Accents

[BlueJimmie]

Speaking as a "Mid-Western" American I can drive about two hours in any direction and get vastly different accents. St. Louis, MO has a distinctly German influence, while Chicago, IL is a mish mash of Polish and Italian flavor. In Southern Illinois (I'm talking about Metropolis and Cairo, IL) it's as if you're in Dixie and Bo and Luke Duke might walk in the door at any moment. Towards Indiana there's a definate Hoosier sound, although where that originates, I have no idea. Now my own accent, I can't comment on because my ears just aren't sensitive to it. I can put on a bit depending on who I'm talking to but I'm guessing to most ears I sound like a hick.​

 

[Boaz]

(read: sore feet, endless lines, and overpriced food)

It's a small world after all.

Points taken, Ageon.

I grew up in Tennesee and I had a real accent. I considered myself a rebel and a democrat. But then I moved away and grew up. I now speak very bland American english... ie. even linguists cannot tell from which region of the US that I originally hail. But, when I spend any amount of time in the presence of southerners I start sounding like Jeff Foxworthy.

Aegon, I'm not saying the argument that certain accents sound more cultured than other accents to certain people is wrong. But I think it's understandable. Without using the specific words "that accent sounds ignorant to me" we've all been saying such.

I don't know how a Louisiana accent sounds to Portuguese, Poles, or Panamanians, but when I hear it I automatically want to deduct one hundred IQ points from the speaker.

Conversely, people with strong regional accents probably look down on my speech as being mongrelized or lacking real ties to home and family. All true, I confess.

Did you guys see Enemy at the Gates? The Russians, aka the Heroes, all had English accents while Ed Harris, the German Villain, was obviously American.

On the other hand, I found someone's notes on English accents in American movies. Basically, it states that Hollywood uses UK accents to denote sophisticated, power hungry, and brilliant criminals.

BBC - h2g2 - Why Villains in Movies Have English Accents

Looking at that list, I think it is merely touching the surface. A much more exhaustive list could have been compiled to enhance the author's argument.

 

[Detritus]

Don't forget that the British Isles also have a huge range of regional accents. Each of us thinks we speak clearly and with no discernable accent but to other ears we are sometimes using a quite thick accent. I live in the North East of England and we have variations that can tie you down to a particular area of the region.

In as small a range as Middlesbrough, Stockton, Hartlepool, Thornaby and Sedgefield (which covers less than 30 miles or so from one point to another) there can be some huge differences. Go further north by only 10 miles from Hartlepool and the accent is noticably different, go a little further to Newcastle and the difference can be huge. The number of times I've been called a Geordie (or even Scottish) by someone from only 50 miles south still amazes me.

I have family in Staffordshire in the Midlands and whenever we visit it takes a couple of days to acclimatise.

I always see the Lannisters as having an almost cut glass Southern accent, the Starks a hybrid northern (biased as I am ), the Ironborn to have Norwegian/Scots accents, the lands over the sea to be anything ranging from a Mongolian accent (the Dothraki) to Mid eastern for the Ashaii (sp?). Oh and the Freys, well, if they are Midlanders it would be great to have a nice thick Staffs accent hehehe - subtitles anyone?

 

[BlueJimmie]

I grew up in Tennesee and I had a real accent. I considered myself a rebel and a Democrat. But then I moved away and grew up.

Fixed that for you.

Just kidding. I think, at least where I'm from, there's also a variety of vocabulary differences. Where I'm from a sweet carbonated beverage is called a "soda." In Chicago it's "pop." Down South they are referred to as "Coke" no matter what kind of flavor you want. If your waitress asks "Are ya'all wantin ta order tea or Coke's nay-ow?" it's perfectly fine to answer "Yes ma'am, I'd like a Grape Ne-Hi."

 

[Culhwch]

The debate rages elsewhere:

Everyone's Favourite Accent ~ Tower of the Hand

On a side note, perhaps we should get an impartial judge - that is, neither a Yank or a Briton - to decide which accent aSoIaF should have. Obviously homeland ties are blinding both sides of the argument. So who could we get? Hmm, well, seen as though no one raised their hands, you know I'm from Australia....

 

[southron sword]

yeah, one of us (australians) to choose. i cant see any of the characters having an american accent. but i thought maybe the Lannisters. cos they have heaps of gold n seem like kinda movie stars lol and like riverrun, and that section of the world would have the posh english accent. deffinately over the wall is australian. because they are more laid back, n so are we. the rest of u are too up tight. just relax. but yeah, i dont think there should b a huge difference in accent, sum subtle differences would b good tho.i liked the idea of maybe russian for winterfell. it snows there n it snows in russia lol makes sence. i thought maybe like spanish or sumthin for dorne. anyways, should b interesting

 

[Boaz]

Okay, Ned is a cold fish. But Russian? Too many Americans were raised in the Cold War. Some of us still equate Russian with Evil. For that matter, anyone we've fought might sound evil in our ears.

Bran: Fader, vy do ve not send dis vone to de stalag?
Ned: Nyet! Stalag is too good for dis vone. Off vit his head!

I was personally shocked by the movie Enemy At The Gates. The movie was well done, don't get me wrong. And yes, the Nazis were the evil aggressors, but the good guys had English accents and the bad guys had American accents. Fiennes, Weisz, Law, and Hoskins all played Russians and all had English accents. Ed Harris, the German sniper, had the American accent. Sure Ron Perlman is an American, but his accent was supposed to be British, iirc.

Back in the forties and fifties anyone in Hollywood with any suspected communist leanings were blackballed, banished, blacklisted, proscribed and sent before HUAC (the House Commitee on Un-American Activities). This movie could never have been made back then. We've come a long way.

Anyway, the bottom line is this... when Hollywood wants to portray foreigners as educated and/or ethical they give the characters English accents. The Queen's English will even turn commies into good guys.

In our heads we recognize this as a trick, but in our collective cultural heart we believe the Queen's English signifies breeding, morals, intellect, refinement, culture, etc. Also, the very best villains speak with the absolute best English accents.

 

[Dolorous Edd]

Right, as a welshman i feel qualified to adjudicate this matter in a fair and impartial matter. After much deliberation i have decided that all of the characters in the book (including the women, children, wolves, horses, crows, dragons, other random mythical beasts) will sound exactly like Tom Jones*.



* Can't wait for Sandor's "Sing for me little Bird" scene at the end of ACOK, when Sansa suddenly bursts into It's not unusual

 

[Boaz]

Exactly like Tome Jones?!?! This is today's sign that the apocalypse is imminent.

 

[southron sword]

im not american, n im not old enough to remember or be impacted by the cold war n that. sorry if it is an insult to say ned could b russian. was just thinking of snow, not politics. u do have to remember that there are audiences other than americans, and the idea of a russian ned, or sumthing else doesnt sound strange. but i spose if it is going to be made by americans then they should choose characters, and accents that wont offend the larger group of the audience, americans. but thats all i meant, it didnt even cross my mind about wars or history.

p.s. i think some people here are taking this thing too seriously. yes its a great series and yes id like to see them make a great movie, or tv series. but just relax a bit. so what if it turns out bad, dems da breaks. doesnt mean the books will be any less than great.

 

[Funky Cthulu]

* Can't wait for Sandor's "Sing for me little Bird" scene at the end of ACOK, when Sansa suddenly bursts into It's not unusual

Yes! A musical ASOIAF! I see Robert Baratheon as a baritone (cue seduction song from Don Giovanni, maybe). I can also see Sandor as Bon Scott - 'Highway To Hell!'. So, a whole mix of musical styles. And choreographed dancing! I think the wildlings would have the snappiest moves.

I know, I know, it would never work.

 

[TK-421]

It can play along side Spamalot, however there are no Knights who say Nee nor any coconuts.

 

[southron sword]

i reakon the wights should do thriller from michael jackson. with an other or coldhands as the lead dancer. just a thought

 

[Astro Pen]

I will emphasise that I do not have a drink problem (other than with extortionate alcohol "duty" ). However youtube suggested this video.
My question is- Can you place this guys accent? Because I'm darned if I can and I'm usually pretty good with accents.

 

[Paul J. Menzies]

@Astro Pen

Not the Lankiest of accents I've ever heard, but that man's from Lancashire, pretty sure.

He almost sounds like he's taken elocution classes or something to hide it.

 

[Toby Frost]

Hellair. I am a Lannister. We Lannister fellows are posh southern Englishmen, on account of us being frightfully slimy and having made our money from Daddy's gold mines, don'tcha know. I look down on him, because he is a Stark.

Eh up! I am a Stark and right bloody proud of it, lad. I'm fromt North because I'm not soft and make me money from hard graft an'all, yer daft hapeth. I look down on him, because he is a peasant.

Arr. Oi am a peasant. Oi gets a pain in me neck from lookin up at these two and from when me betters cuts me 'ed off.

 

[Boaz]

@Astro Pen I assume he has some speech impediment.