Who has a lovely speaking voice, and why?

Susan Calman is Glaswegian. She is a former solicitor, Her father is Sir Kenneth Coleman, Chancellor of Glasgow University.

Calman not Coleman ?

Giles Brandreth, Judi Dench and Fiona Bruce.

I love Susan Colman’s Scottish accent.

I like Chris Mason’s northern accent (political correspondent).

I could listen to Penelope Keith all day. I also love a Southern Irish accent. My own accent is broad Brummie and I sound as though I've got a constant cold. Not attractive.

I have heard it said that the purest and clearest English is spoken in Inverness.

I spent my childhood in the (then Gaelic speaking) far north west of Scotland and my teens in the Inverness area, followed by 4 years at Glasgow University, and since then have lived mostly in England and Germany. My career has involved a fair bit of public speaking. People often tell me I speak particularly clearly, and they then go on to say how much they enjoy my Canadian/Northern Irish/even New Zealand accent...

My favourite regional accent is probably the Welsh, I agree with others, Richard Burton had a truly memorable quality about his voice. I also loved Ruth Jones' accent in "Stella" there was less of the Welsh parody than her comic turn "Nessa" in Gavin and Stacey. I think Welsh is a beautiful accent at it's best it has a lilt and musicality about it.

Steve Allen on LBC Radio. Lovely voice, very comforting when you wake in the night.

I had the same problem Nighsky when I worked in the London office of a Scottish life assurance society, often had to ring head office in Glasgow, would come off the phone after the conversation with "I didn't understand any of that" Maybe my Surrey tones had the same effect the other end!

I think Simon Coveney, Irish Fine Gael Policition has a lovely soft Cork accent. Can’t stand Joanna Lumley’s accent, far too effected and much prefer Moira Stewart’s lovely soft voice. Also can’t stand Stacey Dooley or Alex Jones and not too keen on Scottish accents as I find some of them difficult to understand.

varian

Growing up in another part of Glasgow we all thought a Kelvinside accent was very funny. "Sex is what the coal comes in". It was also known as a "pan loaf" accent in the days when most folk ate "plain loaves"

I know and have met a few people from Glasgow and the accent has varied tremendously.
One friendly acquaintance (who left Scotland years ago) has what I'd call 'a posh Glasgow accent'. Perhaps she's from Kelvinside.

I can tell the difference between a New Zealand accent, which I think is quite clipped and the broader Australian accent, but struggle with Canadians and Americans, I know they don't like it if you can't make the distinction. We have some Canadian neighbours and they sound very American to me

My grandfather arrived in London aged about 30 or so having lived in various parts of southern Europe developed one of those accents that wander about he picked up a lot of London vowels, my grandmother was forever correcting him I think I remember Aldo Zilli the chef talking once and thought he sounded just like him. He spent quite a bit of time in France and one of my French cousins mentioned to me a while back when we were talking about him "grandad's French isn't very elegant" I had to stifle a snort and replied "neither is his English" but in retrospect I'm full of admiration he spoke 3 languages badly, that's more than I can do !!!

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

I'm from N.ireland and, when I lived in England people commented on my 'lovely Irish accent '. Since returning to live in N.ireland people often ask me if I'm English. In fact my accent never changed and I have what my husband calls a 'standard Ulster ' accent ( kind of BBC Northern Irish '.

I love accents usually.
I have an accent but my voice is dreadful.
I only realised how bad it was after listening to an answerphone message I had left on our house phone.
My step GD speaks beautifully so hers is the voice one hears if a message has to be left on the answerphone.

Having said that, I believe Kirsty Wark lives in Kelvinside and I rather like her voice.

Growing up in another part of Glasgow we all thought a Kelvinside accent was very funny. "Sex is what the coal comes in". It was also known as a "pan loaf" accent in the days when most folk ate "plain loaves"

Amazed at the snobbery about accents on here and the way so many think you have to sound like a BBC presenter to be "educated" etc etc .I love the variation of accents ,from the Doric to the borders ,each unique and warm and friendly...yes even the Glaswegian which can sound harsh and gruff ,though Kelvinside folk have a quite different ...not better sound.I would hate to live in a world where everyone sounded like Joanna Lumley who seems to be the "ideal" voice for many .No thanks ,I like my West of Scotland /Glaswegian accent and I love throwing local words into the mix and keeping them alive .
My Granny although born in Scotland was raised in Ireland and had her lovely soft Donegal twang all her life .I wont change my accent to suit anyone ,if you dont like a normal Scottish voice the problem is yours not mine .

I have aCanadian friend who has lived in England since the mid 1960s. She still sounds Canadian - though her Canadian relations think she sounds English! People ask her whether she’s from the US, which annoys her very much. She has a lovely soft voice and accent.

I have lived here (southern England) for over 20 years, and in Switzerland for 5 years before that, but my American accent will never leave me. I understand that once you are an adult you are pretty much stuck with your original accent, and I don't mind too much, except for people in London (or other cities) assuming I am an obnoxious American tourist.
My voice itself, on the other hand, is apparently very nice. When living in Switzerland, a company making promotional videos called the American Women's Club, looking for someone to do a voiceover in that accent. I got the job and was subsequently called back by them several more times.
Until I was in my forties, I used to get cold callers asking for my mother, when I answered the phone. They got a sharp "You'd need to call her house to find that out" and a hang up. Now, regarding my accent, it has apparently 'softened' as some of my nicer locals say, which pleases me.

Well yes and I was absolutely amazed as I think I have a flat, deep voice. However in another life I taught relaxation techniques and would take participants through a guided relaxation. Most classes would ask me for a recording of my voice because they found it so Soothing!

I miss David Myles (Miles sp?) who used to read the shipping forecast on R4. He has a 'cultured' voice. Although Neil Nuness (sp again) has a lovely reassuring voice. Just what you need on the high seas in a storm

Or even The sound!!

I cover the Receptionist's lunch break. Mentioned something that happened to one of the Partners, re another Receptionist. Her response was, "Well she has the look, but you have sound." I didn't know whether to accept the compliment, or feel insulted! I also don't like hearing my own voice. Never had elocution lessons, but my father did insist on received pronunciation.