Why do people sound British in old movies?

Why do people sound British in old movies?

BrainStuff explains that the plummy, upper-crust accent is reminiscent of British aristocracy and was actually the style of speaking taught to students in New England boarding schools. BrainStuff says the accent fell out of favor after WWII, when there were fewer teachers available to teach it.

What happened to the transatlantic accent?

While the Mid-Atlantic accent didn’t arise naturally, it was cultivated into American Cinema, as well as the American upper class. Though use of the accent dropped significantly after World War II, some well-known figures have adapted it in more recent years, such as musician and producer Mark Ronson.

What is Audrey Hepburn’s accent?

Her accent was mostly British, but was influenced by her upbringing in a non-English speaking country (the Netherlands). Her pronunciation of a few words, at times of the “th” sounds, gave her away as not 100 \% British.

Why did actors talk funny in old movies?

And it isn’t like most other accents – instead of naturally evolving, the Transatlantic accent was acquired. This means that people in the United States were taught to speak in this voice. Historically Transatlantic speech was the hallmark of aristocratic America and theatre.

Did American actors of the 1930s and 1940s often speak with a British accent?

I watch a lot of old movies, and I’ve noticed that American actors of the 1930s and 1940s often spoke in a quasi-generic-posh-British accent. Katherine Hepburn’s accent would be the perfect example. It seems exaggerated, and I imagine it was not common off the stage and screen.

What is the Mid Atlantic accent in movies?

As mentioned in a previous answer to one of your questions, this is called Mid-Atlantic English and was commonly used in American films of the 1930s and 40s. Wikipedia gives the following reasons that someone would use the accent: Intentionally practiced for stage or other use (as with many Hollywood actors of the past).

Did people in the 1930s actually speak that way?

Did real people actually speak that way? As mentioned in a previous answer to one of your questions, this is called Mid-Atlantic English and was commonly used in American films of the 1930s and 40s. Wikipedia gives the following reasons that someone would use the accent:

Why don’t we hear the atlanticic accent anymore?

It’s called the transatlantic or mid-Atlantic accent, and you might have also heard it on old school radio or news broadcasts. So why don’t we hear it anymore? BrainStuff says the accent fell out of favor after WWII, when there were fewer teachers available to teach it.