Im not going to try and explain the actual reasons on why this happens. I am not going to even attempt going into any scientific, linguistic or medical explanation on the subject. For one I have not done enough research, two that's not the point of this post, and three Gosh that sounds boring!
What I'd like to bring to your attention first is the mind-blowing phenomenon that happens when a British (Australian, South African, Texan etc.... all apply) singer sings a song, and his or her accent seems to MAGICALLY disappear. Don't believe me? Listen to Rolling in the Deep by London-born Adele. I mean she is rolling in the deep, accent free... just like any another good ol' American girl! How does this happen? Has pop culture brought all singers to sing with an "american accent" because America is your destined golden ticket? That makes sense, making it in the wild west will probably make you a very rich artist. But is that really it?
[side note: I just wikipedia-ed Adele to confirm her birth place, and OMFG she's younger than me... 23 years old... what is happening...!?!!...okay moving on....]
I don't know about you, but this boggles my mind. Especially when you are sure an artist is American and all of sudden you hear them speak during an interview and BOOM the American flags you pictured all around them, all of a sudden turn into the flags of our once-called enemies of the 1700s. You know that Jessie J, the one who sings Domino and Price Tag? Super British! Singers don't even try to hide their British accent while they sing, it just comes out American! From what I've read, people say that singing without their native accent, means that they just sing with "neutrality". How can you call that "neutral"? Who decided American speech was neutral? Is the United States the answer to everything"? Should we get into a political science debate? Meh.
All this talk about accents, and it makes me think about actors playing characters with an accent completely different from their native one. It happens, and if done well, you shouldn't hear a difference. But doesn't it seem like the Brits get a lot angrier when we send our american actors to play Englishmen. Hey England, did Robert Downey Jr. really disappoint you with his Sherlock Holmes Rendition? I'm sorry you feel that way, here's a crumpet. How about Rennee Zellweger as Bridget Jones? I for one was extremely surprised she was born in Texas instead of Liverpool or London. I don't remember us getting mad when Hugh Laurie took on House or when Collin Ferrel was in SWAT! The only case I will ever angry with, literally ripping my hair off annoyed, is when they keep casting Emily Mortimer as an American character. Though she's a good actress please stop assuming she will pass as an American. Here, please see for yourself; you can even tell in the trailer for My Idiot Brother: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfyHY58lqCk. Do yourself a favor, if you want her in your movie - fine, but introduce her character as a british chick, what's wrong with that? Just work it in your plot! It's not that hard, they did it for all the Arnold movies. You were fine with the fact he was an Austrian man working as a Los Angeles detective in Kingergarten cop right?
At the end of the day, all I have to say is: accents are fascinating.
Cheerio!
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