Shake-&-Bake accents

[Sjöröveren]

One important thing to keep in mind if doing any kind of accent is that the result must be easily understood by the listener to be effective. I have heard accents so heavy that it is impossible for the audience to understand what is being said, even though it is "authentic". The same goes for archaic exp​ressions. If the people you are talking to always seem to be saying, "Huh ??", then it's time to back off authenticity a bit in favor of understandability. If nothing else, ol' Robert Newton was understandable !!

>>>>> Cascabel

an excellent point! This is in that fuzzy line between accuracy and acting. We strive to present the most accurate historical perspective that we can acheive, but we are presenting it to an audience, after all. Communication fails if the speaker fails to make their message comprehensible to the listener. And if the listener doesn't get the message, you may as well have not delivered it in the first place.

Spend some time in a foriegn seaport friends. I've met some strange accents right here at home too. I have an acquaintance/friend born in Okinawa and raised in Australia. (Hell of a bladesmith, works the "old-ways" with Damascus techniques. He went to Isreal to learn the old art of Damascus steel).

For those of us unable to visit foreign ports, the next best thing may be reading fiction in which the author has a good ear for transcribing accent and dialect. Patrick O'Brian does this very well. Although set in the early 19th century, his seamen speak in what strikes me as authentic West Country, Scots and other English accents. Many of his seamen are from the Wapping, Limehouse and Seven Dials areas of London, which was home to many seamen since the days of Drake. For American accents, Mark Twain does a great job with mid 19th century Midwest and Southern accents. I haven't read enough fiction from the GAoP to know of any authors who write in dialect from that time. I'm sure folks here will have some recommendations.

As an aside, I have to admit that I first read this post because I thought it was a reference to Talledega Nights.

[Capt Thighbiter]

I occasionally use an accept at faire or festival. But I think peppering your speach with appropriate shipboard terms actually conveys a bit more then the ubiquitous English/Irish accent found at fair. Telling a patron that he'll be 'brought by the lee' if he follows that path to the head kinda does more than an accent. IMHO of course.

'sides - accents are hard to keep up continuously, for me anyways.

[Cap'n Black Jack]

I live in Rhode Island, for the most part we have a particular accent here and slang. It is different from Massachusetts, California, Texas, and so on. South Boston has notoriously had a strong Irish community. There are still generations of people far removed from their ancestors from Ireland that still have slight Irish accent. We also see this in Canada. However, I hardly have the RI accent that most of the older members of my family have. I have a friend that lived in Scotland for years, now he has adopted Scottish slang and has a bit of an accent. My wife spent time in Georgia, she came back with a slight accent on some words.

Colonists in the North America came from the UK. Rhode Island even had French Settlers in Kings Towne (village of French Towne). These colonists has English, Scottish, and Irish accents, all which varied depending on the region they were from.

Pirates, seamen, traveled the known world and sailed with men from other countries with accents and their own slang. Plus seamen had their own language as well.

We all know that language and accents evolve. We pickup, adopt, and drop words, slang and accents. Thus if I am a seaman pirate from Rhode Island that has been sailing with a crew of English , French, African, and maybe Native Indians why wouldn't I have an mush-mash accent and unique language? Now I may only use this while on ship and not in the taverns of Newport, but maybe after a time it was just there.

Now, there is a right time and a wrong time to put all this on. I do living history encampments, I use the accent here most of the time. If I have to give a speech or a demo, I lighten it to almost nonexistent and I use mostly modern English, people need to know what you are saying.

Now after that long winded speech...if you are going to use an accent do it right. Practice, Practice, Practice.

[Kenneth]

I'm horrible and i'm working it out, are there any confident pirates on this thread who wanna post some video of themselves speaking? That would be helpful for us who are working on our tongue..crazy idea then?

[MadL]

Hav'en been born 'n raised in Southern Calieforniea but beeing from th' valley yet hang'n at th' beach throughout th' 70's (valley skateboarders vs beach surfers - "uh, like ya dude, shred that!") but then go'n t' th' Mid West (St Louise, MO) then on t' th' East Coast (Fort Benning, GA) then o'er t' Germany where I lived out 'on th economy', where for a good solid year or more I became almost fluent in German, one dialect at least - by th' time I gots back t' Californiea when I would meet new people I was oft asked "Where ARE ye from lad? I can not tell by yer accent!".

Me first year back t' th' west I not only got lost go'n t' th' store in th' very town I grew up (seriously! I got lost go'n just 5 blocks 'n ended up driving for over an hour t' find me way home!! Ended up in Eagle Rock!?!) But me speak had turn'd int' a hodge-pogg o' whatever I could muster out between me tongue 'n teeth!!! An' when I told them I was born 'n raised Right Here, they often just look'd at me with blank disbelief

As fer 'accents', I just can not do them at all, I am one that can not even recognize me own voice when I hears it on a record'n play'd back at me - as fer spelin, I n'er have been a good speler (Thank Neptune Fer Spell Checkers!!), I have always been told I spell fenetickally (that be phonetically t' ye skool mums 'n genteelmen).

But it does make me wonder; pirates, and sailors, them what 'lived by the sea', especially them what would be said t' "have no country" and would make port where ever they could and NOT just within ports of their own countrymen - would they have suffered the same 'identity crisis' as did I on me own 7 year tour o' th' world?

Seeing as how many often could not read or write anyway, and many who perhaps tried where probably worse then I even at it. I have seen it written in many ways that seamen of period often "had a language of their own" and used "words not known to proper gentlemen".

Now of course if a re-enactor be seeking other re-enactors of the same port and nationality then one might say "Where are all my countrymen?" and yes I do see some words such as 'Aye' being used incorrectly (even by a naive, uneducated sailor who can not read or write) and as for "Ahrrr", I have lately taken to giving back the response t' those who say that by saying "Ahhh matie, I also know me A, B, C's as well!!" or "S, T, U, V t' ye too mate!" (aye, I try t' avoid 'Ahrrr' but sometimes it is just plain fun; and I do love those ol' Long John Silver movies!)

As fer 'accent voice', I don't really try to use one at all yet I find I do, as fer th' words I just try t' follow some simple guides - drop the 'g' when ending in 'ing', drop some 'e' at th' end o' some words but not all, use 'n' for 'and', use he'm (heam) fer him, then toss in any nautical words 'n phrases I can come up with.

Nay, I naught try t' use any 'proper English' at'll, but then again; thar be NO English in me blood, neither in real life nor in character, so Why would I?!?

(if'n ye be wonder'n; me mum's family, th' Allison clan, hails from Ireland while me da's family, th' Madl clan, hails from th' Black Forest region o' Germany. Aye, there be an English born great great grandmum on me mum's side as well as an American Indian married int' her side as well; but me da's side be pure blood German right through me da's generation....he's parents 'n me mum's parents would not even stand in th' same room t'gether, they hated each other t' their die'n day)

So how about this li'l ditty I wrote up a few year back fer X-mas, I submitted it t' Bilge Munky and he tried t' read it on air, he gave up after th' first couple paragraph fer he could not make it out....yet others have read it and say they had no trouble at'll (of course there be a wee bit o' creativeness here 'n thar t' make rhyme):

~ Twas the Eve Before X-mas ~

As recalled by Captain Santa Clause, aka Whitebeard

Twas th' Eve before X-mas, when all through th' ship

Naught a creature was stirring, naught even th' ghost of old crewman Nick.

The cutlasses where all hung in th' ship's haul with care,

In hopes that a ship full of booty soon will sail na'r;

Th' crew were nestled all snug in their hung beds,

Whilst visions of virgin whores danced in their heads.

And Mary Ormond in her 'kerchief, and I in me tricorn nightcap,

Had just settled down for a long night's nap,

When out off th' bow there arose such a clatter,

I sprang ta the poop deck ta see what was th' matter!

Away ta th' deck I flew like a flash,

Tore open a powder keg and threw back me sash.

Th' moon on th' horizon caused th' calm sea waves ta glow

Gave th' luster of Davey Jones' treasure down below,

When what ta me bewilder'n eyes should appear,

But two small ships, and eight tiny cannons all aimed at me rear,

With a scurvy nave at their helm, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be that dog Lt. Maynard on that thar ship!

More rapid then frenzied sharks his corsairs did came,

And he shouted and cursed, and called them by name;

"Now Shorty! On deck Pete! on, Fletcher and William!

To the crow's nest with ye Morgan, All others man th' guns!

Now heave men! Heave! Ready them cannons! Ready them all!

As a cursed black plague on a wild hurricane they did fly,

One went starboard, the other port, as dark clouds began ta form in th' sky.

With cannons on th' ready and guns at their side these corsairs did flew

With blood in his eyes and saber a rattl'n, Lt. Robert Maynard did too.

And then, as I blinked me one good eye, I felt a crack in me tooth,

As the explosions of those eight tiny cannons blew from th' helm me galley's roof!

As I drew out me pistols, and began to return fire,

Me crew came a husselin, some without even any attire.

Most were dressed and ready, and all armed from head ta their foot,

From the explosions their clothes where dirtied with ashes and soot;

But me crew tis th' bastards o' th' sea, ta arms they took up

Like an army o' mad sea-dogs they are, and nay a one a pup!

Me one good eye -- how it twinkled! Th' smell of battle, how bloody merry!

Me cheeks lit with delight, for suddenly Maynard didn't look so cheery!

His beardless face had just turned as white as snow;

Th' stump o' me pipe I held tight in me teeth,

And th' smoke it encircled me head, just like a wreath;

Maynard, his face grew red with fire

As me crew tooks their aim and I yelled "RETURN FIRE!"

Oh how his tiny ships they shook like jelly

And I laughed so hard it shook me belly.

With a wink o' me eye and twist o' me head,

Soon ol' Maynard, he knew there be much ta dread;

As th' muskets red glare,

The cannons burstin' in air;

Gave proof through th' night,

That me Jolly Rodger still be thar!

Me crew spoke naught another word, but continued their work,

And filled th' cannons with lead; then returned it ta that jerk.

And as Maynard's two tiny ships sank out o' sight,

I hallard out with all o' me might;

"Merry Bloody X-Mas Maynard; Me Foe And Me Friend,

For It Be Ye And NAUGHT I That Has Finally Met Yer End!"

[Cap'n Black Jack]

I'm horrible and i'm working it out, are there any confident pirates on this thread who wanna post some video of themselves speaking? That would be helpful for us who are working on our tongue..crazy idea then?

There is video of me with the accent. However I do not currently have access to it at the moment (long story). I'll see if I can put something together over the next few days. We happen to have a video-wench on staff now.