# Question for British dopers \[about different accents\]

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-british-dopers-about-different-accents/719405>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [May 6, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-british-dopers-about-different-accents/719405 "2015-05-06T18:33:15Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-british-dopers-about-different-accents/719405/1 "2015-05-06T18:33:15Z")

</div>

To my ear, Mark Rylance in Wolf Hall sounds like Michael Kitchen in Foyle’s War. Although he grew up in the States, Rylance was born in the South East and Kitchen plays a character from there.

Am I hearing the same regional accent, RADA training or is it just the inability of my Yank ear to pick out different regional accents?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![FeAudrey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7feea3/32.png) [@FeAudrey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FeAudrey)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-british-dopers-about-different-accents/719405/2 "2015-05-06T21:14:23Z")

</div>

Already discussed in the Wolf Hall thread:

> **[Wolf Hall, BBC adaptation](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=746624)**
>
> Starts this Wednesday. I have to say im really looking forward to this. Im expecting a whole lot of briliance from Mark Rylance. Anyone else going to be following this series? Here is a link to the BBC page for the show. A few brief preview clips...

And I think that what you are hearing is a similar rhythm in some dialogue delivery, rather than an accent.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-british-dopers-about-different-accents/719405/3 "2015-05-06T23:02:05Z")

</div>

> [@jasg](#):
>
> To my ear, Mark Rylance in Wolf Hall sounds like Michael Kitchen in Foyle’s War. Although he grew up in the States, Rylance was born in the South East and Kitchen plays a character from there.
> 
> Am I hearing the same regional accent, RADA training or is it just the inability of my Yank ear to pick out different regional accents?

Yes, roughly the same.

Obv. one character is fictional and the other from history - I guess the decision to pitch Cromwell’s accent where they did was based on a working class boy from what was then close to London (Putney). Is it Rylance’s own - no idea.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-british-dopers-about-different-accents/719405/4 "2015-05-06T23:14:10Z")

</div>

> [@FeAudrey](#):
>
> I think that what you are hearing is a similar rhythm in some dialogue delivery, rather than an accent.

I agree. I can hear the similarity, but it’s cadence of speaking/pause and a sort of croaky gruffness occasionally bordering on vocal fry.  
There is similarity in intonation (or lack of) too, but I can’t pin any of these things as attributes of any specific regional accent.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Idle\_Thoughts](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/838e76/32.png) [@Idle\_Thoughts](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Idle_Thoughts)\
**Post date:** [May 6, 2015, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-british-dopers-about-different-accents/719405/5 "2015-05-06T23:15:01Z")

</div>

I’ve edited your title to make it a bit more descriptive.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![jasg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f0a364/32.png) [@jasg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jasg)\
**Post date:** [May 7, 2015, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-for-british-dopers-about-different-accents/719405/6 "2015-05-07T02:52:20Z")

</div>

> [@Idle\_Thoughts](#):
>
> I’ve edited your title to make it a bit more descriptive.

Thanks!