If English is your second language which English accent or dialect do you struggle with the most?

Question

The English language has many dialects and accents across the world. Even in England some of them can be difficult for other English people to understand. You'll often see subtitles on TV when someone has a strong accent even though they're speaking English.

Given we're all exposed through TV and firm to English accents and dialects from different American states, UK counties, Australia etc as a someone who has English as a second language which ones do you find the hardest to understand?

SaoirseS · Accepted Answer

English is my first language, but on my one and only trip to England (London and Salisbury), I was exposed to several accents I found difficult but not impossible to understand. One evening I stumbled into a pub south of the river and became an object of curiosity for a bunch of drunken rugby players and a few who joined them. By the evening I was able to comprehend drunken Scots.
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alice55 · Accepted Answer

I have no idea cause majority of the time I can' hear the difference in accent. I can understand others European (especially Germanic and Scandinavian English accent well) but I struggle more to understand native English speaker especially some American accent (though I don't know which one). As for British one I think I only understand London accent.

Кураж · Accepted Answer

I may be in the minority that doesn't mind Scottish/Glaswegian.
Peter Capaldi and David Tennant have always been some of my favorite actors and I kind of grew up listening to them.

It's actually Aussies and Kiwis who grind my gears, I just don't like how their accent sounds.
Although I have no problem understanding them, or any native English accent at this point.

ChrisMaster69 · Accepted Answer

I know mine can be, especially if drinking.

I've sat around a table with guys from various parts of the UK and some American Air Force girls, they would not believe I was from the UK, never mind England..

Last night out in Birmingham I needed subtitles, luckily I was with couple of ‘Indian’ girls to translate.

goaded · Answer

English is my first language, but I find Geordies and some Scots to be almost incomprehensible.

I once went to a baseball game in the US with a US colleague, and the two guys in front of us turned out to be a Scot and a Welshman, so we had a little chat. Afterwards, my colleague turned to the person next to him and said he hadn't understood a word!

NathanDavis · Answer

Scottish... stand-up comedians and I'm absolutely lost... the accent, the slangs, and all the regional humor I have no idea about... lol

Ninania · Answer

I don't really struggle much with most accent, but blurred speech in general can be hard to understand.

Tyrael · Answer

As a Scotsman who treats English as a second language, I have trouble with the Welsh. And Geordies.

Andres77 · Answer

No problem here...😉

whereismyjohnny · Answer

Geordie and sometimes scouse.

Anonymous · Answer

Some British accents.

Cubus · Answer

Scottish and Indian.

If English is your second language which English accent or dialect do you struggle with the most?

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