Firstly, I will describe the major differences between General British English and Modern Standard American English. After that, I will analyse Adele and Elton John by comparing them speak in an interview and then sing a song. Lastly, I will do a research about a few reasons of this phenomena of shifting accents when people are singing. The goal of this term paper is to see if there really is a shifting in accents when singing com- pared to speaking and gain a bit of understanding why, if that is the case.
Language is the most important tool of communication. It involves every aspect of our life. When we are happy, sad or angry about something we often express our emo- tions through words. Today, thousands of languages are spoken and every language has different accents and dialects. Interestingly, sometimes it seems like a person changes their accent for different matters. When it comes to English, I was always drawn to the difference in accents and the one I like the most is the British one. Throughout the years I noticed how I sometimes struggled to connect a singer to his or her origin or region they are from because they sound so different when they are singing to when they are speaking. For the purpose of this paper, Adele and Elton John will serve as examples.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. British English vs. American English
2.1. Vowels
2.2. Diphthongs
2.3. Consonants
3. Adele
3.1. Interview
3.2. Song
4. Elton John
4.1. Interview
4.2. Song
5. Reasons
6. Conclusion
Works Cited
Research Objectives and Themes
The primary objective of this term paper is to examine the phenomenon of shifting accents in singers by comparing their spoken language in interviews with their pronunciation in singing. It addresses the research question of whether British singers adapt an Americanized accent during musical performances and seeks to explain the potential underlying motivations for this acoustic transition.
- Comparative phonetic analysis of British and American English varieties.
- Case studies of Adele and Elton John through speech-to-song comparison.
- The influence of linguistic environment and identity on vocal production.
- Social and commercial pressures driving accent modification in pop music.
- Overview of the Mid-Atlantic Accent as a phonetic outcome.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1. Interview
The interview that is used for this paper is from 2008 and was filmed in a dressing room at The Hospital Club in Covent Garden. Only parts of this interview will be used. The interview starts with the task to pick five words that describe how she is feeling. She answers: “/faiv wɜ:dz… ’hæpi, dʒet lægd, ɪk’saɪtɪd, ’nɜ:vəs ənd ’hɑ:ŋri/.”
In this table one can see that she is not pronouncing the ‘r’ in the middle of the words. Therefore, she is not speaking in an American accent, where the ‘r’ is pronounced because it is a rhotic accent. Then she is asked about the meaning of a phrase she is using in one of her songs. The phrase is ‘chasing pavements’. Her answer: “/aɪ æm ’sta:tɪŋ tu: nɒt ,ʌndə’stændɪŋ maɪ’self naʊ bɪ’kɒz ’evriwʌn wɒz laɪk ‘aɪ dɒʊnt get ɪt’ ’i:vən maɪ mʌmz laɪk ‘aɪ dɒʊnt get ɪt’. ’beɪsɪkəli ɪt ɪz ə’baʊt ə ’rʌbɪʃ ’bɒrˌ frend aɪ hæd ænd hi: wɒz… ænd aɪ wɒz ’rʌbɪʃ.. kwait ’rʌbɪʃ tu: hɪm tə’wɒ:dz ði end. wi: hæd ə faɪt wʌns. ðɪs ɪz ði ’ækʃuəl ’stɔ:ri bɪ’haɪnd ɪt. wi: hæd ə faɪt wʌn naɪt ænd aɪd rʌn ’ɛniwə […/”. Again, there would be differences in the pronunciation of some words, like ‘starting’, ‘not’, ‘understanding’ and ‘anywhere’. In American English, the same answer would sound like the following: “/aɪ æm ’sta:rtɪŋ tu: nɑt ,ʌndər’stændɪŋ ,maɪ’self naʊ bɪ’kɒz ’evriwʌn wʌz laɪk ‘aɪ dɒʊnt get ɪt’. ’ɪvɪn maɪ mamz laɪk ‘aɪ dɒʊnt get ɪt’. ’beɪsɪkli, ɪt ɪz ə’baʊt ə ’rʌbɪʃ ’bɔrˌ frend aɪ hæd ænd hi: wʌz… ænd aɪ wʌz ’rʌbɪʃ… kwait ’rʌbɪʃ tu: hɪm tə’wɔ:rdz ði end. wi: hæd ə faɪt wʌns. ðɪs ɪz ði ’ækʃuəl ’stɔ:ri bɪ’haɪnd ɪt. wi: hæd ə faɪt wʌn naɪt ænd rʌn ’ɛniˌ wɛr […]/”.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the importance of language as a communication tool and introduces the research objective to investigate the accent shifts of British singers when performing.
2. British English vs. American English: The chapter provides a theoretical foundation by comparing the phonetic differences between General British and Modern Standard American English regarding vowels, diphthongs, and consonants.
3. Adele: This section empirically tests the accent-shifting hypothesis by analyzing Adele's natural British accent in a 2008 interview against her pronunciation in the song "Hello".
4. Elton John: Following the same structure as the previous chapter, this part evaluates Elton John's speech patterns alongside his performance in "Crocodile Rock" to uncover evidence of a Mid-Atlantic accent.
5. Reasons: This chapter explores potential motivations for accent modification, discussing factors such as identity, audience targeting, and the dominance of American influence in the music industry.
6. Conclusion: The paper concludes by confirming the phenomenon of shifting accents, noting that both Adele and Elton John demonstrate tendencies to lean toward Americanized pronunciation during song performances.
Keywords
Phonetics, Phonology, British English, American English, Adele, Elton John, Accent shifting, Singing, Mid-Atlantic Accent, Rhoticity, Vowels, Diphthongs, Consonants, Sociolinguistics, Music industry
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper investigates whether and why singers, particularly British artists, adapt their accents when singing compared to their natural speaking voice.
Which artists serve as the primary focus for the analysis?
The two case studies presented are Adele and Elton John, both of whom originate from the United Kingdom.
What is the main research question?
The goal is to determine if a genuine shift in accent occurs during musical performance and to uncover the reasons behind this linguistic phenomenon.
Which methodology is applied to the research?
The author uses a comparative analysis method, evaluating phonetic transcripts of the artists' natural speech from interviews against recordings of their songs.
What topics are covered in the main body of the text?
The main body examines phonetic differences between British and American English (vowels, diphthongs, consonants) and provides specific comparative analyses for both Adele and Elton John.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key terms include Phonetics, British English, American English, Accent shifting, Sociolinguistics, and Mid-Atlantic Accent.
Does Elton John completely abandon his British accent while singing?
No, the findings suggest that Elton John employs a mix of both British and American characteristics, often described as a Mid-Atlantic accent.
Why might a singer choose to use an American accent?
The paper identifies potential reasons such as reaching a wider American audience, identifying with American culture, or conforming to the industry standard dominated by American artists.
Are the vocal changes observed in Adele consistent across her songs?
The study highlights how Adele's pronunciation of words like "hello" and "after" shifts from her native British phonetic realization to an Americanized version during her performance.
- Quote paper
- Berna Dayioglu (Author), 2021, Singing Away the Accent, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1252971
