Bad Accents

[Dphillipson]

Henry Goodman is currently reading on Radio Four Extra a biography of Francois Mitterand. What possessed this good actor (and why did producer Jane Marshall countenance) the narrative of French events by French people in Goodman's normal, clear voice, but the direct quotations of what French people said in a hideous caricature of a French accent (as familiar 50 or 100 years ago on the musichall stage) ?

[oddoneout]

Henry Goodman is currently reading on Radio Four Extra a biography of Francois Mitterand. What possessed this good actor (and why did producer Jane Marshall countenance) the narrative of French events by French people in Goodman's normal, clear voice, but the direct quotations of what French people said in a hideous caricature of a French accent (as familiar 50 or 100 years ago on the musichall stage) ?

So the listeners can distinguish between the narrative and the quotations? Seen as preferable perhaps(quicker/cheaper?) to prefacing each quotation with a phrase to make the difference clear, or starting the quotation in French, knocking the volume back and providing the translation - in straight English or with a native speaker(who at least would have a genuine accent) - over the top, as happens in other instances on both TV and radio?

[french frank]

So the listeners can distinguish between the narrative and the quotations?

Do listeners normally have difficulty distinguishing between narrative and direct speech? Sounds a bit like the mix in opera where the arias are sung in the original language and the dialogue (where not recitative) is English - something I find a clumsy solution to a perceived problem.

[oddoneout]

Do listeners normally have difficulty distinguishing between narrative and direct speech? Sounds a bit like the mix in opera where the arias are sung in the original language and the dialogue (where not recitative) is English - something I find a clumsy solution to a perceived problem.

I don't know if they do or not, but perhaps someone at the Beeb thinks that might be the case, or that having all the same delivery might lose listeners' attention. Who knows, I was just musing.

[french frank]

I don't know if they do or not, but perhaps someone at the Beeb thinks that might be the case, or that having all the same delivery might lose listeners' attention. Who knows, I was just musing.

Could be just that it adds 'drama'. Makes a 'dry old reading' into a radio play.

[Lat-Literal]

I caught a bit of this programme. It didn't grab me. I couldn't understand why. It was the sort of thing that should have done. Maybe this is the reason. As I recall it from my studies, the main story was how the Socialists had smashed French Euro-Communism, circa 1980. History changes the "sexy" story of any time. I feel that it has been usurped by Melenchon.

(19.58% of votes, 2017)

[kernelbogey]

the direct quotations of what French people said in a hideous caricature of a French accent (as familiar 50 or 100 years ago on the musichall stage) ?

As I recall, the entire film Chocolat was played this way, making it unwatchable for me.

Contrariwise, the tv series about the fictional Venetian detective Aurelio Zen was equally unwatchable for me, as all the supposedly Venetian characters spoke English, although the setting was Venice.

[Serial_Apologist]

As I recall, the entire film Chocolat was played this way, making it unwatchable for me.

Contrariwise, the tv series about the fictional Venetian detective Aurelio Zen was equally unwatchable for me, as all the supposedly Venetian characters spoke English, although the setting was Venice.

Maybe they think Venetians are all deaf, as well as... blind?

[kernelbogey]

Contrariwise, the tv series about the fictional Venetian detective Aurelio Zen was equally unwatchable for me, as all the supposedly Venetian characters spoke English, although the setting was Venice.

Oh, also Branagh's version of Wallander - speaking English, filmed in Sweden.