| Author |
Message |
Harvey Van Sickle
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 5:12 am
Post subject: Current exemplary speakers |
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The article in the New Yorker -- thanks, Donna! --- set me
thinking.
One occasionally encounters assumptions in AUE from non-residents
of countries about prestige accents in other countries. These are
often outdated -- for example, that traditional RP is the standard
accent of educated Brits, or that the accent of the ruling classes
in America sound like Katherine Hepburn before she developed her
tremor.
This may turn out to be a pointless question, but I was wondering
who -- in your own version of English, whatever that might be --
would you say best exemplifies a prestige/authoritative accent for
your type of English?
I don't mean who sounds the most Bitish/American/Australian etc.,
but who do you think speaks with a classy-but-classless accent:
one which would not only raise few hackles amongst your countrymen,
but which would be generally associated with an intelligent person
whose views are probably worth listening to. (If you can point to
an audio clip as well, that would be useful.)
--
Cheers, Harvey
Canadian (30 years) and British (23 years)
For e-mail, change harvey.news to harvey.van |
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Salvatore Volatile
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 5:12 am
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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Harvey Van Sickle wrote:
| Quote: | This may turn out to be a pointless question, but I was wondering
who -- in your own version of English, whatever that might be --
would you say best exemplifies a prestige/authoritative accent for
your type of English?
I don't mean who sounds the most Bitish/American/Australian etc.,
but who do you think speaks with a classy-but-classless accent:
one which would not only raise few hackles amongst your countrymen,
but which would be generally associated with an intelligent person
whose views are probably worth listening to. (If you can point to
an audio clip as well, that would be useful.)
|
For AmE, I'd point to speakers of Postwar New York Prestige Standard.
There are a number of celebrities with this accent: Viggo Mortensen,
Matthew Broderick, Cynthia Nixon, Richard Fontana, Fiona Apple
.... the list goes on and on. I'm not sure about the others, but I think
there still might be a few recordings of Richard Fontana's speech
available by way of the AUE website, or maybe by way of Bob Cunningham's
website, or both. |
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R H Draney
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 5:30 am
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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Harvey Van Sickle filted:
| Quote: |
This may turn out to be a pointless question, but I was wondering
who -- in your own version of English, whatever that might be --
would you say best exemplifies a prestige/authoritative accent for
your type of English?
I don't mean who sounds the most Bitish/American/Australian etc.,
but who do you think speaks with a classy-but-classless accent:
one which would not only raise few hackles amongst your countrymen,
but which would be generally associated with an intelligent person
whose views are probably worth listening to. (If you can point to
an audio clip as well, that would be useful.)
|
The gold standard for me has always been Gary Owens, best remembered as the
announcer from "Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In" in the late 60s...he can still be
heard live on a regular basis at http://www.musicofyourlife.com, Monday through
Friday from 7 to 10pm ET...his voice is only slightly more raspy than it was in
his heyday....r |
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the Omrud
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 5:47 am
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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Harvey Van Sickle <harvey.news@ntlworld.com> spake thusly:
| Quote: | The article in the New Yorker -- thanks, Donna! --- set me
thinking.
One occasionally encounters assumptions in AUE from non-residents
of countries about prestige accents in other countries. These are
often outdated -- for example, that traditional RP is the standard
accent of educated Brits, or that the accent of the ruling classes
in America sound like Katherine Hepburn before she developed her
tremor.
This may turn out to be a pointless question, but I was wondering
who -- in your own version of English, whatever that might be --
would you say best exemplifies a prestige/authoritative accent for
your type of English?
I don't mean who sounds the most Bitish/American/Australian etc.,
but who do you think speaks with a classy-but-classless accent:
one which would not only raise few hackles amongst your countrymen,
but which would be generally associated with an intelligent person
whose views are probably worth listening to. (If you can point to
an audio clip as well, that would be useful.)
|
It's difficult to pinpoint a classy but classless Brit. I mean, you
could go for Joanna Lumley if she didn't sound like she was still
living in the Raj. Diana Rigg (Yorkshire bred), perhaps.
And for the men, Brian Perkins, perhaps. Although he is, of course,
a New Zealander. You can hear him here on this week's Elements
thread, as Helium and Oxygen:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/periodictales.shtml
Aahh, you can also hear Charlotte Green as Arsenic (she doesn't
qualify here, but that's not a reason to miss her voice),
And to me, an Englishman, many educated Scots sound classless. Eddie
Mair, for example.
--
David
=====
replace usenet with the |
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Philip Eden
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 6:05 am
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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"the Omrud" <usenet.omrud@gmail.com> wrote:
| Quote: |
And to me, an Englishman, many educated Scots sound classless. Eddie
Mair, for example.
Ha! You should hear him in private throwing a hissy fit! |
(Actually I agree with you).
Philip Eden |
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Mike Lyle
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 6:06 am
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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the Omrud wrote:
[...]
| Quote: | Aahh, you can also hear Charlotte Green [...]
|
Ooh, stop it! I've gone all unnecessary!
| Quote: | And to me, an Englishman, many educated Scots sound classless.
Eddie
Mair, for example.
|
Among the Irish, Sean Rafferty. Welsh-wise, I suppose Huw Edwards is
too Anglicised; but he's a fine speaker. Ozly speaking, my father was
a good older-generation exemplar, but you probably never knowingly
heard him: a bit like Kerry Shale's take-off of an A(us)BC newsreader
voice.
One of the things I most like about the Ashes is hearing the lovely
clear but uncompromisingly Aus voices on BBC.
--
Mike. |
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Witziges Rätsel
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 6:50 am
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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| Quote: | This may turn out to be a pointless question, but I was wondering
who -- in your own version of English, whatever that might be --
would you say best exemplifies a prestige/authoritative accent for
your type of English?
|
Slim Pickens - not my dialect by far, yet I love to hear him.
"You use your tongue prettier than a $20 whore."
Mr. Pickens in Blazing Saddles |
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Nate Branscom
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 8:07 am
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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Harvey Van Sickle wrote:
| Quote: | This may turn out to be a pointless question, but I was wondering
who -- in your own version of English, whatever that might be --
would you say best exemplifies a prestige/authoritative accent for
your type of English?
|
| Quote: | I don't mean who sounds the most Bitish/American/Australian etc.,
but who do you think speaks with a classy-but-classless accent:
one which would not only raise few hackles amongst your countrymen,
but which would be generally associated with an intelligent person
whose views are probably worth listening to. (If you can point to
an audio clip as well, that would be useful.)
|
AmE Male: Sam Elliott
AmE Female: I was considering Oprah Winfrey, but I can't commit to the
choice.
-- Nate |
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Will
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 6:34 pm
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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Salvatore Volatile wrote:
| Quote: | Harvey Van Sickle wrote:
This may turn out to be a pointless question, but I was wondering
who -- in your own version of English, whatever that might be --
would you say best exemplifies a prestige/authoritative accent for
your type of English?
I don't mean who sounds the most Bitish/American/Australian etc.,
but who do you think speaks with a classy-but-classless accent:
one which would not only raise few hackles amongst your countrymen,
but which would be generally associated with an intelligent person
whose views are probably worth listening to. (If you can point to
an audio clip as well, that would be useful.)
For AmE, I'd point to speakers of Postwar New York Prestige Standard.
There are a number of celebrities with this accent: Viggo Mortensen,
Matthew Broderick, Cynthia Nixon, Richard Fontana, Fiona Apple
|
What joy Ms Apple has brought to me! How nice to see her name in AUE
lights.
Will. |
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Will
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 6:59 pm
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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|
Harvey Van Sickle wrote:
| Quote: | The article in the New Yorker -- thanks, Donna! --- set me
thinking.
One occasionally encounters assumptions in AUE from non-residents
of countries about prestige accents in other countries. These are
often outdated -- for example, that traditional RP is the standard
accent of educated Brits, or that the accent of the ruling classes
in America sound like Katherine Hepburn before she developed her
tremor.
This may turn out to be a pointless question, but I was wondering
who -- in your own version of English, whatever that might be --
would you say best exemplifies a prestige/authoritative accent for
your type of English?
|
For sheer euphony it would be Bill Nighy, Ken Stott, Tom Wilkinson. I
can't think of any women at present, though I noticed that Diane Abbott
on Newsnight yesterday has been to Thatcher's Voice Softening Shop. I
don't buy into the Charlotte Green/Brian Perkins cult, I'm afraid.
Will. |
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Peter Duncanson
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 7:55 pm
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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On Wed, 9 Nov 2005 23:06:17 -0000, "Mike Lyle"
<mike_lyle_uk@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk> wrote:
| Quote: | the Omrud wrote:
[...]
Aahh, you can also hear Charlotte Green [...]
Ooh, stop it! I've gone all unnecessary!
And to me, an Englishman, many educated Scots sound classless.
Eddie
Mair, for example.
Among the Irish, Sean Rafferty. Welsh-wise, I suppose Huw Edwards is
too Anglicised; but he's a fine speaker. Ozly speaking, my father was
a good older-generation exemplar, but you probably never knowingly
heard him: a bit like Kerry Shale's take-off of an A(us)BC newsreader
voice.
One of the things I most like about the Ashes is hearing the lovely
clear but uncompromisingly Aus voices on BBC.
|
Agreed.
Someone whose speech is highly regarded is the journalist and senior
newscaster Sir Trevor McDonald.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_McDonald
And from: (His surname is misspelt in the URL and on the page.)
http://www.100greatblackbritons.com/bios/trevor_macdonald.html
Once viewed as the best-spoken person in the country and was
reported to have fronted a two-year inquiry into the state of
language learning.[1] It warned that government education
policy failed to teach pupils the necessary language skills
needed for later life.
[1] This is an oddly tentative sentence. "Once" simply means "on one
occasion". I'm not aware that his speaking voice has deteriorated.
"Reported" might suggest uncertainty. There is none. The inquiry of
which he was co-chairman was
http://languages.nuffieldfoundation.org/languages/inquiry/in0000000537.asp
The Nuffield Languages Inquiry (1998-2000) was established to review
the UK's capability in languages.
...
He is also mad about cricket, as mentioned here:
http://www.thebiographychannel.co.uk/biography_story/219:0/1/Trevor_McDonald.htm
I've been unable to find an audio clip or even a video clip.
--
Peter Duncanson
UK (posting from a.u.e) |
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Ross Howard
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Nov 10, 2005 8:07 pm
Post subject: Re: Current exemplary speakers |
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|
On Thu, 10 Nov 2005 12:55:52 +0000, Peter Duncanson
<mail@peterduncanson.net> wrought:
| Quote: | On Wed, 9 Nov 2005 23:06:17 -0000, "Mike Lyle"
mike_lyle_uk@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk> wrote:
the Omrud wrote:
[...]
Aahh, you can also hear Charlotte Green [...]
Ooh, stop it! I've gone all unnecessary!
And to me, an Englishman, many educated Scots sound classless.
Eddie
Mair, for example.
Among the Irish, Sean Rafferty. Welsh-wise, I suppose Huw Edwards is
too Anglicised; but he's a fine speaker. Ozly speaking, my father was
a good older-generation exemplar, but you probably never knowingly
heard him: a bit like Kerry Shale's take-off of an A(us)BC newsreader
voice.
One of the things I most like about the Ashes is hearing the lovely
clear but uncompromisingly Aus voices on BBC.
Agreed.
Someone whose speech is highly regarded is the journalist and senior
newscaster Sir Trevor McDonald.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trevor_McDonald
[...] |
| Quote: | I've been unable to find an audio clip or even a video clip.
|
Well, here's forty-odd minutes of him interviewing a paradigmatic
Prestige American speaker:
www.radio4all.net/pub/archive/09.01.05/anonymous@radio4all.net/16-1-20050705-050407-bush_interview-audio.mp3
(If the link's broken, try http://tinyurl.com/beu99)
--
Ross Howard |
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