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What are ideolects, accents, and dialects?
An idiolect (/ˈidēəˌlek(t)/) refers to the unique linguistic characteristics of an individual speaker, including accents and dialects. Idiolect is an umbrella that covers all aspects, including subtleties; for example, Winston Churchill uses a sub-S (tongue retracted) instead of a 'hyper s' (high s with tongue forward). The Sub-s is lower in pitch and sounds fuller, giving a more grounded feel. See more in the phonation section.
Intention is key in idiolect creation. An example is Meryl Streep's portrayal of characters with convincing and accurate accents, whether it be British, Polish, Australian, or others. Intention and attention to detail are required for her accomplished characterizations. A thin voice or not well-rehearsed accent will sound fake or not believable. Even when you want to sound fake, you still need the intention of sounding fake.
VVS is comprehensive in discovering all potential of a vocal tract. When sound production can be done as a ventriloquist, we can hear the possibilities and potential of an oral tract - what ideolects are most suited. Here we can discover our true vocal potential - our true voice.
VVS clenched-teeth techniques and methods rapidly help in forming embouchure variations for idiolects of interest.
ENGLISH - USA and UK
In the US, there are numerous regional accents and dialects, such as Southern, New York, Boston, Midwest, and more. Likewise, the UK has a variety of accents and dialects, including Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, and others.
When it comes to the news and entertainment industry, there is often a standardized or neutral form of the language used to reach a broad audience. In the US, you might find broadcasters and actors who speak with a General American accent, which is considered neutral and widely understood. In the UK, a similar standard may be used, often referred to as Received Pronunciation (RP) or BBC English.
Learn the General American accent and Received Pronunciation before creating your own idiolect.
Examples of actors and actresses in the United States using the General American accent and some movies they are in:
- Awkwafina, "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018), "The Farewell" (2019)
- Halle Berry, "Monster's Ball" (2001), "X-Men" series
- Chadwick Boseman, "Black Panther" (2018), "42" (2013)
- Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side" (2009), "Gravity" (2013)
- John Cho, "Harold & Kumar" series, "Star Trek" (2009)
- George Clooney, "Ocean's Eleven" (2001), "Gravity" (2013)
- Johnny Depp, "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, "Edward Scissorhands" (1990)
- Viola Davis, "The Help" (2011), "Fences" (2016)
- Leonardo DiCaprio, "Titanic" (1997), "The Revenant" (2015)
- Harrison Ford, "Star Wars" series, "Indiana Jones" series
- Tom Hanks, "Forrest Gump" (1994), "Cast Away" (2000)
- Jennifer Lawrence, "The Hunger Games" series, "Silver Linings Playbook" (2012)
- Dylan O'Brien, "Love and Monsters" (2021)
- Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy," "Killing Eve"
- Brad Pitt, "Fight Club" (1999), "Inglourious Basterds" (2009)
- Julia Roberts, "Pretty Woman" (1990), "Erin Brockovich" (2000)
- Will Smith, "Men in Black" series, "The Pursuit of Happiness" (2006)
- Charlize Theron, "Monster" (2003), "Mad Max Fury Road" (2015)
- Meryl Streep, "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006), "Sophie's Choice" (1982)
- Steven Yeun, "The Walking Dead," "Minari" (2020)
- Denzel Washington, "Training Day" (2001), "Malcolm X" (1992)
- Constance Wu, "Fresh Off the Boat," "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018)
Examples of actors and actresses in the UK using the Received Pronunciation accent and some movies they are in:
- Helena Bonham Carter, "A Room with a View" (1985)
- Michael Caine, "The Italian Job" (1969)
- Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game" (2014)
- Judi Dench, "Shakespeare in Love" (1998)
- Ralph Fiennes, "The English Patient" (1996)
- Colin Firth, "The King's Speech" (2010)
- Hugh Grant, "Notting Hill" (1999)
- Jeremy Irons, "The Lion King" (1994)
- Keira Knightley, "Pride and Prejudice" (2005)
- Maggie Smith, "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1969)
- Emma Thompson, "Sense and Sensibility" (1995)
- Emma Watson, "Harry Potter" film series
FRENCH
In French, the equivalent of the General American accent would be considered the "standard" or "neutral" accent, often associated with the French spoken in the Parisian region. This is often referred to as "Parisian French" or "Standard French." It is the accent commonly used in formal settings, education, media, and broadcasting.
Here are some examples of broadcasting TV stations and websites that typically use the Parisian accent:
1. France Télévisions: France Télévisions is the public national television broadcaster in France. It operates several channels, including France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5, and France Ô. News broadcasts and other official programs on these channels typically use the Parisian accent.
2. Radio France: Radio France is the French public radio service. It includes stations such as France Inter, France Info, France Culture, and others. These radio stations generally follow the standard Parisian accent in their broadcasts.
3. TF1 (Télévision Française 1): TF1 is a private national television channel in France. While it may have a mix of programming, news broadcasts, and official announcements typically adhere to the Parisian accent.
4. Le Monde: Le Monde is one of the leading French newspapers. While it's not a broadcasting station, the language used in written articles generally reflects standard Parisian French.
It's important to note that while the Parisian accent is often used in national and formal contexts, regional accents and dialects are diverse and present in various parts of France. Additionally, on regional television and radio stations, you may hear different accents reflecting the linguistic diversity of the country.
VIETNAMESE
In Vietnamese, there isn't a concept of a single "General Vietnamese" accent comparable to the General American accent in English. Vietnamese is spoken in various regions, and each region has its own distinct accent and pronunciation. However, there is a standard form of Vietnamese based on the Hanoi dialect, which is often considered the "standard" or "official" pronunciation.
The Hanoi accent is commonly used in education, media, and official broadcasts. People learning Vietnamese as a second language often strive to adopt this standard pronunciation to ensure better mutual intelligibility across different regions.
It's important to note that there are significant regional variations in pronunciation, vocabulary, and even grammar across Vietnam. The Southern Vietnamese accent, for example, differs from the Northern Vietnamese accent in various ways. Therefore, the idea of a single "General Vietnamese" accent is not as applicable as it is in some other languages.
In Vietnam, several national television stations and websites predominantly use the Hanoi accent, as it is considered the standard pronunciation. Here are a few examples:
1. Vietnam Television (VTV): VTV is the national television broadcaster in Vietnam. It has multiple channels, and its content, including news broadcasts and official announcements, often uses the Hanoi accent.
2. Vietnam News Agency (VNA): VNA is the official state news agency of Vietnam. News reports and official communications from VNA typically follow the standard Hanoi pronunciation.
3. Voice of Vietnam (VOV): VOV is the national radio broadcaster in Vietnam. Similar to VTV, it uses the Hanoi accent in its broadcasts.
It's worth noting that while the Hanoi accent is often used in official and formal contexts, regional accents are also represented in media, especially in local broadcasts and programs. However, for national and official communication, the Hanoi accent is the standard.
Intention is key in idiolect creation. An example is Meryl Streep's portrayal of characters with convincing and accurate accents, whether it be British, Polish, Australian, or others. Intention and attention to detail are required for her accomplished characterizations. A thin voice or not well-rehearsed accent will sound fake or not believable. Even when you want to sound fake, you still need the intention of sounding fake.
VVS is comprehensive in discovering all potential of a vocal tract. When sound production can be done as a ventriloquist, we can hear the possibilities and potential of an oral tract - what ideolects are most suited. Here we can discover our true vocal potential - our true voice.
VVS clenched-teeth techniques and methods rapidly help in forming embouchure variations for idiolects of interest.
ENGLISH - USA and UK
In the US, there are numerous regional accents and dialects, such as Southern, New York, Boston, Midwest, and more. Likewise, the UK has a variety of accents and dialects, including Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, and others.
When it comes to the news and entertainment industry, there is often a standardized or neutral form of the language used to reach a broad audience. In the US, you might find broadcasters and actors who speak with a General American accent, which is considered neutral and widely understood. In the UK, a similar standard may be used, often referred to as Received Pronunciation (RP) or BBC English.
Learn the General American accent and Received Pronunciation before creating your own idiolect.
Examples of actors and actresses in the United States using the General American accent and some movies they are in:
- Awkwafina, "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018), "The Farewell" (2019)
- Halle Berry, "Monster's Ball" (2001), "X-Men" series
- Chadwick Boseman, "Black Panther" (2018), "42" (2013)
- Sandra Bullock, "The Blind Side" (2009), "Gravity" (2013)
- John Cho, "Harold & Kumar" series, "Star Trek" (2009)
- George Clooney, "Ocean's Eleven" (2001), "Gravity" (2013)
- Johnny Depp, "Pirates of the Caribbean" series, "Edward Scissorhands" (1990)
- Viola Davis, "The Help" (2011), "Fences" (2016)
- Leonardo DiCaprio, "Titanic" (1997), "The Revenant" (2015)
- Harrison Ford, "Star Wars" series, "Indiana Jones" series
- Tom Hanks, "Forrest Gump" (1994), "Cast Away" (2000)
- Jennifer Lawrence, "The Hunger Games" series, "Silver Linings Playbook" (2012)
- Dylan O'Brien, "Love and Monsters" (2021)
- Sandra Oh, "Grey's Anatomy," "Killing Eve"
- Brad Pitt, "Fight Club" (1999), "Inglourious Basterds" (2009)
- Julia Roberts, "Pretty Woman" (1990), "Erin Brockovich" (2000)
- Will Smith, "Men in Black" series, "The Pursuit of Happiness" (2006)
- Charlize Theron, "Monster" (2003), "Mad Max Fury Road" (2015)
- Meryl Streep, "The Devil Wears Prada" (2006), "Sophie's Choice" (1982)
- Steven Yeun, "The Walking Dead," "Minari" (2020)
- Denzel Washington, "Training Day" (2001), "Malcolm X" (1992)
- Constance Wu, "Fresh Off the Boat," "Crazy Rich Asians" (2018)
Examples of actors and actresses in the UK using the Received Pronunciation accent and some movies they are in:
- Helena Bonham Carter, "A Room with a View" (1985)
- Michael Caine, "The Italian Job" (1969)
- Benedict Cumberbatch, "The Imitation Game" (2014)
- Judi Dench, "Shakespeare in Love" (1998)
- Ralph Fiennes, "The English Patient" (1996)
- Colin Firth, "The King's Speech" (2010)
- Hugh Grant, "Notting Hill" (1999)
- Jeremy Irons, "The Lion King" (1994)
- Keira Knightley, "Pride and Prejudice" (2005)
- Maggie Smith, "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" (1969)
- Emma Thompson, "Sense and Sensibility" (1995)
- Emma Watson, "Harry Potter" film series
FRENCH
In French, the equivalent of the General American accent would be considered the "standard" or "neutral" accent, often associated with the French spoken in the Parisian region. This is often referred to as "Parisian French" or "Standard French." It is the accent commonly used in formal settings, education, media, and broadcasting.
Here are some examples of broadcasting TV stations and websites that typically use the Parisian accent:
1. France Télévisions: France Télévisions is the public national television broadcaster in France. It operates several channels, including France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5, and France Ô. News broadcasts and other official programs on these channels typically use the Parisian accent.
2. Radio France: Radio France is the French public radio service. It includes stations such as France Inter, France Info, France Culture, and others. These radio stations generally follow the standard Parisian accent in their broadcasts.
3. TF1 (Télévision Française 1): TF1 is a private national television channel in France. While it may have a mix of programming, news broadcasts, and official announcements typically adhere to the Parisian accent.
4. Le Monde: Le Monde is one of the leading French newspapers. While it's not a broadcasting station, the language used in written articles generally reflects standard Parisian French.
It's important to note that while the Parisian accent is often used in national and formal contexts, regional accents and dialects are diverse and present in various parts of France. Additionally, on regional television and radio stations, you may hear different accents reflecting the linguistic diversity of the country.
VIETNAMESE
In Vietnamese, there isn't a concept of a single "General Vietnamese" accent comparable to the General American accent in English. Vietnamese is spoken in various regions, and each region has its own distinct accent and pronunciation. However, there is a standard form of Vietnamese based on the Hanoi dialect, which is often considered the "standard" or "official" pronunciation.
The Hanoi accent is commonly used in education, media, and official broadcasts. People learning Vietnamese as a second language often strive to adopt this standard pronunciation to ensure better mutual intelligibility across different regions.
It's important to note that there are significant regional variations in pronunciation, vocabulary, and even grammar across Vietnam. The Southern Vietnamese accent, for example, differs from the Northern Vietnamese accent in various ways. Therefore, the idea of a single "General Vietnamese" accent is not as applicable as it is in some other languages.
In Vietnam, several national television stations and websites predominantly use the Hanoi accent, as it is considered the standard pronunciation. Here are a few examples:
1. Vietnam Television (VTV): VTV is the national television broadcaster in Vietnam. It has multiple channels, and its content, including news broadcasts and official announcements, often uses the Hanoi accent.
2. Vietnam News Agency (VNA): VNA is the official state news agency of Vietnam. News reports and official communications from VNA typically follow the standard Hanoi pronunciation.
3. Voice of Vietnam (VOV): VOV is the national radio broadcaster in Vietnam. Similar to VTV, it uses the Hanoi accent in its broadcasts.
It's worth noting that while the Hanoi accent is often used in official and formal contexts, regional accents are also represented in media, especially in local broadcasts and programs. However, for national and official communication, the Hanoi accent is the standard.