Dialects in film

[daisy dancer]

Not sure where he is supposed to be from, but Dustin Hoffman [and the Judge for that matter] have Southern accents in Runaway Jury which shouldn't be the case if they are from New Orleans.  I know the book was originally set in Biloxi, MS, so maybe that started the confusion but I have yet to find a film that accurately depicts the New Orleans working class or Yat dialect.  Any thoughts?

Janis Vizier Nihart <tarheel at MOBILETEL.COM> wrote:
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Sender: American Dialect Society
Poster: Janis Vizier Nihart
Subject: Re: Dialects in film
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The movie Southern Comfort has a Cajun villain with an embarrassing Cajun
accent. I don't know where the dialect is from but it is not Cajun.
Dennis Quaid in The Big Easy does an OK job with his part New Orleans/part
Cajun dialect.
I have seen many movies but can't name any offhand that have New Orleanians
speaking with a southern drawl, which they don't (unless they are from
somelwhere else)

Another movie I have enjoyed is Shipping News with Kevin Spacey.. I don't
know what dialect it is but its interesting. Can anyone tell me more about
it????
JN


> Hi everyone. We've discussed films in which language features
> prominently (esp. sci fi), but what I'm trying to compile is a list of
> films in which the characters speak in dialects. (for example,
> "Fargo") for my dialects class. I'd like names of both films that
> represent regional or ethnic dialects accurately and those that don't,
> since we're going to talk about dialects in the media at some point. I
> can think of a few, but I'll bet some of you can think of more. And I'm
> thinking more of movies (fictional) rather than films like "American
> Tongues."
>
> Any help you can provide is greatly appreciated by me and by my
> students, who are enjoying the course a lot!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Patti Kurtz
> Minot State University
> --
>
> Freeman - And what drives you on, fighting the monster?
>
>
>
> Straker - I don't know, something inside me I guess.
>
>
>
> Freeman - It's called dedication.
>
>
>
> Straker - Pig-headedness would be nearer.
>
>
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