Tag Archives: dialects in film

The “Fargo” Accent: A Joke that Never Dies

Posted on May 29, 2011 by Ben

It’s been fifteen years since Fargo was released in American theaters.  Set in rural Minnesota, the film turned an obscure American regional dialect into a national punchline, albeit a loving one.  Mention “Minnesota dialect” to an American, and they’ll give you … Continue reading →

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Posted in American English | Tagged , | 37 Comments

Arrr, Matey! The Origins of the Pirate Accent

Posted on May 24, 2011 by Ben

Ask people to imitate a pirate, and they instinctually adopt the “pirate accent” immortalized in film and television. This unique brogue is renowned for it’s strong “r” sound, as in “yarrr” and “arrrrr.” Pirate imitators may wonder, “What accent am … Continue reading →

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Posted in British English | Tagged , , | 45 Comments

On a Lighter Note …

Posted on May 7, 2011 by Ben

Martin Chilton of The Telegraph wrote a piece yesterday about Mel Gibson‘s accent in the upcoming film, The Beaver, in which Mel adopts a Cockney accent.  Here’s the trailer: Chilton, perturbed by Gibson’s accent, had this to say about it: … Continue reading →

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Posted in British English | Tagged , , | 14 Comments

The 5 Best Irish Accents on Film

Posted on March 17, 2011 by Ben

As it’s Saint Patrick’s day, there have been a number of “worst Irish Accents on film articles floating around. I like to remain relatively positive here, so instead of putting out another list eviscerating Brad Pitt and Julia Roberts, I’d … Continue reading →

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Posted in Irish English | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

Dialects at the Oscars

Posted on February 28, 2011 by Ben

As has been noted more than a few times, last night’s Oscars telecast was a veritable cornucopia of accents. Best picture nominees features Boston English, Ozarks English, California English, Texas English, Received Pronunciation and, if you want to broaden the … Continue reading →

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Australians do the Best Accents

Posted on February 27, 2011 by Ben

I often use Google News to write this blog. Crude source of inspiration it may be, but searching for permutations of “dialect,” “accent,” or “language” gives me a wealth of material to ponder. There is one exception to this, however, … Continue reading →

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Posted in Australian English | Tagged , | 17 Comments

Why There are Less New York Accents in Movies

Posted on February 24, 2011 by Ben

I hate how the mainstream media discusses dialects and accents. Journalists routinely fudge basic linguistic terminology, misquote experts, and indulge in all kinds of classist and/or racist assumptions. Case in point is this article Academy Award filmmakers need to make … Continue reading →

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Posted in American English | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

6 Accent Tips For Actors

Posted on January 31, 2011 by Ben

A few days ago, I gave my list of the best American accents done by non-Americans. Which got me thinking: what makes actors succeed at dialects and what makes them fail? Below is a list of the six most important … Continue reading →

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The Top 10 American Accents done by non-Americans

Posted on January 29, 2011 by Ben

USA Today ran a piece yesterday listing the top five American accents done by British actors. While I am unfamiliar with the number one actor on the list, Jamie Bamber, I’m glad to see that Hugh Laurie and Idris Elba … Continue reading →

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Posted in American English | Tagged , , | 39 Comments