What makes you say this?
You're joking? Having a laugh, yeah?
I actually suspect that you are. But if you're not, and I left my reply at that, then you'd quite understandably take offense... So...
Well, right from the start, I'll point to the fact that I've spent many years of genuine marital bliss with a true
English Rose of a wife, who, for some reason I still fail to grasp, agreed to marry a man so clearly beneath her in every way.
But, with that said, a quick recollection of times spent with my in-laws will put me in the right mood for a proper answer to your question. I'll start with a suggestion. I'd suggest that you should jot down a list of major films in which one or more of the key actors were Brits playing Yanks. Then, make a similar list for Yanks playing Brits.
Next, visit the discussion boards for those films, right here on IMDb. What you'll discover on those boards is that--
mostly by and large, but
often exclusively--nary a single American has anything to say about the Brits playing us; whereas there will be at least one post (usually many of them), written by a Brit lambasting whoever the poor Yank it is who had the unmitigated gall to think he could pull off whichever Brit dialect it is that's in question.
Now, before you ask me what a "Brit dialect" sounds like--which, by the way, is a hugely popular question to see posed in these types of discussion threads--let me answer you in advance. The majority of annoyed Brit posters of the sort I'm describing are of southern English origin. And, specifically, there's usually at least some subtext of social class in their discussions. Of course, writing blatantly about class is rather rare. But, basically, this is what you'll find: God forbid there be a hint of Estuary English (much less RP!) in the way an American actor portrays a character who's even remotely working class in origin... The next most frequently found criticisms are probably from the denizens of either a major English city other than London--Birmingham, Liverpool, etc. OR people from distinctly renowned areas/neighborhoods within the greater London Metro area...
Interestingly enough, it's always seemed to me that even when the debated accent/dialect is Scot or Irish, the poster/posters most annoyed is/are always English! What's more, I've often seen Scots and Irishmen/-women come to the defense of the Yank who's being bashed about by some offended English person!
Anyway, the natural answer for why this phenomenon exists lies in how truly ingrained class still is in the UK--England especially. Despite so many years of genuinely admirable--often innovative--social progress and despite the country's genuine efforts towards making the UK a meritocracy. It's almost as though the sense of class as being something you're born into is written into the English genome. Personally, I don't see it being entirely overcome for at least a few more generations. (Assuming, of course, that our western world can continue to enjoy forward social motion at all--IMHO, there are far too many indicators out there pointing to our world slipping backward, socioeconomically speaking.)
But... All of this notwithstanding, I'd very much enjoy reading about whuy I'm wrong about any or all of what I just wrote.
Quid novi? Vidistine nuper imagines moventes bonas?
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Porn_Flakes
9 years ago
I don't think you can say either way whether you're right or wrong. I would agree that class is still very much ingrained in the UK. As long as the divide between rich and poor continues to widen, then it will remain an issue. I don't know if I'd say it's more of an issue in England than in Scotland. With the recent referendum, I'd say Scotland are very much like us when it comes to the class system.
I have discovered just as many cases on here of Americans discussing the authenticity of an accent as I have Brits doing the same. Particularly in recent years as there seems to have been an influx of Brits playing major roles in American TV shows and films. I honestly don't think I've seen more Brits make an issue out of it than Americans. You're American and you've started a thread about an Englishwoman's accent. 😉
I myself am English. I was born in South East London but my accent isn't typical of the people who reside there. In fact, most English people don't believe me when I say I'm from England. I guess the problem I've seen that British people have with Americans attempting an accent from here is that they tend to stick to certain types of accents, usually posher sounding ones because Americans often complain they can't understand various accents we have in the UK, especially those from Northern England and Scotland.
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eStreetBeat
9 years ago
Good response.
To your point on Scotland: after posting my reply, I almost immediately thought about the referendum and recalled a good deal of anecdotal evidence supporting your point (mostly from seeing "man on the street" interviews and from reading the "yes" website, prior to voting day)...
And, of course, your very first line cuts to the bone with me, inasmuch as I'm an attorney... Even as I was typing it, I didn't like the idea of putting the onus on you to research my point!
But I stand by my opinion. I just need to find some time to gather up a sufficient number of examples, from an appropriate sized sampling of various films and TV shows... Don't know when that will be... But if I can pull it off, will you then respond in kind--and whoever has the smaller gross volume of anecdotal "evidence" shall concede "defeat"?
Quid novi? Vidistine nuper imagines moventes bonas?
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Porn_Flakes
9 years ago
We're a lot like Scotland, as much as either side may hate to admit it. Though the majority of Englishmen and women were opposed to Scottish independence, preferring us to stay together, although they would not have begrudged them independence if they had voted for it. I know and have met many Scots and the problems we have down here are, for the most part, mirrored up there. England is a funny old country. We, as people, separate ourselves from Scotland when it suits us but we also have the internal North/South divide. Me? I'm not patriotic at all.
Don't worry about it. I'm not debating whether you've actually seen as many cases as you suggest or not. Why would you lie? I just happen to have seen as many Americans, on here or otherwise, debate the authenticity of an accent. We probably are more defensive on the issue though (to be fair, when you've heard Keanu Reeves butcher a Southern English accent, you'd be pissed too) but I've also seen people from both sides dumbstruck when they've realised that an actor or actress isn't using their actual accent. Take Lauren Cohan of The Walking Dead fame, for example. Her page is full of debate on her accent.
Why must anyone be defeated?
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eStreetBeat
9 years ago
Why must anyone be defeated?
You're quite right of course--sorry about my poor choice of words!
Quid novi? Vidistine nuper imagines moventes bonas?
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