Although they have been separated by history for many centuries, their common language often deceives into attributing America and Britain with equally common cultures, ideologies and communicative conventions. In this case, the English language acts as a “faux ami”. This is nowhere more apparent, than in the attitudes both nations developed due to the perception of each other's English. These “language attitudes” are generated, expressed and modified in many ways and differ substantially. But what attitudes do Americans have towards British English? How are these attitudes generated, expressed and modified? And what influence do the American media have on these processes? This paper answers these questions by presenting previous attitude studies and analysing their results, using the movie "Gladiator" (2000) as an example for American media.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Previous Research
2.1. British and American Language Ideologies
2.2. Language Attitude Studies
2.2.1. “Accent and Social Class Effect on Status and Solidarity Evaluations” (1985)
2.2.2. “Pax Americana? Accent attitudinal evaluations in New Zealand, Australia and America” (2001)
2.2.3. “Attitudinal data from New Zealand, Australia, the USA and UK about each other’s Englishes: Recent changes or consequences of methodologies?” (2005)
2.3. The Media Influence on Language Attitudes
2.4. Summary/ Research Questions
3. Analysis of the Movie “Gladiator” (2000)
3.1. Data/ Methodology
3.2. Analysis
3.3. Discussion
4. Conclusion
5. References
5.1. Internet Sources
5.2. Literature
Objectives and Topics
This paper explores the perception of British English within American society, specifically examining how media representations—such as those in blockbuster films—shape attitudes toward different accents. It investigates the sociocultural implications of why foreign accents, particularly British ones, are frequently linked to villainous character archetypes in American cinema.
- Comparison of British and American language ideologies.
- Review of historical language attitude studies concerning English varieties.
- Analysis of media influence on the construction of linguistic stereotypes.
- Case study of the movie "Gladiator" (2000) regarding accent usage and characterization.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2. Analysis
Plot and character set-up of the movie reveal that the story is one that has been repeated countless times before. Russell Crowe plays the generic “good guy”, who is only driven by the desire to avenge the murder of his family. Joaquin Phoenix acts as an over the top, clichéd villain, who is simply evil and obsessed with power. Both roles reveal little to no depth to their characters. To indicate that the plot takes place in ancient times, all characters utilize non-American accents. Russell Crowe speaks Australian, while Joaquin Phoenix only uses Received Pronunciation. Apart from a few other gladiators, most of the Roman population speaks with British accents – including Commodus' sister and father. In terms of plot, character set-up and use of accents, the movie thus fulfils Rosina Lippi-Green's “feeling of familiarity”. It is a story that has been seen numerous times. The viewer knows he can rely on established orders to interpret the movie – he is not presented with anything new. “[...] The good guys [...] talk like Americans, while all the other [...] characters have heavy accents” (Lippi-Green 1997: 80) Although, there is no character in the movie, who talks MUSE, Rosina Lippi-Green's statement is very much applicable to “Gladiator”. The foundation of her thought is that good and bad characters can be distinguished by their accents.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the research context, highlighting the commonality of the English language as a source of diverse attitudes and defining the paper's aim to analyze media influence on these perceptions.
2. Previous Research: This section details language ideologies in the US and UK, reviews key academic studies on attitudes toward different accents, and explores the media's role in shaping these views.
3. Analysis of the Movie “Gladiator” (2000): This chapter applies theoretical findings to the specific case of the film "Gladiator", examining how accent choices inform characterization and reinforce existing stereotypes.
4. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the research findings, confirming that American attitudes toward British English are deeply complex, emotional, and heavily influenced by mass media portrayals.
5. References: This section lists all consulted internet sources and academic literature used to support the analysis.
Keywords
Language Attitudes, British English, American English, Media Influence, Received Pronunciation, Stereotypes, Film Analysis, Gladiator, Language Ideology, Accent Perception, Sociolinguistics, Cultural Associations, Villainy, Characterization
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this research?
The work examines how Americans perceive British English and why the media—specifically Hollywood films—often employs British accents to portray specific character types, such as villains.
What are the central thematic areas?
The central themes include language ideologies, the impact of globalization on English varieties, the psychological construction of linguistic stereotypes, and the relationship between accent and status.
What is the primary objective of this paper?
The primary goal is to determine how and why Received Pronunciation is used in American films to influence audience perception and to understand if this reinforces the "villain" stereotype.
Which scientific methodology is utilized?
The paper employs a mixed approach, combining a literature review of sociolinguistic language attitude studies with a qualitative content analysis of the film "Gladiator".
What topics are covered in the main body?
The main body covers the theoretical foundation of American versus British language ideologies, detailed reviews of prior attitudinal studies (1985–2005), and an analytical case study of the film "Gladiator".
Which keywords best characterize this work?
Key terms include Language Attitudes, Received Pronunciation, Media Influence, Linguistic Stereotypes, and Sociolinguistics.
Why is the film "Gladiator" chosen for this analysis?
It is chosen as a representative example of a successful Hollywood blockbuster that utilizes British accents to create a sense of historical distance and to distinguish "good" from "bad" characters.
How does the author explain the use of British accents for villainous characters?
The author suggests it is a shortcut for directors to evoke specific cultural associations, such as "dignity" or "elitism," and to create a feeling of familiarity for the American audience.
Does the paper suggest that American audiences can distinguish between different British accents?
No, the research indicates that many American listeners struggle to differentiate between various British or Commonwealth accents, often categorizing them broadly as "British" or "foreign."
- Quote paper
- Dominik Poos (Author), 2013, Why Is The Villain Always British?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/233422
