# Popeye's accent?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/86822>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [October 11, 2001, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/86822 "2001-10-11T16:56:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![peepthis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9d8465/32.png) [@peepthis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peepthis)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/86822/1 "2001-10-11T16:56:43Z")

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[Jack Handy]  
_I bet one legend that keeps recurring throughout history, in every culture, is the story of Popeye._  
[/Jack Handy]

Well, I think it _should_ be. Anyways, can someone explain what this salty ol’ sea dog’s accent/speech pattern is supposed to be? Does it sound like anything recognized by linguists, or did his creator (E.C. Segar) just shoot for something suitably “colorful”?

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**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/86822/2 "2001-10-11T19:25:45Z")

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If the accents and speech patterns of those who gave voice to Popeye enter into the equation, and I suppose they must, you need someone who remembers the voices of _Candy Candido_, a 1930’s bandleader, and _Jack Mercer_, an actor.

Amongst others, these two parties helped to articulate the dulcet tones of the Popeye we have come to know and love.

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**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\
**Post date:** [October 11, 2001, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/popeyes-accent/86822/3 "2001-10-11T20:57:37Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by peepthis \*  
> \*\*[Jack Handy]  
> _I bet one legend that keeps recurring throughout history, in every culture, is the story of Popeye._  
> [/Jack Handy]  
> \*\*

Regarding that quote, I had a professor who used Popeye comics to illustrate points about art history. His contention was that Popeye is in the same tradition as characters like Hercules - so in that professor’s opinion, the legend of Popeye really does recur throughout history.