# The mid-Atlantic accent--would it be possible to cultivate it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 5, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773 "2012-10-05T02:53:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/1 "2012-10-05T02:53:05Z")
Leaving aside whether it’d be a good idea or not… it’s always just struck me as an interesting idea. I’m told I’ve got a lovely voice, and sounding like Cary Grant surely couldn’t hurt anything, could it? ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/2 "2012-10-05T04:46:42Z")
How does any accent arise except by being cultivated? ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/3 "2012-10-05T12:38:55Z")
Of course it is possible. Peter Sellers could speak perfect American mid-west in Dr. Strangelove. But it might not be easy, depending on your age. Generally, you would need a coach. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/4 "2012-10-05T13:56:01Z")
I always assumed his accent was British. But anyway, of course you could adopt a new accent. Look how it worked out for Madonna. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/5 "2012-10-05T14:02:06Z")
Cary Grant had a Mid-Atlantic Accent? I don’t think so… Mid-Atlantic to me is sort of the Baltimore-Phlly accent. Not the same at either end, of course, but some similarities. Think Chis Matthews for the Baltimore part. ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/6 "2012-10-05T14:18:28Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Cary Grant had a Mid-Atlantic Accent? I don’t think so… > > Mid-Atlantic to me is sort of the Baltimore-Phlly accent. Not the same at either end, of course, but some similarities. Think Chis Matthews for the Baltimore part. So many things I agree with in this thread. Speaking like Cary Grant couldn’t possibly hurt anything. It would not however, be Mid-Atlantic. If you did want a true Mid-Atlantic accent you would need to focus on words with long o sounds. I believe with dedication you could cultivate any accent that you choose. My grandparents both, without any formal coaching overcame heavy regional accents (from two different regions) and referred to what they ended up with as “Newscaster Neutral.” ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/7 "2012-10-05T14:25:37Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Cary Grant had a Mid-Atlantic Accent? I don’t think so… > > Mid-Atlantic to me is sort of the Baltimore-Phlly accent. Not the same at either end, of course, but some similarities. Think Chis Matthews for the Baltimore part. Isn’t mid-atlantic just a mix of British and American? In which case surely Cary Grant counts? It’s how most Brits I know would define a mid-Atlantic accent in any case. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/8 "2012-10-05T14:30:07Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > Cary Grant had a Mid-Atlantic Accent? I don’t think so… > > Mid-Atlantic to me is sort of the Baltimore-Phlly accent. Not the same at either end, of course, but some similarities. Think Chis Matthews for the Baltimore part. I think you’re confusing “Mid-Atlantic accent” with “Mid-Atlantic states.” The former I’ve always heard refer to accents that sound Amero-British, i.e. from somewhere in the “middle of the Atlantic.” Cary Grant, Catherine Hepburn, and Christopher Plummer are noted examples. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/9 "2012-10-05T14:36:58Z")
The op is talking about the early 20th century neutral acting dialect (accent) which was called “mid Atlantic” because it blended Upper class British and American accents to give an overall impression of being upper crust without typing you to a specific location. See Lionel Barrymore and Carry Grant for a general idea. The respontants are talking about the accent of the mid Atlantic seaboard region of the United States. Not the same concept. Rarely, if ever, is a person who is talking about a mid Atlantic accent intending to reference the latter since the region has multiple sub dialects (err vocal dialects not linguistic dialects, also not the same thing) ---
**Author:** ![Aquadementia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aquadementia/32/555_2.png) [@Aquadementia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aquadementia)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/10 "2012-10-05T14:38:48Z")
I would think Katharine Hepburn is the model of the Mid-Atlantic accent. I wonder if her schooling included elocution lessons and how it was affected by working in the theater. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/11 "2012-10-05T14:50:44Z")
Eartha Kitt’s accent was cultivated too, but I don’t know of any name to describe it. Midway between here and some unnamed exotic land, maybe. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/12 "2012-10-05T15:08:56Z")
Is John O’Hurleys accent considered Mid-Atlantic? He played J. Peterman on Seinfeld. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/13 "2012-10-05T15:38:12Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > Is John O’Hurleys accent considered Mid-Atlantic? He played J. Peterman on Seinfeld. IANAL, but I’d say he qualifies. His [Wikipedia page](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_O%27Hurley) refers to his “strong Mid-Atlantic accent most likely due to his relationship with theater arts and also from spending a good portion of his life in New England.” ---
**Author:** ![gwendee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/35a633/32.png) [@gwendee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gwendee)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/14 "2012-10-05T17:15:31Z")
> [@Aquadementia](#): > > I would think Katharine Hepburn is the model of the Mid-Atlantic accent. > I wonder if her schooling included elocution lessons and how it was affected by working in the theater. I’ve always thought of hers as patrician, or New England. ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/15 "2012-10-05T18:40:19Z")
Regardless of what the accent is or where it’s from–or indeed, if it even exists in the wild at all–the answer is “Yes, it is possible to cultivate it.” Your personal success at doing so will, of course, be subject to variation. If you’re a natural mimic, it might take only minimal exposure and practice. If not, it could take a dialect coach and intense practice, and you may still never really nail it. Some people can even make up accents on the fly for specific characters, but it can be tricky to get back to them. (Peter Jurasik said that to get back into his Londo Mollari accent after a break from _Babylon 5_, all he had to do was say Mr. Garibaldi’s name.) ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/16 "2012-10-05T18:40:22Z")
> [@NAF1138](#): > > The op is talking about the early 20th century neutral acting dialect (accent) which was called “mid Atlantic” because it blended Upper class British and American accents to give an overall impression of being upper crust without typing you to a specific location. See Lionel Barrymore and Carry Grant for a general idea. The respontants are talking about the accent of the mid Atlantic seaboard region of the United States. Not the same concept. Rarely, if ever, is a person who is talking about a mid Atlantic accent intending to reference the latter since the region has multiple sub dialects (err vocal dialects not linguistic dialects, also not the same thing) In the sense of "the accent of the mid Atlantic seaboard region of the United States, accents or dialects that I would consider “Mid Atlantic” in a US sense include New Jersey accents (e.g. “ahrange juice”), Philadelphia speak, Baltimorese, and Pennsylvania Dutch influenced English (e.g. “the car needs washed”), and possibly New York accents. It also includes generic suburban accents in places like Maryland and Northern Virginia. In a broad sense, Mid Atlantic US English is closer to newscaster English than the English of Boston or Nashville. ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/17 "2012-10-05T19:25:22Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > In a broad sense, Mid Atlantic US English is closer to newscaster English than the English of Boston or Nashville. True. But so are the California accent, the whole Pacific NW, Michigan, Nebraska, Kansas etc. Standard American was more or less based on an accent in Western Ohio. None of that has anything to do with Mid Atlantic states. If you are talking to a dialect coach, or someone else who deals in voice training and they talk about a Mid Atlantic accent then 9 times out of 10 they mean a mix of British and American English and not Baltimore. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2012, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/18 "2012-10-05T19:57:35Z")
I apologize for the confusion–I am referring to the “Amero-British” accent as described in [this wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mid-Atlantic_English). As to my abilities at mimicry: I’m given to understand that my accent in Russian was fairly good. (So said the babushki asking me some question that I didn’t understand, when I told them that I didn’t understand Russian well–their response was something along the lines of “Oh, you don’t understand it, but you speak it just fine!”) I occasionally pick up speech and writing patterns from books and movies I’m exposed to, though it never sticks for long and it works best the more pronounced the difference is–Shakespeare tends to have me inverting word order for a few days. And of course, my ex thought I did a particularly good impression of Marion from BBC’s Mongrels–but how hard can it be to imitate someone whose accent is several different accents in a nonsensical mishmash? 😃 General opinion on the web is that it’s a difficult thing to do well, and that you sound silly if you don’t pull it off. Based on my own examples above, I rather wonder if this has something to do with the fact that it **is** fairly subtle. Perhaps I’ll just stick with my more or less neutral Cincinnati tongue after all. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/19 "2012-10-07T16:40:30Z")
> [@gwendee](#): > > I’ve always thought of hers as patrician, or New England. I agree. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2012, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773/20 "2012-10-07T17:53:28Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Eartha Kitt’s accent was cultivated too, but I don’t know of any name to describe it. Midway between here and some unnamed exotic land, maybe. Let’s go ask Tina Turner. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-mid-atlantic-accent-would-it-be-possible-to-cultivate-it/636773.md?page=2)