# The Elmer Fud "Accent" **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 8, 2001, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118 "2001-11-08T03:17:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/41 "2001-11-13T00:42:18Z")
Getting back to the orginal post what causes this. Like I had a lisp because I broke a tooth. When it was capped it stopped. Also don’t the Japanese(or Chinese) have trouble with the R and change it to a w. ---
**Author:** ![Dirty\_Dingus\_McGhee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b38774/32.png) [@Dirty\_Dingus\_McGhee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dirty_Dingus_McGhee)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/42 "2001-11-13T01:20:43Z")
Just to add my opinion to the matter, my twin brother and I both suffered from Elmer Fudd Syndrome. After speech therapy, though, we were all better. But now we both have odd accents. We’re from Jacksonville, FL, but almost everybody when they first meet me ask where I’m from. They’re always surprised that I’m from Jacksonville. Some people don’t even believe I’m from this country. I say words such as talk and walk as “taulk” and “waulk” or “tawlk” and “wawlk”. Hard to describe in just typing, but I guess try pronouncing it. I’m not sure where this came from, but my brother assumes it’s from the speech therapy we went through when we were 6-7. ---
**Author:** ![tarfu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@tarfu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tarfu)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/43 "2003-07-10T17:17:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doghouse Reilly \* > \*\*Wait till Biggus Dickus hears of this! > > I will not have my fwiends widiculed by the common soldiewy. Anybody else feel like a little… giggle… when I mention my fwiend… Biggus… Dickus? > > What about you? Do you find it… wisible… when I say the name… ‘Biggus’… ‘Dickus’? \*\* Release Roger!!! ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/44 "2003-07-10T20:01:16Z")
> [@](#): > > Also don’t the Japanese(or Chinese) have trouble with the R and change it to a w To quote from the book “Japanese - The Easy Way” by Karen Sandness: “You’re probably aware of the stereotype that says that Japanese people have trouble telling the difference between _R_ and _L_. This stereotype happens to be absolutely true. Unless they have learned a foreign language in childhood, most Japanese can neither hear nor produce the difference between these to consonants. The reason is that the Japanese sound usually transcribed as _R_ is really halfway between _R_ and _L_, and as people speak, the sound drifts sometimes closer to _R_ and sometimes closer to _L_, but it doesn’t make any difference which direction the sound drifts in. (Of course, English speakers have trouble with the difference between the long and short vowels and the difference between _su_ and _tsu_, so it all comes out even in the end.” ---
**Author:** ![Padmaraga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f07891/32.png) [@Padmaraga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Padmaraga)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/45 "2003-07-10T20:09:31Z")
I have another speech-impediment question. Some relatives on my mom’s side of the family have this funny way of saying their "s"s, whereby it sounds as if they have a cheekful of spit while they’re talking (it’s hard to describe, but easy to imitate: accumulate your saliva in your cheeks for a moment, stretch your mouth into a closed-jawed grimace, and force air out through your teeth. Hear that bubbly hissing sound? Ok, now do that every time you say a word with an “s” sound in it). My brother & I used to like to make fun of it when we were kids (not to their faces, only behind their backs). Sorry, but it’s funny. OK, maybe it’s just us. Anyway, I wonder if anyone else knows people who talk like that? Anyone know **why** they talk like that? ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/46 "2003-07-10T20:31:00Z")
Although Daffy was supposedly based on Schlesinger voice-wise, Elmer possibly had an inspiration as well. Rudolph Ising (of the Harman-Ising pair who did the early Bosko cartoons), according to an interview with Bob Clampett in the famous _Funnyworld_ publication, was telling the other employees about himself going hunting and having trouble chasing a rabbit. One of them (possibly Clampett, I forget) then drew a humorous sketch of a man in a hunter’s outfit captioned “Wittle Wudy Wabbit,” with a footnote, “R’s replaced with W’s.” I wouldn’t be surprised if this is where Elmer’s impediment came from. ---
**Author:** ![Strainger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/strainger/32/244_2.png) [@Strainger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Strainger)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/47 "2003-07-10T21:58:07Z")
There was a Civil War historian/author on Booknotes one time who had the Elmer Fudd impediment. His talk went something like this: AUTHOR: So then the Webuhs wouted the Fedewah twoops at Fuhst Buhl Wun… AUDIENCE: Robert E. Lee!! AUTHOR: Huh? AUDIENCE: Robert E. Lee!! Say, “Robert E. Lee”!! AUTHOR: Wobuht E. Wee AUDIENCE: BWWWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHA!!! ---
**Author:** ![RedNaxela](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ad7895/32.png) [@RedNaxela](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RedNaxela)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/48 "2003-07-10T22:52:55Z")
The dean of the yeshivah I went to does the same thing with pronouncing L as W. (Supposedly this was/is widespread among Jews from the town of Nevel in Russia, which is indeed where he was raised.) He also often reads publicly from the Torah, so we used to often joke about how he’d read a particular verse (Numbers 22:37) where almost every word in the Hebrew text has an L sound in it. (Sample - transliterated as best I can: “Vayoimer bowok ew biwom, hawoi showoiach showakhti eiwekho…”) ---
**Author:** ![AtomicDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@AtomicDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AtomicDog)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/49 "2003-07-11T00:08:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Izzardesque \* > \*\*My nephew can’t say r and always says it as w, but he tries really hard. To quote him, when I gently poked fun at him saying “Look at those wabbits over there”. > > He turned and looked at me and said “Uncle Gareth, they are not wabbits, they are w-w-w-w-w-(desparately trying to make the r sound)WABBITS!!” > > Awww, bless \*\* [villian interrogating Maxwell Smart] “Not the Craw, THE CRAW!” [/villian interrogating Maxwell Smart] ---
**Author:** ![YPOD](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e99b99/32.png) [@YPOD](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YPOD)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/50 "2003-07-11T02:53:04Z")
I had a college professor who lived through the Russian revolution and eventually came to the US. When he first saw and heard an Elmer Fudd cartoon, he thought it was some sort of capitalist joke. To him, Elmer Fudd sounded exactly like Vladimir Lenin. ---
**Author:** ![Nichol\_storm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Nichol\_storm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nichol_storm)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2003, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/51 "2003-07-11T03:40:04Z")
On a related note, I’m pretty sure that the lisp possessed by Vargo Hoat from George R.R. Martin’s “ASOIAF” series was inspired by Daffy Duck. He alwayth talkth like thith, but ith a totally thcary badath nonetheleth. ---
**Author:** ![Heatherlynn2020](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b782af/32.png) [@Heatherlynn2020](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heatherlynn2020)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/52 "2020-06-06T20:32:23Z")
> [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](#): > > The English R is one of the most difficult sounds to make, according to the vast majority of my friends who have had to learn English as a second language. So it is not totally inconceivable to me that at least a few native speakers may have some sort of speech impediment, which makes pronouncing this consonant very difficult. It sounds like the same impediment that Barbara Walters has/had. > > As to what causes a speech impediment, [stuttering](http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/bb/neuro/neuro01/web2/Walker.html) is thought to be due to a neurological disorder. I couldn’t find a name for the Elmer Fudd R syndrome, but suspect it’s either related to a minor neurological disorder or a result of a childhood hearing problem. Its called rhotacism ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/53 "2020-06-06T21:35:25Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > When my son was about 6 or 7, he too had trouble with his R’s. I wrote a short story with many R’s in it - more R’s than E’s in fact. I asked him to read it our loud, and by the time he got to the end, there was a small but noticable improvement, which got even better as he reread it in the following weeks. Take a look, and see if he would enjoy [Irving, The Dirty Turtle](http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge/6661/other/irving.html). [Cartoon Brooklyn accent] “Oiving, Da Doity Toitle.” ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/54 "2020-06-06T21:36:27Z")
Hi **Heatherlynn2020**. Your reply would have been timely if you had been **Heatherlynn2001** , or even **Heatherlynn2003** , but you’re the first person to post to this thread in 17 years. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2020, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/55 "2020-06-06T22:24:58Z")
> [@Palve](#): > > The English “r” is a most unique sound, especially among European languages. As an American, I can see that. I remember hearing someone remark, that to Europeans, hearing a lively conversation of Americans conversing among themselves sounded to her ears like people saying “_RAR RAR RAR RAR_”. Definitely made me chuckle hearing that. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2020, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/56 "2020-06-07T00:15:38Z")
A co-worker of Hong Kong origin - when asked where she dined, she said “I went to Red Robster”. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2020, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/57 "2020-06-07T07:42:54Z")
Fudd suffers from a cartoon version of [rhotacism.](http://https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhotacism_(speech_impediment)) As noted, it was once a feigned accent among some British regiments, perhaps in imitation of some worthy. Oddly, I have never encountered it in the wild. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2020, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/58 "2020-06-07T12:33:16Z")
> [@me](#): > > When my son was about 6 or 7, he too had trouble with his R’s. I wrote a short story with many R’s in it - more R’s than E’s in fact. I asked him to read it our loud, and by the time he got to the end, there was a small but noticable improvement, which got even better as he reread it in the following weeks. Take a look, and see if he would enjoy [Irving, The Dirty Turtle](http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Ridge/6661/other/irving.html). [Geocities.com](http://Geocities.com) was long ago replaced by Geocities.ws, so it can now be found [here](http://www.geocities.ws/Heartland/Ridge/6661/other/irving.html). BTW, **cochrane** , despite our being Jews from the New York area, he was too young at the time to appreciate the value of replacing “r” with “oi”, so he used the “w” that was reported in so many posts in this thread. With the help of a great speech therapist, his pronunciation was been great since age nine or so. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2020, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/59 "2020-06-07T13:20:16Z")
> [@Keeve](#): > > [Geocities.com](http://Geocities.com) was long ago replaced by Geocities.ws, so it can now be found [here](http://www.geocities.ws/Heartland/Ridge/6661/other/irving.html). > > BTW, **cochrane** , despite our being Jews from the New York area, he was too young at the time to appreciate the value of replacing “r” with “oi”, so he used the “w” that was reported in so many posts in this thread. With the help of a great speech therapist, his pronunciation was been great since age nine or so. I’m sorry, **Keeve**. I was poking fun at the stereotypical cartoon trope about characters speaking in a New York accent and had no intention of making fun of your son. ---
**Author:** ![Keeve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f07891/32.png) [@Keeve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Keeve)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2020, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118/60 "2020-06-07T13:46:45Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > I’m sorry, **Keeve**. I was poking fun at the stereotypical cartoon trope about characters speaking in a New York accent and had no intention of making fun of your son. And that’s exactly how I took it. No harm, no foul. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-elmer-fud-accent/92118.md?page=4)