The Transatlantic Accent: Where It Comes From & How to Speak It

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The fascinating history (and demise) of a one-of-a-kind accent
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If you’ve ever wondered where on Earth that old-timey movie accent comes from, you’re actually asking a really good question. The Transatlantic accent doesn’t come from anywhere specific—it was invented in the early 1900s so elite and educated English speakers could identify others of their class anywhere around the world. In this article, we’ll dive into exactly why this accent came to be and how it became so popular, plus show you how to pronounce and practice it yourself!

The Transatlantic (Mid-Atlantic) Accent: Overview

The Transatlantic accent blends British and American pronunciation to form a non-geographical “between” accent. It was popular among social elites and Hollywood actors from the '20s to the '50s, when more natural dialects were preferred. It features dropped “R” sounds, long and rounded vowels, and a fast, even cadence.

Section 1 of 6:

What is the Transatlantic accent?

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  1. The Transatlantic accent blends British and American pronunciation . The Transatlantic (sometimes called the Mid-Atlantic) accent doesn’t come naturally from a distinct region or group of people. It was actually created intentionally in the early 20th century (and codified by Australian linguist William Tilly) as a “World English” accent. The accent imitated the upper-class pronunciation of British society and Northeastern American elites, and people used the accent publicly to show they were educated, sophisticated, and socially desirable. [1]
    • The Transatlantic accent famously spread to Hollywood, where American actors (on stage and on screen) used it to portray “proper English” and high status (not the everyday English most people spoke). It was sometimes called the American Theatre Standard or American stage speech.
    • The accent was popular from about the 1920s to the 1950s, when it became less popular because people wanted to hear more authentic voices on screen.
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Section 2 of 6:

How to Speak with a Transatlantic Accent

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  1. The Transatlantic accent is non-rhotic, meaning the “R” sound is not fully voiced when it comes at the end of a word (“car” becomes “cah”) or before a consonant (“forty” becomes “foah-ty”). Basically, only use a clear “R” sound when the letter comes before a vowel sound (like in “very” or “right”). [2]
    • Some words may use both “R” pronunciations. For example, “irreversible” would be pronounced like “irreveh-sible.”
    • This accent feature closely resembles “proper” British English and is different from standard American English, which is largely rhotic.
  2. The Transatlantic “T” sound is very crisp and clear, especially in words like “letter” or “better.” [3] This is different from American English, which often changes the “T” sound to a “D” (like “ledder” or “bedder”).
    • With the non-rhotic “R,” “letter” is pronounced like “let-Tuh” and “better” sounds like “bet-Tuh.”
  3. The Transatlantic accent uses longer, rounder vowel sounds compared to a typical American accent. This means “dance” is pronounced like “dahnce” and “class” is pronounced like “clahss.” [4]
    • Once again, this sound is similar to what you’d hear from a “proper” British English speaker.
  4. This accent favors open vowel sounds, especially at the ends of words that have an “ee” sound. Pronounce this syllable like “eh.” For example, “happy” becomes “happeh” and silly becomes “silleh.” [5]
  5. Another distinct vowel shift in this accent is the “oh” sound. Words like “top” become “tawp,” and “hot dog” would be pronounced like “hawt dawg.” [6]
    • This does not generally apply to long “oh” sounds like in “only.”
  6. Every consonant gets its moment to shine in the Transatlantic accent, so avoid dropping the “-ing” for “-in’” like you might in American English. For example, words like “stepping” or “happening” will never be pronounced “steppin’” or “happenin’.” [7]
  7. To get that lofty, sophisticated, “old-timey” sound, taper the pitch of your voice slightly higher when you’re wrapping up a sentence (similar to how you’d raise your voice at the end of a question, but not as drastic). This inflection is thought to sound worldly or suave and separates this synthetic accent from naturally occurring ones. [8]
    • In general, the Transatlantic accent has more noticeable ups and downs in its intonation. This is what gives it its more musical (and sometimes dramatic) sound.
  8. You’ll notice that Transatlantic speakers talk pretty quickly, but you always hear each syllable clearly. Listen carefully as you string longer phrases and sentences together to make sure each syllable (whether it’s a vowel or consonant sound) is enunciated. [9] Generally, all syllables are about the same length, giving this accent its even and “refined” sound.
    • For example, in modern American English, you might say “I am noooot going in there” with an extra long emphasis on “not” to show you’re reluctant to enter somewhere. In the Transatlantic accent, you would simply say “I am nawt going in theh,” with each syllable being about the same. Instead, you could raise the pitch of “nawt” for emphasis instead of elongating it.
  9. Once you’ve got the basic pronunciation and cadence down, begin experimenting with more “old-timey” turns of phrase. For example, say “shall" or “shan’t” in place of “will” or “won’t” or “I beg your pardon” instead of “excuse me.” [10]
    • Ask yourself if there’s a more polite or formal way to phrase your words. If there is, the more formal-sounding option usually sounds more natural in the Transatlantic accent (for example, “good evening” has a more lyrical and refined sound that “g’night!”).
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Section 3 of 6:

Transatlantic Accent Examples from Actors & Film

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  1. The Golden Age lasted from the 1920s until the '60s, and the Transatlantic accent was pushed by studios as the voice to use in cinema during this time. Here are a few excellent historical examples you can listen to to perfect your accent (plus a modern one to hear how the accent is occasionally used today): [11]
    • Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story (1940): Old Hollywood icon Katharine Hepburn used the accent in both her professional career and personal life. Watch a clip on YouTube here .
    • Bette Davis as Margo Channing in All About Eve (1950): This example showcases Hollywood’s commitment to the accent even as it began to decline in popularity outside of the film industry. Watch a clip on YouTube here .
    • Christopher Plummer as Captain von Trapp in The Sound of Music (1965): Canadian actor Christopher Plummer used a Transatlantic accent throughout his film career. Watch a clip on YouTube here .
    • President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats (1930s): Throughout the Great Depression and WWII, FDR used the accent in his evening radio broadcasts to speak directly to the American public. Listen to his first address from 1933 on YouTube here .
    • Cate Blanchett as Katharine Hepburn in The Aviator (2004): Today, transatlantic accents are used to play period roles (like in this example) or for a specific affect. Here, Cate Blanchett uses it to portray Katharine Hepburn, who herself used the accent extensively. Watch a clip on YouTube here .
    • More famous actors who used the accent include Cary Grant, Claude Rains, and Rosalind Russell.
Section 4 of 6:

Practicing the Transatlantic Accent

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  1. Like any accent or language, the best way to learn is to listen and repeat! Watch old movies and listen to old radio broadcasts to get the sound in your ears, then practice repeating back what you hear. This will help you pick up the pronunciation as well as the smooth and even intonation and cadence the accent is known for. [12]
    • Try playing Transatlantic recordings at half-speed to get really deep into the minute inflections and unique vowel sounds that set this accent apart.
    • If you’re the book type, check out Edith Skinner’s 1942 book Speak with Distinction: The Classic Skinner Method to Speech on the Stage . The book shares how to speak in “Good Speech,” or the elevated Transatlantic accent used in classic theater.
  2. Is every syllable clear? Is your pronunciation of certain syllables consistent through a sentence, paragraph, or scene from a script? Perk up your critical listening ears and continue refining your accent until it sounds just like an Old Hollywood film.
    • Feel free to send your recordings to other actors or accent enthusiasts for feedback, too. Your accent is only as good as others hear it, after all!
  3. Try speaking with a Transatlantic accent for 10 minutes each day in a variety of circumstances to get used to how it sounds and feels in different contexts. You may find it easy to maintain the accent when you’re cheerful, but difficult if you’re angry or upset, for example.
    • Remember, the accent includes formal words and phrases as well as high-class pronunciation. Brainstorm a list of your favorite polite, old-timey expressions and work them into your accent to sound authentically outdated.
  4. A professional coach can help you with specific roadblocks in your way to mastering the Transatlantic (and other) accents. This includes things like pronunciation as well as intonation, your cadence, the speed and clarity with which you talk, and the vocabulary you use.
    • They’re also a great resource if you have specific accent goals. For example, if you have an audition soon and need a Transatlantic accent, they can help you prepare specific script excerpts or give you tips on maintaining the accent when you’re improvising.
  5. Unlike other regional accents, the Transatlantic voice isn’t tied to a specific place or group of people. It’s meant to be a flexible, learned accent to indicate your social status rather than a culture, and many famous actors, politicians, and elites who used it sounded slightly different from each other. So, have fun with it and don’t be afraid to experiment with vowel sounds and cadences until you find your own natural “transatlantic-ness.”
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Section 5 of 6:

History of the Transatlantic Accent

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  1. Tilly’s idea of World English was based on class and education (not a specific region). Essentially, the accent was a way to mark yourself as educated and elite, no matter where you came from in the English-speaking world. Rather than marking you from a specific place, this accent marked you from a specific class of society. This accent formed the basis of the Transatlantic accent [13]
    • This way, you would know if you were speaking to an “equal” when you were abroad.
    • Specifically, World English combined pronunciation from standard American English and Received Pronunciation (RP), or “the Queen’s English” (the posh British accent from the south of England that many Americans associate with high society).
  2. As the concept of World English gained popularity, upper-class boarding schools across New England began teaching their students Transatlantic accents as the new norm for international communication (similar to how British elites were taught to speak with “the Queen’s English”). The accent came to dominate the way the most powerful and influential figures in America spoke, even including President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. [14]
    • The accent already resembled some linguistic features common among elites in the Northeastern US. For example, the way native Bostonians drop the “R” from certain words is reflected in Transatlantic “R” sounds.
    • The accent was also adopted in theater schools and taught as the “correct” way to perform the English language on stage and on screen.
  3. Movie producers wanted to capitalize on the Transatlantic accent’s success as the sound of high status, so directors and executives would often require actors to perform in the accent. This added an air of sophistication to films and the industry and affirmed Old Hollywood actors as “elite” stars. [15]
    • Movies and radio broadcasts of the time pushed the accent into the ears of the general American public. It would have sounded just as affected and unnatural to them as it does to us today.
    • Even after the accent fell out of popular use, certain stars (like Katharine Hepburn) continued to use it to keep up the appearance of Old Hollywood glamour and prestige.
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Section 6 of 6:

Where did the Transatlantic accent go?

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  1. Schools began phasing the accent out of their curriculums toward the end of World War II when national pride and the desire for an authentic American voice were on the rise. Although some in the Northeast continued to use a loose form of the accent for decades, it fell out of use in common society during the '50s and '60s. [16]
    • It was also during this time that Method acting and other more natural-sounding acting practices emerged. The proper, phony Transatlantic accent sounded insincere compared to regional dialects and slang that gave characters a real-life quality.
    • Today, there are well over 100 distinct English accents from all over the world. While British and American accents continue to be the “standard” accents, there hasn’t been a push to codify another universal or world accent since the Transatlantic accent.

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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/what-is-a-transatlantic-accent-75376/
      2. ↑ https://www.voices.com/blog/mid-atlantic-accent/
      3. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/what-is-a-transatlantic-accent-75376/
      4. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/what-is-a-transatlantic-accent-75376/
      5. ↑ https://howtotransatlanticaccent.wordpress.com/2016/05/02/step-four-happy-happeh/
      6. ↑ https://lingopie.com/blog/transatlantic-accent/
      7. ↑ https://lingopie.com/blog/transatlantic-accent/
      8. ↑ https://www.voices.com/blog/mid-atlantic-accent/
      9. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/what-is-a-transatlantic-accent-75376/
      1. ↑ https://www.voices.com/blog/mid-atlantic-accent/
      2. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/what-is-a-transatlantic-accent-75376/
      3. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/what-is-a-transatlantic-accent-75376/
      4. ↑ https://www.grunge.com/1392057/history-transatlantic-accent-explained/
      5. ↑ https://nofilmschool.com/transatlantic-accent-in-movies
      6. ↑ https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/what-is-a-transatlantic-accent-75376/
      7. ↑ https://nofilmschool.com/transatlantic-accent-in-movies

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