I've seen many times in your posts that you described an accent as "pretentious". What does that mean?
Pretentious accent
What does pretentious mean? It means self important.
How do you identify an accent as pretentious? Hard to explain. Have you ever heard a Literary Professor talk? A snobbish Englishman? A film critic explain the brilliance of French Cinema? It's really a set of behaviors. Sort of looking down on those you are talking to, or talking out of your ass about something of which you have no real comprehension. Anyone could be pretentious but there are stereotypes that fill the roles in movies and such.
How do you identify an accent as pretentious? Hard to explain. Have you ever heard a Literary Professor talk? A snobbish Englishman? A film critic explain the brilliance of French Cinema? It's really a set of behaviors. Sort of looking down on those you are talking to, or talking out of your ass about something of which you have no real comprehension. Anyone could be pretentious but there are stereotypes that fill the roles in movies and such.
Pretentiousness would be something along the lines of snobbiness, or feeling a sense of superiority. In the context of accents, "pretentious" would describe someone who makes a conscious effort to speak in an "upper class" or "sophisticated" manner. They could do this through pronunciation, grammar, or word choice.
This reminds me of a punchline from a Fawlty Towers episode: "Pretentious, moi?"
This reminds me of a punchline from a Fawlty Towers episode: "Pretentious, moi?"
>>How do you identify an accent as pretentious?<<
There is no such thing as a pretentious accent…period.
>>In the context of accents, "pretentious" would describe someone who makes a conscious effort to speak in an "upper class" or "sophisticated" manner.<<
It is the individual’s behaviour you are describing as pretentious, not the accent
There is no such thing as a pretentious accent…period.
>>In the context of accents, "pretentious" would describe someone who makes a conscious effort to speak in an "upper class" or "sophisticated" manner.<<
It is the individual’s behaviour you are describing as pretentious, not the accent
In this case a person that uses an accent that does not come natural to him / her as a mean to "stand out". But the accent it self is never pretentious.
It usually means a bit snobbish, uppity, snooty, and over affected. Like Brian Sewell's ultra mega super posh RP in extremis accent. When I first heard this guy speak I thought he was acting or taking the piss out of someone ridiculous, but he really, really does speak like the way he does. He's an art critic btw, and regularly appears on TV and radio here in Britland, even on Question Time as he's a very erudite and knowledgeable bloke on all manner of things besides all things in the art world, but his accent is so, so unreal! The trouble is - it isn't - it really IS real. Your veritable pretentious English English accent. Have a ganders:
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-922851-details/The+perils+of+talking+posh/article.do;jsessionid=7bZDFTGRRjFxy02zN6X1jx5GChK4HtXwYJMbvtpJGxCFJvHPqrvn!560206012
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-922851-details/The+perils+of+talking+posh/article.do;jsessionid=7bZDFTGRRjFxy02zN6X1jx5GChK4HtXwYJMbvtpJGxCFJvHPqrvn!560206012
I have a fake accent! I change my accent to fit in with different kinds of people.
Hey, isn't he *really* taking the mick???
Look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bauz34toJ1g
If he's being serious... Well, not only does he sound excrutiating but he is also ridiculous -
"just to express my aversion
through an inversion" :-) :-))
Look at this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bauz34toJ1g
If he's being serious... Well, not only does he sound excrutiating but he is also ridiculous -
"just to express my aversion
through an inversion" :-) :-))
<<There is no such thing as a pretentious accent…period.>>
If, for example, someone grows up speaking a modern English accent, and as an adult they adopt an exaggerated U-RP accent, then I would say that's a pretentious accent. (But if someone grew up in an upper-class family, and they just naturally spoke with a U-RP accent, then I wouldn't call it pretentious.) To me, a pretentious accent would be synonymous with an inauthentic, affected accent.
A pretentious accent will often be poorly executed, containing hypercorrections.
If, for example, someone grows up speaking a modern English accent, and as an adult they adopt an exaggerated U-RP accent, then I would say that's a pretentious accent. (But if someone grew up in an upper-class family, and they just naturally spoke with a U-RP accent, then I wouldn't call it pretentious.) To me, a pretentious accent would be synonymous with an inauthentic, affected accent.
A pretentious accent will often be poorly executed, containing hypercorrections.
Back to Brian Sewell
As far as I remember, he DOES always speak like that. Unbelievable!
As far as I remember, he DOES always speak like that. Unbelievable!
>>To me, a pretentious accent would be synonymous with an inauthentic, affected accent.<<
To me, it would merely be a poorly executed attempt on an accent by a pretentious speaker. Though I do agree with you that the attempt usually is synonymous with an inauthentic and affected speech, it’s in its nature.
To me, it would merely be a poorly executed attempt on an accent by a pretentious speaker. Though I do agree with you that the attempt usually is synonymous with an inauthentic and affected speech, it’s in its nature.