fruneral

[Benjamin Zimmer]

On 8/7/06, Jonathan Lighter <wuxxmupp2000 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> Does anyone know how authentic the Gecko's current accent really is?
>
>   If the guy who voices him *isn't* really a native, blue-collar Londoner,
> shouldn't he get some sort of dialect award?

It's British actor Jake Wood, who also has a role on EastEnders.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jake_Wood
http://www.duncans.tv/2006/geico-gecko-voiced-by-jake-wood

The second link calls Wood's accent "a hybrid Cockney London style" --
not sure what's hybrid about it. Sounds quite a lot like David Beckham
to me.


--Ben Zimmer

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