The paper discusses accounts of faked accents that carry linguistic meaning.
Although many do not want to acknowledge it, it is covertly clear that every human being possesses an accent, which he/she uses in his/her day-to-day life. However, in many of those described situations, people are still asked to conceal their accent in order to reach a wider audience or to comply with the set ‘standard’ of the English language, being ‘General American’ (GenAm) and ‘Received Pronunciation’ (RP). As one can imagine, this only leads to further reinforcement of the idea that everybody’s language repertoire, concerning the choice of an accent, should be allocated to one of the two already-mentioned standardized English ‘norms’, being GenAm or RP.
To illustrate the thought process of one being demanded to adapt his accent to a more American audience as well as to simultaneously conduct my analysis on the phonological features of the Canadian Accent and to perform the register analysis, I
needed a matching sample. Therefore, I chose the example of the actor “Jay Baruchel” talking about his role of the protagonist “Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III” in How to Train Your Dragon on the talk show “Conan”, which is hosted by the comedian “Conan O’Brien” and his sidekick “Andy Richter” on the channel “TBS”.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Analysis of the Canadian Accent in the CONAN Show
2.1. The Low Back Merger
2.2. The Word "Sorry" and the Cot-Caught Merger
3. Analysis of Canadian Exclamations
4. Register Analysis of Jay Baruchel
5. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper examines the linguistic behavior and accent adaptation of actor Jay Baruchel during an appearance on the "CONAN" talk show. It focuses on the pressure to conform his Canadian accent to standardized "General American" norms for broader media appeal and analyzes his register usage in a public, informal setting.
- Phonological analysis of the Canadian accent, specifically focusing on the Low Back Merger.
- Examination of stereotyping and linguistic performance in a late-night television context.
- Investigation of individual register choices using the conceptual framework of Utz Maas and Martin Joos.
- Evaluation of social and professional motivations for adopting specific linguistic features or slang.
Excerpt from the Book
Analysis Task off Jay Baruchel’s Accent on the “CONAN Show”
Although many do not want to acknowledge it, it is covertly clear that every human being possesses an accent, which he/she uses in his/her day-to-day life. However, in many of those described situations, people are still asked to conceal their accent in order to reach a wider audience or to comply with the set ‘standard’ of the English language, being ‘General American’ (GenAm) and ‘Received Pronunciation’ (RP). As one can imagine, this only leads to further reinforcement of the idea that everybody’s language repertoire, concerning the choice of an accent, should be allocated to one of the two already-mentioned standardized English ‘norms’, being GenAm or RP.
To illustrate the thought process of one being demanded to adapt his accent to a more American audience as well as to simultaneously conduct my analysis on the phonological features of the Canadian Accent and to perform the register analysis, I needed a matching sample. Therefore, I chose the example of the actor “Jay Baruchel” talking about his role of the protagonist “Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III” in How to Train Your Dragon on the talk show “Conan”, which is hosted by the comedian “Conan O’Brien” and his sidekick “Andy Richter” on the channel “TBS”.
The three of them are speaking on the late-night talk show set of Conan O’Brien. Their conversation is not only being observed by the live-audience in front of them, but also by the millions of people that watch the broadcast of the show in their home. In this episode, Conan O’Brien, and Jay Baruchel briefly discuss the potential difficulties Baruchel and other actors face when becoming involved in a role, which demands the suppression of one’s original accent. Baruchel mentions that he was frequently asked to conceal his Canadian accent since the movie itself should cater to a wider audience.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the premise of the analysis, focusing on the social pressure to conform to standardized accents like "General American" versus individual Canadian linguistic identity.
2. Analysis of the Canadian Accent in the CONAN Show: Explores specific phonological struggles, particularly the "Cot-Caught Merger" and the pressure to modify vowel pronunciations to avoid being perceived as "wrong."
3. Analysis of Canadian Exclamations: Investigates the usage of the Canadian "eh" and its functions in storytelling, comparing it to the word "right" and discussing evolving trends in modern usage.
4. Register Analysis of Jay Baruchel: Applies the theoretical frameworks of Utz Maas and Joos to determine that Baruchel employs a public-informal register to build rapport with his audience.
5. Conclusion: Summarizes how the specific linguistic context of a late-night show necessitates a public-informal register to balance entertainment value with professional relatability.
Keywords
Canadian Accent, General American, Received Pronunciation, Cot-Caught Merger, Phonology, Register Analysis, Public-Informal Register, Jay Baruchel, Conan O’Brien, Discourse Markers, Language Suppression, Sociolinguistics, Slang, Hesitation Phenomena, Media Language.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper examines how actor Jay Baruchel navigates the tension between his natural Canadian accent and the standardized "General American" expectations of the film industry during an interview on the "CONAN" show.
What are the central thematic fields covered?
The core themes include phonological features of the Canadian accent, sociolinguistic register theory, the use of discourse markers, and the influence of media settings on language performance.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to analyze how an individual adapts their linguistic repertoire to accommodate the expectations of a broader audience while maintaining credibility and establishing rapport in a television environment.
Which linguistic methodologies are employed?
The analysis utilizes phonological transcription, register analysis based on the models of Utz Maas and Martin Joos, and an examination of hesitation phenomena as identified by Maclay and Osgood.
What does the main body discuss?
It covers specific phonological mergers, the functional shift of the "eh" exclamation, and a detailed breakdown of Baruchel's choice of a public-informal register, including his use of filler words and slang.
Which keywords characterize the work?
Key terms include "Canadian Accent," "Cot-Caught Merger," "Register Analysis," "General American," and "Sociolinguistics."
How does the "Cot-Caught Merger" affect Baruchel’s performance?
The merger makes it difficult for him to differentiate words like "tomorrow," leading to pressure from movie producers to adopt specific vowel pronunciations to ensure clarity for an international audience.
Why does Baruchel choose the public-informal register?
He opts for this register because it allows him to appear approachable and authentic to the live studio audience and the millions of people watching at home, whereas a formal register might seem pretentious.
Is the stereotypical "Eh" still prevalent in the discussed material?
The analysis notes that in the observed segment, Baruchel does not make use of the stereotyped "eh," suggesting a potential shift away from this identifier in favor of terms like "right."
- Citation du texte
- Niklas Richter (Auteur), 2019, Analysis Task off Jay Baruchel’s Accent on the “CONAN Show”, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1452429
