What accent does Senator Barack Obama have?
Senator Barack Obama's accent
Mostly General American, as he grew up mostly in Hawaii. He seems to have two very small influnces on his accent, however. His speech occasionally seems very mildly affected by the NCVS (his consituency is largely in Chicago) mixed with perhaps the slightest remants of a twang (he was largely raised by folks from southern Kansas).
For the most part, though, his speech is quite GenAm.
For the most part, though, his speech is quite GenAm.
Northern Cities Vowel Shift.
Though personally I'm not really sure that he is. I do think he has a mild influence of AAVE, I've met few Chicagoans (even non natives) who don't, myself included. Of course with Obama it's hard to tell if that's the influence of southern speech or not.
Though personally I'm not really sure that he is. I do think he has a mild influence of AAVE, I've met few Chicagoans (even non natives) who don't, myself included. Of course with Obama it's hard to tell if that's the influence of southern speech or not.
I agree with Trawicks: he shows a bit of NCVS influence (like a diphthongal /{/ at times). Another interesting thing is that he sometimes lacks HAPPY-tensing - i.e. he may pronounce words like "democracy" with final [I] instead of [i].
-sometimes lacks HAPPY-tensing-
Lack of Happy tensing is common in singing:
baby [beIbI] or even [beIbe]
Lack of Happy tensing is common in singing:
baby [beIbI] or even [beIbe]
From a European perspective the idea of a black man in the White House sounds extremely appealing. From a personal perspective I feel the same way about the guy himself, but as I find the entire American political situation a wee bit bizarre to say the least, especially with everything we have seen of it at the present time, and not being American myself, I am not qualified to make any political comment.
I quite like the way Mr Obama speaks - not so much his accent, as he doesn't seem to speak any differently at all to the vast majority of Americans....without being politically biased here, which I am not, it's more the manner in which he says what he does, his style.
Unless an American comes from New York City (is it Bronx or Brooklyn* or something?) or the Deep South, s/he speaks just the same as every other American in my ears.
*Would Bronx or Brooklyn be the equivalent of what was, in the past, Cockney in London?
I have heard Judge Judy Scheindlin on TV over here - she sounds to me as if she is a New Yorker. Would I be right in thinking that? It's just the intonation in her voice that sounds as if it's so.
I quite like the way Mr Obama speaks - not so much his accent, as he doesn't seem to speak any differently at all to the vast majority of Americans....without being politically biased here, which I am not, it's more the manner in which he says what he does, his style.
Unless an American comes from New York City (is it Bronx or Brooklyn* or something?) or the Deep South, s/he speaks just the same as every other American in my ears.
*Would Bronx or Brooklyn be the equivalent of what was, in the past, Cockney in London?
I have heard Judge Judy Scheindlin on TV over here - she sounds to me as if she is a New Yorker. Would I be right in thinking that? It's just the intonation in her voice that sounds as if it's so.
<black man in the White House sounds extremely appealing<
I felt this way about Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. Huge disappointment, both of them.
So I don't think it means anything, black or white (or reptilian); the politics will be the politics of the elites (with slight modifications).
I felt this way about Colin Powell and Condoleezza Rice. Huge disappointment, both of them.
So I don't think it means anything, black or white (or reptilian); the politics will be the politics of the elites (with slight modifications).
"black man in the White House sounds extremely appealing"
Well, he's not really a black guy is he? He's a biracial, but it's quite laugh-worthy how the media continually refer to him as that, like race is a really important factor in the presidential race. The one drop rule certainly isn't dead.
Well, he's not really a black guy is he? He's a biracial, but it's quite laugh-worthy how the media continually refer to him as that, like race is a really important factor in the presidential race. The one drop rule certainly isn't dead.
>>> I have heard Judge Judy Scheindlin on TV over here - she sounds to me as if she is a New Yorker. Would I be right in thinking that? It's just the intonation in her voice that sounds as if it's so.
According to wikipedia, "Sheindlin was born Judith Blum in Brooklyn, NY, to Jewish parents Murray and Ethel Blum."
>> *Would Bronx or Brooklyn be the equivalent of what was, in the past, Cockney in London?
Hmm. Cockney and the classic NYC dialect(s) are varieties of English spoken by the working class and were historically stigmatized by the upper class; both varieties spread beyond their traditional home base and onto outlying areas; both are being displaced by multicutural varieties of English... so perhaps the answer is yes.
According to wikipedia, "Sheindlin was born Judith Blum in Brooklyn, NY, to Jewish parents Murray and Ethel Blum."
>> *Would Bronx or Brooklyn be the equivalent of what was, in the past, Cockney in London?
Hmm. Cockney and the classic NYC dialect(s) are varieties of English spoken by the working class and were historically stigmatized by the upper class; both varieties spread beyond their traditional home base and onto outlying areas; both are being displaced by multicutural varieties of English... so perhaps the answer is yes.
There are traces of AAVE in his speech but it's doubtful that a foreigner would be able to hear it.
I've noticed that he changes his accent slightly according to the audience, but do THEY notice this? Maybe it's his word choice as well.
Disagree?
Disagree?