"Speak a British accent" vs. "speak in a British accent"

Question

Is there any difference in meaning between speak an accent and speak in an accent? For example:

You put on your resume that you can speak a British accent. Could you demonstrate it?

You put on your resume that you can speak in a British accent. Could you demonstrate it?

Mari-Lou A · Accepted Answer

You speak a language, you don't speak an ‘accent’:
“Jorge is from Barcelona, he speaks Spanish and English. Although his English is very good, he speaks it with a strong Spanish accent”.
From Longman Dictionary

accent
collocations
have an accent

The man had a Spanish accent.

speak with an accent

She spoke with an accent that I couldn’t understand.

a strong/broad/thick/pronounced accent (=very noticeable)

She spoke with a strong Scottish accent.
a broad Australian accent

an upper-class/middle-class/working-class accent

Sebastian spoke with an upper-class accent.

You can also say “speak in a(n) adjective (language)”
From YouTube, a tutorial entitled: How To Speak In An American Accent
Funnily enough, the presenter is British and has a posh English accent.

Jade Joddle · Answer

The video mentioned above 'How to speak in an American accent' was made by a British person who is giving some tips to speak in a different accent.
This is because when you speak in an accent that isn't your usual one, then you speak *in an accent. For example, 'Can you speak in an Indian accent'?
For the above example, you can also use 'do'. For example, 'Can you do an Indian accent?'
I'm a native speaker of British English and I would say the following:
He has a Cockney accent. (no need for a preposition).
He speaks with an accent. (his accent shows he is not from here).
Julia is speaking in a silly accent. (changing her accent for a moment for fun).

mdewey · Answer

We say that we speak a language as in

I speak Spanish

but we speak in an accent or with an accent

He speaks in a Geordie accent
She speaks in a Scouse accent

Where the first speaker comes from the north east of England and the second from Liverpool. There is not really a common British accent although people would probably understand you to mean you speak with an accent of educated people within the area immediately around London.

Chris Mack · Answer

“Speak” means to say something, and you say words, not accents.
The correct way to say this is:

speak in a British accent

"Speak a British accent" vs. "speak in a British accent"

4 Answers

accent

collocations

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