English is not my native language, but I enjoy the way the characters in Justified speak.
It is not just the accent, the cadence, but the words they use. I find it very enjoyable.
I would like to know other people's reaction, particularly Kentuckians. What do you think?
Roberto
I haven't seen Justified, so I took a look at it in IMDB and eventually found a link to a trailer on YouTube. I think now I understand your question. But I'm not from Kentucky. Having seen many movies set in the rural south, it sounds as good as any to me. Don't know why ... maybe it's Raylan's tough guy attitude, but it flashed me back to Billy Jack ca. 70's. I might just catch me an episode or two. Trailer hooked me.
So maybe what you're hearing, and enjoy so much, is the same thing I enjoy when listening to British dialog (accent, cadence, word choices). Same thing with Australian and South African.
Guys, I am not sure ideas of this kind are always so great. Imagine someone telling you that your everyday's manners of speech are so interesting, your everyday's ways of life are so exotic and cute and oh so lovely. Your response would be , hey, that's just the way I am, fuck off already! -- the same kind of reaction the annoying tourists get when they take photos of people's private homes because they look so indigenous and cute, or when they make a gigantic issue out of some Japanese cherry blossoms that to the locals are nothing to be excited about. That's not to mention that most of what you see from the movies and such, are way way exaggerated stereotypes, probably insulting.
The only time that it makes sense to discuss features of cultures is when it's in the interests of scholarship, or some practical needs, as opposed to just seeing the mannerisms of 'other peoples' as curios for your amusement and entertainment. I am not saying the comments above are quite that, but the tones get mighty close.
RobertB said: The only time that it makes sense to discuss features of cultures is when it’s in the interests of scholarship, or some practical needs, as opposed to just seeing the mannerisms of ‘other peoples’ as curios for your amusement and entertainment. I am not saying the comments above are quite that, but the tones get mighty close.
Not even close, imho. I believe this forum is about "scholarship." I was just giving an honest answer to an honest question about the sound of a dialect. Can't really help if I like the sound of certain dialects or not. And I'm pretty sure my comments are "protected" by the spirit of this forum. Same as honest discussion about terms normally considered vulgar (like the "fuck off" in your first paragraph) or racist or chauvinistic. As Grant (and the admins) have often pointed out, anything is up for discussion here, as long as it's done with respect.
I've been told (since moving to Arizona) that I have a "typical Midwestern accent that sounds slightly nasal." Doesn't bother me a bit. If somebody told me they liked the sound of my accent, that wouldn't bother me either.
If I'd said that British/Australian/S.African dialects were "amusing" to me ... well, that would be disrespectful.
Heimhenge said
So maybe what you're hearing, and enjoy so much, is the same thing I enjoy when listening to British dialog (accent, cadence, word choices). Same thing with Australian and South African.
My point of view may be different from y'alls since I know English as a second language. And strangely enough, I can not do accents.
Roberto