Dialects in film

[Your Name]

I'm surprised that no one has yet mentioned "Coal Miner's Daughter" during this discussion of movie dialects.   Every time I see it I am amazed all over again at the consistency of Sissy Spacek's speech in the movie.

Then again, I do know that familiarity with a native speaker can make all the difference.   I thought Mel Gibson's Scots in "Braveheart" was fairly believeable, until I had occasion to have a Scottish house-guest for a month.  After 3 weeks of the visit, we sat down to watch "Braveheart" together and I was amazed at the difference in my perception of Mel's attempt at an authentic burr after spending time with a Scottish native.   Two years later (and after spending extended time in Scotland), I almost cannot bear to watch the movie because the accents sound so awful, and I'm guessing there may be some folks from Loretta Lynn's hometown of Butcher Holler that find "Coal Miner's Daughter" just as difficult to endure...

Other movies that occur to me in fun are "Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure" and "Valley Girl", both of which contain a California dialect that is "fer shure" different than what we speak here on the East Coast, and both of which added a few phrases to the popular speech of the day.

Respectfully,

Carrie Lowery
jimsmuse at comcast.net







-------------- Original message --------------

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: James Smith
> Subject: Re: Dialects in film
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm from the Rocky Mountains, and I found it
> appalling!
>
>
>
>
> --- Jonathan Lighter wrote:
>
> > I understand that Dick Van Dyke's Cockney in "Mary
> > Poppins" is regarded as appalling by many English
> > people.
> >
> > In fact, most stars before the age of intensive
> > dialect coaching just muddled through "dialect"
> > roles. Kevin Costner (CA) was ridiculed for his
> > "Hyannisport" accent in "Fourteen Days," but to a
> > geezer saturated in the JFK era, he seemed OK.
> >
> > Gwyneth Paltrow (CA / MA) as "Emma" ? She sure
> > fooled me !
> >
> > JL
> >
> > "Patti J. Kurtz" wrote:
> > ---------------------- Information from the mail
> > header -----------------------
> > Sender: American Dialect Society
> > Poster: "Patti J. Kurtz"
> > Subject: Dialects in film
> >
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > 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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>
> =====
> James D. SMITH |If history teaches anything
> South SLC, UT |it is that we will be sued
> jsmithjamessmith at yahoo.com |whether we act quickly and decisively
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