this post was submitted on 09 Feb 2024
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One of the favorite stories is about the first time I took my wife to England. She majored in British literature in college and is the type of person who reads Shakespeare for fun, and can even read and speaks middle English. I worked and traveled to England a few times a year and had lived there in my early 20s, before we met.
For our fifth anniversary I took her to England. It was her first time ever leaving the US. In fact the first time she left the southern US.
We're standing at the curb at Gatwick waiting for a cab and there are two guys behind us talking. My wife leans over and whispers, "what language are they speaking?"
I just started laughing, and explained they were speaking English, they are just Scottish. All that book learning and studying of the language couldn't prepare her for the Scottish accent.
Does she have a southern US accent? Middle English in a southern drawl sounds fun.
That would be awesome, but her accent is not that strong. She grew up in the suburb.
Awesome, how was meeting Tom Hanks in The 'Burbs?
He seemed nice until he blew up my basement
Haven’t heard that euphemism for reproductive organs yet, and yes Mr Hanks is known for doing that!
Interestingly, linguists believe that the way people spoke in Shakespeare's time was similar to how people speak on some islands off the cost of the Carolinas in the US South.
I mean the English language didn't stay static in England and only changed in other parts of the world. Accents changed in England just as they changed elsewhere. And depending on where in the South someone is from it may actually be more accurate to be speaking older forms of English in those accents rather than in any of the modern English accent.
As odd as it may seem to hear someone read Shakespeare in s US Southern accent, it's likely a closer approximation to how it sounded in Shakespeare's time than someone saying it with a posh English accent.
TL;DR, You've not experienced Shakespeare until you have heard it in the original Southern drawl.
This is one of those things you hear on the internet all the time that has no real truth behind it. This story was based on 1 paper written by a guy with no expertise is shakesperian English and has been supersceded by much better researched ideas on what Shakespeare sounded like.
Ben Crystal is probably the best source as to what Shakespeare actually sounded like and its far more west country than American
https://youtu.be/qYiYd9RcK5M?si=X_QEH4PExwxzyrVq
You know, now that you say that I recall hearing something to that effect previously! Now I extra have to hear it! Haha
I'm curious about that. I know I shared this story before on Lemmy, but don't remember saying it on Reddit.
It could very well just be the case that you and your wife’s experience is a common experience.