MovieChat Forums > Sean Connery Discussion > How Scottish is his accent?

How Scottish is his accent?

posted 9 years ago by Gonsaro
7 replies | jump to latest

I've recently been to Scotland, but I don't think most Scots sound like Connery. He clearly has a unique accent, with the famous SH-sound, but he doesn't have the rolling R and certain other Scottish pronunciations, like the E, A, OU and L. It's hard to explain for me not being a native English speaker. But I don't think he sounds like Nicola Sturgeon or the Demoman in "Team Fortress 2" for instance, who to me sound more like average Scots.

Is his accent like Scottish-light? Does he have a typical Edinburgh-accent? Does his Irish ancestry have something to do with it? Thoughts anyone?

[–] n/a

This message has been deleted by the poster

[–] n/a

This message has been deleted by the poster

[–] Isapop 9 years ago

I'm no expert, but I do know that Scottish accents vary depending on which region you're from.
And Connery certainly worked to tamp down his accent as a young actor.

[–] apacheconnors 9 years ago

He says he comes from a close knit irish family/community and that has had influence on his accent.

[–] guer0071 8 years ago

Were you in Glasgow?

[–] A-A-Mckay 8 years ago

Posh Scot.

[–] Gonsaro 8 years ago

Thank you for your long and insightful answer! I hope I didn't offend you in any way by the Demoman-comment. Like most foreigners I'm ignorant and my mind is full of stereotypes, but I want to learn all about Scotland. Actually it's the same in my small country of the Netherlands, almost every city and region has its own accent.

So do you agree with me that most Scots do not sound like Connery, not even in Edinburgh? It's interesting that you and A-A-Mckay say his accent is posh cause Connery was from a poor working-class background. I wonder what he sounded like in his youth. Also, did you hear how Connery speaks in "The Longest Day"? To me he sounds more average Scottish – forgive me for using that term again – in that film and he speaks fast as you mentioned Scottish do. Also, what do you think of the SH-sound? Is that part of the Edinburgh posh-accent? And how would you describe Nicola Sturgeon's accent?

Anyway, we can at least conclude that Connery's accent isn't some strange, unique result of a Scot trying to sound English because of his upper-class role of James Bond, like someone once claimed.