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I took a vacation in 97 in NI and Scotland, taking the Belfast to Cairnryan ferry. On the trip, I went to the loo to do my business. At the urinal, there were two Scots on either side of me doing their business - but they knew each other and were in the midst of a conversation. I speak 3 languages and understand parts of 7 others, but I couldn't make out one single word spoken by those Scots. That bit still makes me laugh from time to time. I'm meeting with a friend from Cork tomorrow and I'll be challenged once again by one from that part of our planet. Cheers. :)
 
Somehow I imagine Siri has problems with people from the southern US lol. I can't really test it though since I'm from the northeast.

Scottish is hard for me to understand being an American. I can understand proper British English, but that's about it for you guys across the pond :). My lingo is isolated to Harry Potter and Sherlock.
 
I took a vacation in 97 in NI and Scotland, taking the Belfast to Cairnryan ferry. On the trip, I went to the loo to do my business. At the urinal, there were two Scots on either side of me doing their business - but they knew each other and were in the midst of a conversation. I speak 3 languages and understand parts of 7 others, but I couldn't make out one single word spoken by those Scots. That bit still makes me laugh from time to time. I'm meeting with a friend from Cork tomorrow and I'll be challenged once again by one from that part of our planet. Cheers. :)

I'd say it's likely they were talking about drink...;-)
 
I doubt even Scots truly understand each other. So how does one expect Siri to? :D
 
we are not bad people though! it is funny trying to get non scots to say "roon and roon the roonaboot"
 
Scottish is hard for me to understand being an American. I can understand proper British English, but that's about it for you guys across the pond :). My lingo is isolated to Harry Potter and Sherlock.
I doubt you can. The US's version of what they think of a British accent doesn't exist. A lot of British actors who have went over to the US have had speaking classes taught by an American in order to give them an American version of the British accent of which the American's can understand. Emma Watson is a perfect example of this, what she speaks is not her natural voice, over the years her accent has changed because of voice classes.
As for Queen's English, well it's only spoken by the queen, even the rest of the royal family do not speak like that. It is a total faked language which is emphasised by the fact that no one uses the habit of referring to themselves in the 3rd person term.
Correct terminology and 'upper class' pronunciations is used a lot by the middle to upper classes from the south of England (mostly women), and sometimes by people who have had accents taught out of them, but it's not really an natural accent.

The British Language is probably the most diverse version of English there is. I'm from Newcastle and I'm whats called a Geordie, our accent is rather famous and well known across the UK. However my accent can be different to that of someone who lives 5 miles away. Despite living relatively close to Scotland I can't understand broad Scottish even though I communicate with Scottish people every day. There is a another city about 15 miles away from me and the people there have a different accent and use different words.

A Mancunian (person from Manchester) has a vastly different accent to someone from Liverpool, Leeds, and Birmingham, all of which are relatively close to each other.
 
There are a million different accents in England. Same goes for Scotland. Depends greatly where the person is from.
 
When you actually speak English, Siri works just fine. Some accents, are not English at all by the time they come out.
 
I doubt you can. The US's version of what they think of a British accent doesn't exist. A lot of British actors who have went over to the US have had speaking classes taught by an American in order to give them an American version of the British accent of which the American's can understand. Emma Watson is a perfect example of this, what she speaks is not her natural voice, over the years her accent has changed because of voice classes.
As for Queen's English, well it's only spoken by the queen, even the rest of the royal family do not speak like that. It is a total faked language which is emphasised by the fact that no one uses the habit of referring to themselves in the 3rd person term.
Correct terminology and 'upper class' pronunciations is used a lot by the middle to upper classes from the south of England (mostly women), and sometimes by people who have had accents taught out of them, but it's not really an natural accent.

The British Language is probably the most diverse version of English there is. I'm from Newcastle and I'm whats called a Geordie, our accent is rather famous and well known across the UK. However my accent can be different to that of someone who lives 5 miles away. Despite living relatively close to Scotland I can't understand broad Scottish even though I communicate with Scottish people every day. There is a another city about 15 miles away from me and the people there have a different accent and use different words.

A Mancunian (person from Manchester) has a vastly different accent to someone from Liverpool, Leeds, and Birmingham, all of which are relatively close to each other.

I'm well aware that you guys have different accents just as we do (trust me, there are American dialects I can't understand). I went to school with a native Scot, and it took a while for any of us to understand him. I'm sure Emma Watson and the others changed the voices for the movies since they started off with an American director. But I was referring to the books. I know what you mean by trainers and jumpers ;). It annoys me that Scholastic had to go and Americanize the later editions.

But we Americans are diverse as well. You won't hear me say "y'all" ever. Our accents and dialects evolved from the ethnic groups that settled here. A true New Yorker will poke fun at a Minnesotan (who will be annoyed if you say he's Canadian). And no one can understand a true Cajun from the Louisiana bayou.

But the point of this thread was joking that Siri can't understand thick accents. I was just pointing out that there are Americans she probably couldn't understand. We don't all sound like Northern California with its lack of an accent and dialect other than tech speak.
 
It's quite shocking to hear Catherine Zeta Jones speak in her natural Welsh accent instead of her fake American accent she puts on for American T.V.
 
Well, I guess there has to be some standards to follow for voice recognition. We can't just take every regional accent in the world - at least not at this point.

There are still many languages entirely absent from Siri. If I can use a standard dialect of a secondary language to use Siri, so can everyone else.
 
Considering I'm Glaswegian, I've "been there" all my life. Awright ya walloper. ;)

I don't think that I'm a dick, and I was just asking. Three of my best friends are transplanted Scots, and I attend the local Highland Games. This despite my family being from NI. Careful there, I understand the local slang too...
 
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I don't think that I'm a dick, and I was just asking. Three of my best friends are transplanted Scots, and I attend the local Highland Games. This despite my family being from NI. Careful there, I understand the local slang too...

I assumed that you assumed I was American, from the "at least some of us have been there" comment which made me reply.

And I stand by my comment, lots of stereotypes here, not from you may I add. As for the Highland Games, never been near them, and even as a Scot it's something I personally have no interest in although I travel across my own country every summer visiting various campsites and beaches with my wife and two dogs.

And as for you understanding local slang ... did you not understand the ;) after walloper? All in jest, no need for me to be careful. :)
 
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9 times out of 10, Siri understands me first time for what I use it for. Which I admit is limited (setting alarms, timers, etc).

It also helps that I speak in the manner I type on here, and not like a ned.
 
I assumed that you assumed I was American, from the "at least some of us have been there" comment which made me reply.

And I stand by my comment, lots of stereotypes here, not from you may I add. As for the Highland Games, never been near them, and even as a Scot it's something I personally have no interest in although I travel across my own country every summer visiting various campsites and beaches with my wife and two dogs.

And as for you understanding local slang ... did you not understand the ;) after walloper? All in jest, no need for me to be careful. :)

Sorry, for the misinterpretation about being called a walloper - the Scots I know call others that when they're intending to be derogatory, as a limp dick. That written, no hard feelings. Yesterday, my friend from Cork (who's living near Seattle) was whisked off to the emergency room and I was quite upset, but that's my problem. She's feeling much better today, and that helps.

I can open represent myself, I meant no ill harm toward any Scots, never have. I won't write for others. I'm Irish and Norwegian, but with a Portuguese (and Spanish-sounding) last name from my stepfather - I've had to deal with a lot of off-color remarks on the phone, which end when they see me and that I'm generally about a foot taller than they are.

As for the games, I go for the beer and the food. Portland has a fairly large Scottish community, and I work with a few from your part of the world.

I'll get back to iPhones and Mac, and looking forward to my next trip to your fine country. FWIW, I hope Scotland gets its independence again (NI, too, but that's another long story...). Cheers, and take care. :cool:
 
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