Dialects in film

[Your Name]

How right you are about the huge regional differences in accent/dialect even in a country as small as Scotland...and how easily I forget that while I avidly read this list because I love words, I am an amateur among word professionals!

I've learned some wonderful things from you all, and appreciate this list a great deal.   "Y'all" are great teachers!

Carrie Lowery
jimsmuse at comcast.net


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

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: Jonathan Lighter
> Subject: Re: Dialects in film
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> There are several Scottish dialects / accents. To Scots, Glaswegians, for
> example, sound "nothing like" Aberdonians.
>
> JL
> Your Name wrote:
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: Your Name
> Subject: Re: Dialects in film
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 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
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> >
> >
> >
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