manufactured accent

<<In the USA the standard accent is General American, but like RP, no one really speaks it perfectly- it is a non-regional and largely manufactured accent....
>>

What is meant by a 'Manufactured Accent'? Does the person constantly have to strive to manufacture it, or is it automatic? As far as I know, most people don't really worry a lot about their accent and just speak without thinking... So how can they manufacture an accent?

Or does The Media manufacture it without people knowing?

There is no such thing as a manufactured accent in English, in the sense that no person, organisation or group have deliberately created one. All accents have developed naturally within society. That said, there are many influences within society and these include things which might be viewed as slightly artificial such as the media. I think it's worth saying though, that the old fashioned idea of BBC English (or, what would be the American version? Fox News English? :P) was simply the choice of presenters with one particular accent and was not created for use on the BBC.

An individual may significantly change their speech deliberately for some political or social reason, but they are in the extreme minority. Most people modify their speech slightly if necessary to aid understanding when speaking to a non-local, and the accent to which people modulate will usually be the 'received standard' in their respective country (for example, RP or GA).

That standard can vary within a country (and certainly does within Britain, with RP being the most recognised, although it is certainly not spoken by a majority). The term 'received standard' is a bit of a misnomer in that it is simply one accent amongst many. For social reasons it's an accent that has become widely accepted as more prestigious than others. Perhaps it's the prestige that makes it seem artificial, and that might be fair comment as it is no more efficient or effective as a mode of communication. However, this prestige has arisen naturally in society, so whether good or bad, it's not artificial.

Well, you know you took my quote, why didn't you just ask me in my thread, instead of creating a new one???


When I said manufactured, I meant it is an accent which is deemed "accentless" and without a specific regional influence. It is an accent which seems average to most peoples ears, and it will be hard to tell where that person was raised.

By manufactured, I did not mean institutions created it. It is just that they prefer to use that accent, as it appears "accentless" and is deemed "proper."

I think you should all stop bickering about accents, concentrate on expanding your vocabulary and spelling correctly, and just be understood. Polyglots, like me, for example, have an intermingled accent (hmm, I think I just created a new term).

A polyglot? Go on then, what languages do you know? Just interested!

>>
When I said manufactured, I meant it is an accent which is deemed "accentless" and without a specific regional influence. It is an accent which seems average to most peoples ears, and it will be hard to tell where that person was raised.

<<

Is there really such a thing though? Does anyone speak that way?

Francis's accent sounds extremely close to General American:
http://www2.zippyshare.com/v/86472443/file.html

It is a very conservative sounding accent. However, most people on this forum have guessed that the speaker is from the far North of the Western US. So, it is hardly without specific regional influence. I don't think that a truely General American accent would sound any less accented to most people in the country though--in my opinion it would probably sound more so. What do you think?

<<Is there really such a thing though? Does anyone speak that way?

Francis's accent sounds extremely close to General American: It is a very conservative sounding accent. However, most people on this forum have guessed that the speaker is from the far North of the Western US.>>

Francis has hints of the Great Lakes vowel shift or the Canadian dialect. If you listen to the way goose is pronounced you will hear it. I'm not sure what you meen by conservative sounding though? Do you meen that it sounds like Francis is speeking in a manner that would be considered proper in accordance with old ideals of Englo/American speech or that it sounds like Francis is a member of the NRA?


<<I think it's worth saying though, that the old fashioned idea of BBC English (or, what would be the American version? Fox News English? :P)>>

You would be incorrect to think that Fox news was the first to set GA as the standard form of speech in the media. For one thing, FOX news is owned by Rupert Merdock, an Australian and I do wish he would go home and take O'Reilly with him. And GA American is not an artificial accent. It is naturally occuring though some have been knowne to affect it inorder to fit with "standards". It is my understanding that the GA dialect arose when the school systems of the midwest saught to give the large immigrant population of the area a standardised form of English and brought teachers from upperclass backgrounds in from the East coast. While this standardisation was originally a conscious effort, GA is no longer artificial, as it is part of a broad regionalism in the U.S. That is apposed to the various other accents that can be found in the U.S.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5N3WJXK2PAM&feature=related