American Accents

by Duncan 16 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  Duncan

  Dear all

  Watched “Parkinson” last week (week before?), anyway, the one that starred Elton John (for those not in the UK, Parkinson is a BBC Saturday night chat show hosted by Mr Michael P.)

  Elton was, as always, extremely good value. But he was there to plug his latest single – “I want Love”.

  Now, everybody knows how Elton speaks. He has a quite distinctive, thoroughly British, Southern Counties voice, a nice middle-class lad from Pinner, Middlesex.

  We are all used to his English voice.

  So why is it that when he sings, (in fact, just like all the other English pop singers) he instantly becomes a yank?

  “Now , my latest song: I Want Love…” ...starts to play, opens his mouth and out comes:

  “ HAR WORN LERV…” etc etc.

  For some reason, it really struck me, watching him there and listening to him sing. This is ridiculous, I thought to myself. What’s he thinking of? Once you’ve noticed it, it really jars, you can’t listen to the song anymore, you’re listening to the singing.

  Anyway, it got me thinking, and I remembered old Brother Laskey in Norwich back in the seventies. That’s his real name, by the way.

  I used to have occasion to visit Norwich from time to time, and this chap was one of the Elders there. The thing about him was that he spoke in a real broad Norfolk accent for most everyday purposes, but the minute he got up on the platform – he became an American.

  I must admit, it was a very good accent, too – very credible, and well done. First time I heard him, I thought he was the real thing, until someone explained to me all about him. Seems he was so ashamed of his “country-bumpkin” Norfolk voice that he simply couldn’t bear to use it on the platform, and so had developed this rich, dark-brown, deep-voiced US persona for public speaking.

  The locals thought it somewhat amusing, a whimsy of his, but were completely used to it, and thought nothing of it. The chap who told me all about it seemed surprised when I expressed how absurd I thought the whole situation was. I thought it was really odd.

  Anyway, I haven’t been down that way for years, and certainly wouldn’t look in on a KH if I was. So, I have no idea if this chap is still around or not, or still being Walter- bloody - Cronkite every time he conducts the Watchtower study.

  Any of you Uk-ers ever come across him? Ever heard of anything like it?

  Duncan

  ( altogether now, Sing along with Sting:
  “You can hear it in mah accent when ah tawk,
  ah’m an Englishman in Noo Yawk! ”)
• 

  Englishman

  Duncan,

  I have noticed this phenomenon in singers, mainly when they are actually singing.

  We used to have a chap in our congregation - Ken Constable - who would adopt the yankee twang whilst on the platform, he would always flatten his "t's" to "d's" when praying especially.

  Hope he didn't upset the Spirid.

  Englishman.

  Nostalgia isn't what it used to be....
• 

  hillary_step

  Duncan Old Friend!,

  If you want to try a band who never gave in to the American Accent since their inception in the late 60's, try 'Caravan'. Wonderful lyrics to!

  We all know that Elton John, is actually the resurrected Ena Sharples, and does wonderfully well in a hair-net.

  As for the Laskey, well that serves you right for having anything to do with Norwich.

  Best regards - HS
• 

  Yerusalyim

  What gives? Americans don't have accents, except those from Alabama that is.

  YERUSALYIM
  "Vanity! It's my favorite sin!"
  [Al Pacino as Satan, in "DEVIL'S ADVOCATE"]
• 

  Andee

  Doesn't Elton live in Atanta, Georgia?

  Maybe that would explain it?

  andee
• 

  Tina

  ooooo yeru lol. Not true hun.
  Talked to Ginny on the phone,she mentioned my accent. I don't have one(or so I thought lol)
  She said it's half New York,half Minn,,,,lol Tina

  Vive Bene
  Spesso L'amore
  Di Risata Molto!!!
• 

  Seeker4

  No one thinks THEY have an accent, just other people.

  And to make up for Elton singing with an American accent, Madonna talks in a fake English accent. Jesus, what a puff she is! Little mid-Western girl pretending to be something special. In a lot of ways Madonna is the epitome to me of all the worst things that people allow celebrity to do to them.

  But Elton, there's a bloke that never puts on airs!!!!!!
  S4
• 

  Marilyn

  Yeah Seeker, but he put on a wig! I wonder if we would be as popular if he had a big ol' shinny scalp on show.

  Marilyn
• 

  Thirdson

  My wife has tried to no avail to teach me to speak "American" (or at least Minnesooootan). We always end up in hysterics.

  The late Ian Dury's style of singing was British English, he objected to British singers who sang with American accents.

  However, the history of rock and pop is one of derivation from Jazz and in turn from Black American gospel ("spirituals") singing. So who do we have to thank for the big influence in modern music? Singing songs about Israel as a cover for freedom from slavery had a bigger effect than anyone would ever have guessed.

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
• 

  Andee

  Madonna talks in a fake English accent

  I have noticed that too. I remember, before she hit it big (early 80's), and Weird Al was doing a mock interview with her using clips from other interviews. She was chewing a big wad of gum, twirling her hair with her fingers, and talking like a New Yawwwwker. Weird Al would edit in all these bogus questions. It was hysterical.

  Now, when I see interviews with her, she sounds like those old Mid-Atlantic accents that women used to talk like in films of the 30s and 40's.

  Not only does her "look" change with time, apparently, so does her accent.

  Andee