Jane Seymour can do the "Southern Belle" accent perfectly but Sir Michael Caine as a Southerner? Forget it! Diane ----- Original Message ----- From: "Melinda Skinner" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:49 AM Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Speech Patterns >I am embarrassed to say that my own daughter who is an actress can fool any >Brit with her British accents but has lost her own Virginia accent and now >a hard tiime doing a southern accent. She was born and raised in Richmond >(with a Scottish dad) but-- like many of her generation-- has a more >indistinguishable accent. She once asked me to send a tape of my mother >when she had an audition for a part that required a southern voice. I >couldn't believe that she was having such a hard time getting it back. > On another note, when working with performers I have noticed that British > actors can often do a southern accent better than non-southern American > actors; and, conversely, southern actors have an easier time with British > accents. Interesting. > > -- > Melinda C. P. Skinner > Writer and Wonderer > > -------------- Original message ---------------------- > From: Diane Ethridge <[log in to unmask]> >> I think that's wonderful! Can't wait to pass that along to my friend who >> was very insulted at the remark from her speech instructor, lo those many >> years ago. She did get a few acting jobs, in commercials playing a >> Southerner, & on stage, off-Broadway, as "Truvy" in "Steel Magnolias" >> but >> then came on back to TX to teach school. That's okay though...she had >> fun! >> >> Diane in TX >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Sunshine49" <[log in to unmask]> >> To: <[log in to unmask]> >> Sent: Thursday, January 11, 2007 9:19 AM >> Subject: Re: [VA-HIST] Speech Patterns >> >> >> > That explanation is the most ridiculous thing I've [almost] ever >> > heard, and I detect a whiff of that old anti-southern bias. Not one >> > mention of the ethnic or cultural background of southerners as being >> > roots for the way we speak. No, it's hot and we're lazy. Geesh. Do >> > people in the hotter latitudes of, say, India speak slowly? Hawaii? >> > Cairo? My husband once worked with a guy who had worked in Chicago >> > for a time. His boss there really didn't like him, and one day told >> > the guy he spoke slowly because he was southern and all southerners >> > were stupid. The friend said no, southerners speak slowly because >> > they like to think first before they open their mouths, so as not to >> > put their foot in it. The next DAY the boss came in and told the guy >> > he just realized that that statement had been an insult directed at >> > him. >> > >> > Talk about slow. >> > >> > Nancy >> > >> > ------- >> > I was never lost, but I was bewildered once for three days. >> > >> > --Daniel Boone >> > >> > >> > >> > On Jan 11, 2007, at 8:44 AM, Diane Ethridge wrote: >> > >> >> I have a good friend, here in TX, who decided to become an >> >> actress, so after college, she left to try her luck in New York >> >> City. After being turned down several times from some small >> >> acting parts, she finally asked her agent what the problem could >> >> be & the agent mentioned not being as "marketable" because of her >> >> Southern accent. Friend enrolled in speech class to try to rid >> >> herself of the regional sound in her speech pattern. The >> >> instructor told her that one can never completely lose a Southern >> >> accent & that it was brought about originally by the warmer climate >> >> making folks less energetic & causing them to adopt a slower pace. >> >> This translated into a habit of speaking more slowly & "chewing" on >> >> their words. That, along with the added habit of also chewing >> >> tobacco brought about the "drawl" & the different "slower" speech >> >> patterns of today's Southern folks. >> >> >> >> Since there are some famous newscasters from TX, such as Walter >> >> Cronkite, Dan Rather & Bob Schieffer to name a few, it apparently >> >> isn't completely impossible to lose the accent but then maybe they >> >> do still have traces of it & I just don't notice it as readily as >> >> someone from other areas of the country might do. Recently I >> >> heard someone on the news pronouncing the word "out" as "oot" & I >> >> immediately thought, "They must be from Virginia." Turns out, >> >> they were from Canada. >> >> >> >> Diane in TX >> >> >> >> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the >> >> instructions >> >> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >> > >> > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the >> > instructions >> > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html >> >> To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions >> at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html > > To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions > at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html To subscribe, change options, or unsubscribe, please see the instructions at http://listlva.lib.va.us/archives/va-hist.html