that. Is there a term for it?

[@nowthenzen]

what happens if it's an evenly divided group of people?

[@alysonneharris2445]

@@bradameerbeg2154 I do that too, and I feel so bad. I can’t help it, and I don’t want people to think I’m mocking them. I have the utmost respect for them, having to leave behind what they know because they wanted a better life, or just moving to help keep their jobs, especially in the times of COVID-19. I don’t want anyone to think I’m being disrespectful. I’m just so curious about their experiences, and want to know more about what it was like, but the more I talk to someone with an accent, the more I get an accent.

[@vermilliongecko]

The technical term for what John is doing is 'style shifting', switching accents effortlessly depending on who he's with. We all do it to some extent, it's a very human thing, it's done to fit in with our companions and create social cohesion. But no-one should ever be made to do it or be bullied into doing it.

[@libirose8357]

That smirk at the end though...

[@andy-kc8dz]

I wonder if he’s ever talked to david in just his scottish accent

[@gulpbiys5705]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/g4OxZGudoL2qabc , .,

[@lyndaleoliver-musto23]

I'm from Wales but when I lived there I never really had a Welsh accent (very "newsreader" style English accent really.) Then I moved up to Middlesborough, found myself having to act as translator between my Scottish friends and those from Yorkshire and Derby way (made for some very odd conversations) but we discovered that when I'm tipsy I DO have a Welsh accent! I just have no control of it!

[@huwthomas4173]

I'm similar. I'm from Mid Wales and have a very very slight welsh accent, certainly not most would associate with Wales. However, since i've been at uni, i've found myself becoming more welshy, especially when tipsy!

[@ssh1487]

As a southern English with an estuary, “educated” accent who lived in South Wales for 3 years, be proud of your accent. Mine sounds too stuck up and Welsh accents are so bubbly and friendly even with aggressive speech lmao

[@mckenzie-grayeevans5876]

Guessing there were a lot of “Ayes” and “Ayy up, me ducks”.😂😭

[@501archer]

YES. i'm like this too. grew up with several dialects in the house. for many people, your brain just automatically switches to match the accent of your surroundings. it actually feels weird when i don't change my accent. it takes more effort to stay speaking "american" than it just to switch over. so people who say that it's being fake or whatever can just p-off.

[@vermilliongecko]

The technical term for what you're doing is 'style shifting', switching accents effortlessly depending on who you're with. We all do it to some extent, it's a very human thing, it's done to fit in with our companions and create social cohesion. But no-one should ever be made to do it or be bullied into doing it.

[@AkunekoRai]

Wow, mind =.blown. It's kind of weird to hear him with a Scottish accent especially because I love Doctor Who and Torchwood. I always see him as Captain Jack and an American for that reason. On a side note I find it rather strange that he was picked on for his accent. Even when I was youngster I found accents fascinating and most of the kids I knew did as well.

[@janicekrieger1922]

Yep, I was picked on too when my family migrated to Australia. I'm Scottish but there is no way I will lose my agent. BTW I was only 11.

[@NOONE-cd4gu]

U always hear him speak with his American accent but he's soooo cuttee speaking in his Scottish accent

[@enbysaurus_wrex]

My best friend moved from Scotland to America when he was 4 and the only time he EVER does a Scottish accent is when he's drunk. He doesn't talk Scottish with his parents either, even though they have THICK accents. I think it's because he was much younger when he moved here.

[@L-mo]

It’s called code switching and many people who live in countries with local languages or “dialects” do it.

[@kieraemerson9020]

I love both of his accents 😍😍😍

[@equestrianlu]

I can switch between a Brummie accent and a Canadian one. We moved to Canada when I was 11 and my brother 10. We were teased and bullied endlessly. We learned to do a Canadian accent quickly and "switch" without thinking as well. I wish more of our new classmates had found it interesting.

[@vermilliongecko]

The technical term for what you're doing is 'style shifting', switching accents effortlessly depending on who you're with. We all do it to some extent, it's a very human thing, it's done to fit in with our companions and create social cohesion. But no-one should ever be made to do it or be bullied into doing it.

[@SewardWriter]

That's one hell of a code switch.

[@willlexie]

“Sir, permission to express my opposition to those human scums who bullied you. I strongly advise the issuing of scissor grenades, limbo vapor and triple-blast brain spitters.” - Strax

[@arcticfox3878]

HAHAHHAHAHA

[@gilesguest4]

John Barrowman sounds like Jamie Mcrimmon here and it's amazing

[@Vanescotland24]

Scottish accent is absolutely beautiful. Love it!

[@colourmycosplay]

I can smoothly change my accent from Scottish to English to Irish and it's the strangest thing to my friends and family. I've only ever been to England, never Ireland but I can pick up on accents a bit too easily

[@BrianRPaterson]

Don't ever go to Australia! That accent is the most infectious on the planet!

[@mdaddy775]

What a cool and talented fella

[@MythicSuns]

interviewer to Barrowman: "What does that symbol on your chest mean?" Barrowman: "SCOTLAND!"

[@darrenrock3387]

David Tennent shakes fist Barrowman!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@ElizabethC109]

"the one and only time i ever will be bi." okay, that just made me sad.

[@Gloromania]

I do this to a lesser extent with a German accent. My dad's Irish and I grew up bilingual with an Irish accent. When we started English classes in school, the other kids couldn't understand what I was saying and looked at me funny, so I started talking English with a German accent to German people, even English names or stuff like that. But when I talk to English speaking people, I always have an Irish accent 😂

[@amsodoneworkingnow1978]

Most Scott's do this automatically. Professionally I speak with a cut glass English accent I picked up when attending an internationally renowned upper class English uni. My husband speaks in a Morningside accent from his days at uni. I am a guest lecturer often traveling the world to speak at both religious and educational institutions. I should say when I lecture I'm almost always dressed in the uniform of my religious faith group which is internationally renowned. On one occasion I was giving a series of lectures at my husband's university ( yes he is a lecturer too) He came in for the final lecture and buffet afterwards. I was speaking with a couple of his colleagues and the Dean of the local cathedral. I should say that I use my maiden name professionally here. I didn't see husband approaching me first I knew he was there was when he slipped his arm round my waist and kissed my cheek. I elbow him firmly in the side and in the broadest possible Glasgow accent say quit it is remit I'm still in my monkey suit. While those around just gasped .... There was nae need for that he sneezes then turns to those around nodding his head at me tells them that it's ok because I'm his biddy in !!!! We both collapse laughing and reverting back to work accents his Scottish posh mine Oxford posh continued our conversation. We were joined by a friend of my husband who hails from northern Ireland and yep within moments the silver tones of Belfast could be heard.

[@amsodoneworkingnow1978]

That should have read ... Quit it Kermit am still in my monkey suit.( Our term of endearment for our Salvation Army Uniform) And for the Scottish dialect Aly challenged a biddy in is an unmarried common law wife.

[@paulkerrigan9857]

I love it. Genuinely, he seems like a fun guy, and it warms my heart that he was born in the United Kingdom. ;-)

[@nowthenzen]

Oh Captain, my Captain!

[@rustledjammies8769]

My mother does this all the time without even realising it. It's crazy. From Southern Hiberno English to Home Counties English and back and forth, especially when she's talking to different people. If she spoke to her colleagues how she spoke to her sisters, they'd think she was a different person, LOL!

[@dal_riata_music]

Most Scots are a dab hand at flipping the dialect from Scottish English to Scots which is similar so I get where he's coming from!

[@Sasfoot]

Gillian Anderson is the same way. She was born in the US, raised in the UK and subconsciously speaks with either accent based on who she's talking to.

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

He’s so clever with the switch of the accents John is

[@chrism836]

Precious John so fun ^^

[@janicekrieger1922]

Love him!!!!!

[@carolsscraps7782]

"It's probably the one and only time I will be bi." Hilarious, John. Wish I could say the same. :) Love you, man.

[@philsadler9810]

To a much less impressive extent, I'm bidialectal, as I've lived between London and the North of England for all of my life. So I speak like a northern bastard when I'm up north, and a southern softie when I'm down south. I just want to fit in I suppose :)

[@brain_apostrophe_t]

As an American raised in Tasmania by an American and an Australian at once, Im really glad to have a word for the voice thing

[@bunniet.6290]

His accent! Unf! What a cutie!

[@shoxruxaliyev5898]

Nice jobs,thanks share

[@basementfungus]

I love him

[@limitededition9976]

I love ur scottish accent

[@planetofthegapes]

Now I want a crime thriller series with Barrowman and Tennant as Scottish brothers on opposite sides of the law.

[@json1824]

He's gay? Am I bovvered though?

[@750GamingMain]

does my face looked bovvered?

[@json1824]

No 'cause it ain't even bovvered, though

[@wocterdho]

Are you disrespecting me?!

[@JaneDoe-bo5qw]

A rose of the same name would smell as sweet!

[@emilykalunga3510]

@@wocterdho are you disrespecting the house of Cooper???!!!

[@cgbell1123]

Ahhhh the famous Malcolm smirk 😍

[@mauigio]

+Carlee star it gets me everytime and im as straight as an ARROW Smile level = SEASONED JEDI KNIGHT

[@martynj.welenc]

I’m sorta like this but only kinda. I’m American but I grew up watching SO many British tv shows that I started to pick up a (rather terrible) English accent. It sounds great in my head but it’s pretty bad for speaking in. But the weird thing is that about half the time I actually THINK in an English accent. I know this seems weird but I don’t even control it, it just happens. I just wish my accent was as good in speech as it is in my head.

[@FirstKhaoProtector]

I love him so much!!

[@thomasrobertson2225]

Good video! Thanks to the author for his good work! I'd like to recommend the workshop by Yuriy Ivantsiv Polyglot Notes: Practical tips for learning foreign languages.

[@11cabadger]

I totally get it. As a kid, I went door-to-door selling girl-scout cookies with my best friend. A nice lady invited us inside because the weather was so bad. By the time we left, I had a Swedish accent. Thanks, John, for putting a face (and what handsome it is ) on this "affliction". ☮️💟

[@lorenzbroll0101]

He is HUGE with his public!

[@bileygr1216]

Haha that's awesome! I can do the same with an Indian accent and an American accent.

[@ZrazorRozenstrauch]

The two most disappointing things I ever learned in my life were: Santa Claus doesn't exist, and John Barrowman is taken.

[@ShaunakDesaiPiano]

I'm exactly like this! I know two languages, English and Marathi (an Indian language, my mothertongue). Especially in more recent times, Indians mix English words with speech in our own languages. As a consequence, over the years, I've developed the quirk that whenever I am speaking to an Indian with an Indian accent, I speak in an Indian accent, whilst with anyone else I switch to British just like that. And I can call either accent forth whenever I wish because, like John Barrowman said, both of them are a part of me! This was a nice quirk to share with Captain Jack Harkness!

[@weatherwitchandfelinefamiliars]

My family moved a Lot when I was a kid across the UK and definitely the quickest way for me as a new kid to be accepted was to swiftly pick up the accent. I can pick up Accents very quickly still now do just talking to someone after a few times and I find myself with bits of their accent 🤣 As an only child though that was a pure survival technique for me 😊

[@JaneDoe-bo5qw]

For some reason, if I try to do any other accent than my natural accent, I can't keep it consistent. But, if I've just finished watching a British show, I can do a perfect British accent. This is kind of like my brain copying what it heard, because normally I sound like a replica of one of the characters in the show, complete with the accent and common figures of speech. Also, I don't know how long I can hold the accent because normally I drop it so my family doesn't get annoyed. P.S. My natural accent is "General American"

[@justanothergoogler6436]

Insanely impressive. Had me fooled.

[@hannahmcloughlin1902]

I love johnbarrowmans acsent for who johnbarrowman is and will allways love his acsent becuse that the way he was born with a scottish acsent

[@lonzee18]

Thumbnail is gold

[@celestiaofthestars5005]

Ya I live in between Glasgow and Edinburgh, you can always tell when I've switched to Glaswegian 😂

[@thebrummierailenthusiasts5329]

I’m doing the exact opposite to what John does when I’m in Birmingham and the Black Country I have a brummie accent which I’m speaking so fluently but if I’m in USA Scotland or Canada my accent switches over to Scottish accent and I’m talking fluent Scottish brilliant and I have spoken little bit of welsh accent especially when looking at places based in Wales

[@user-mu2vb4fo2x]

❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@jasoncarson1043]

My bestfriend growing up did this too. When he spoke to his parents he used his English accent, turned it on without thinking about it. When he spoke to anyone else, friends, anything no accent. It was pretty cool to see.

[@anembersarc]

No accent? Did he use sign language?

[@somesuchx8912]

@@anembersarc It's common for Americans who've never been anywhere to think that their local accent is 'no accent'.

[@beatriced222]

Well,he's an inspiration for me. I'm Italian and already bilingual (I can speak English pretty fluently,as well as my own native language of course) and I'd like to learn how to switch easily between British (modern RP accent) and General American English.

[@pinnedtojohnbarrowman2660]

Thanks for the support. It's my out most pleasure having you here, thanks for your support you have been giving me all these years, I won't be here if not for you my lovely fan. I hope you find joy and happiness in my songs? I will have to call you My Super Fan. All my fans inbox me and tell me how you feel about me if you love me thanks Whatsapp....... [phone]

[@thomasandrews8174]

I didn’t know it was possible for John Barrowman to be even sexier but here we are

[@spineguy1553]

Same here. I was picked on and got into so many fights in Middle school I changed my accent to American.

[@jeremyphillips7827]

Cool. I wish I could switch back and forth like that. I had a similar experience as a kid, except that I was bullied into changing my accent/dialect at the age of six, and I can't intentionally switch back to the old one. I've been told it slips out occasionally, under certain circumstances, but I don't notice when it does, unless someone points it out to me. My mom still has the old accent, but I'm apparently deaf to hers, so I wouldn't know how to intentionally imitate it.

[@THE_REAL_VELIKAN]

Bruhh that's awesome how he can switch his accent

[@helenehuydecooper3534]

His scottish accent makes him 10 times sexier. That is what the bullies were afraid of probably.

[@daisy6545]

Scottish accents have a habit of coming out for example my dad is Scottish and my mum is posh English so I grew up around two very different accents. My new friends at one point didn’t know I had Scottish in me and that I often switched accents so when I started ranting about something I went full Scottish and startled the hell out of them

[@pinnedtojohnbarrowman2660]

Thanks for the support. It's my out most pleasure having you here, thanks for your support you have been giving me all these years, I won't be here if not for you my lovely fan. I hope you find joy and happiness in my songs? I will have to call you My Super Fan. All my fans inbox me and tell me how you feel about me if you love me thanks Whatsapp....... [phone]√

[@starryminyoongi7309]

This happens to me too! Some people think I'm faking but I have no control over it, its subconscious reaction to my surroundings.

[@bigbvdofficial1619]

+Lucifer You're correct, it is subconscious! I study linguistics. Its something called "lexical accommodation theory"- you change the way you speak automatically in order to fit in with other groups. It's natural!

[@pilotactor777]

fuck me-i would have thought 10 million views by now!

[@Blackburnlankashire2]

He's so cute X)

[@jcagra2012]

I can do the same with Spanish and English accent...just like him mid sentence I can also switch between languages Spanish and English mid sentence. All my siblings can.

[@christopherdrennan5819]

He's from Mount Vernon in Glasgow.

[@tangarooo]

My husband was from Cumbernaud in Glasgow. He spoke with three dialects actually. He spoke Glaswegian when in Glasgow, he had a broad Scottish accent when not in Glasgow, and when he was in England or America, he 'talked polite' so people could understand him.

[@Sprite_thefilmnerd]

Oi, lad, who dae I hav tae beat up fer messin with a Scotsman!

[@mccluckleymccluckley]

no i totally get this i can fully go between a full on pakistani accent and a full broad midlands one in one sentence and it freaks people out like some of my family members just don't understand english in a british accent

[@linrae4737]

G'day Mate Howzyagoin? Fair dinkum cobber ya did what!!

[@lonzee18]

I can say a lot in Scottish

[@bope1617]

He could be a Nice Superman.

[@hazelangus]

I used to do this at primary school. Unfortunately I doubt I can do it anymore, because I stopped at about 11 years old! I was accused of talking posh, which was probably true, and I was given a hard time at school for that. So, probably somewhere between the ages of 5 and 7, I started talking in a Yorkshire accent at school. My parents thought it was pretty funny for me to say "Bye bye Mummy" at the school gates and then flip straight into "AWRIGHT MATE?" That accent was just for school. At home I just talked like myself. Once I went to secondary school at 11, there was no need for it, because there were more people without a Yorkshire accent. I also used it once at the age of 14 to talk myself out of getting beaten up.

[@chase1146]

lol he's good at that.

[@miggleschick]

An with that all women's hearts break in 2

[@equestrianlu]

Exactly why.

[@DapperPaperBag]

As a scottish person, I still get bullied for my accent. Nearly every American I meet says "Oh, I can do a scottish accident" and then proceeds to do the worst impersionation of Fat Bastard, Shrek or DnD dwaves. So, I know exactly how he feels, LOL.

[@lukedaley17]

That’s a bit like The Edge he speaks with a welsh accent and a Irish one.

[@Disney65Fan]

Wow he sounds completely different when he speaks Scottish

[@thewkovacs316]

i love the scottish accent why would any kid bully another because of their accent?

[@thewkovacs316]

@@JohnVJay john is not effeminate he is fabulous

[@iliketigers7820]

Coz some ppl r evil

[@somesuchx8912]

Some kids will bully other kids for literally any kind of difference. Almost any kid who has moved countries will have experienced bullying over accent.

[@FHAhab]

I do this with liverpudlian and hastonian

[@keskonriks710]

do that to, but with standart and swiss german.

[@pandamaci1515]

For my ear before i knew he was scottish i thought he had a slight accent (in some words) when he was speaking with American accent🤷‍♀️

[@coralmclaughlin9864]

John is a bi-dialect.

[@NOONE-cd4gu]

I can switch from British accent to American accent aswell

[@thecrazyfamily323]

He was in Canada what city damn it I missed it

[@ThePluth]

+The Tenth Doctor Toronto

[@charliep123]

Sorry, but he was in Toronto again last weekend

[@IAmValenwind]

both his american and his scottish are completely natural and honest sounding, it's not like every other briton where their r's sound a little soft or a little lispy-w-ish or weird glottal stops... no, it sounds like he's very distinctly midwestern, but not so far west as california- he enunciates too clearly to be west coast. ...and then he goes and fucks with my head and sounds like he goes and has dinner with Gimli and Thorin Oakenshield.

[@Ssomeinxam]

Me too. I am biaccented. English moved to America 9

[@baileyhyena]

Im British

[@gsw0865]

Unbeknownst to the audience he was flashing them right there and then 🧐

[@M.H_786_]

Real life Master of deception, al sahir the magician malcolm Merlyn

[@chadvalliere8697]

Like Gerry Butler

[@ClintBandito]

Jack sounding like Jaime McCrimmon