Widdershins:

(sometimes withershins, widershins or widderschynnes) means to take a course opposite that of the sun, going counterclock-wise, lefthandwise, or to circle an object, by always keeping it on the left. It also means "in a direction opposite to the usual," which is how I choose to take it in using it as the title of this blog. We're all in the same world finding our own way.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Day 5: Dialects in movies

Have you ever noticed that in movies the language and accents the characters speak in reflects something about the character's personality and background?

We're learning about this in my English class and it kind of scares me, especially when this happens in children's movies and television shows. What are we teaching our children when we show them that the bad guy speaks differently than the good guys?

Remember Yosemite Sam? That angry, red-headed hick Southna' who was always holding up trains. How stereotypical of the animators to portray him that way. Why couldn't he be an angry, blonde New Yorker? Oh wait, the position of fast talking city slicker was already taken by Bugs bunny.
This is by no means the only example of this kind of dialectical characterization, though that might be a little more obvious.

We discussed the Disney film Aladdin as well. Notice how the heroes, Aladdin and Jasmine speak a more standard form of English while the villains have a more pronounced pseudo-Arabian accent, despite the fact that all the characters (with the possible exception of the flamboyant blue guy in the bottle) are from more or less the same regional area. So is this saying that people who speak in the accent are bad, while the good guys speak more like we do in more standard forms?

Not to say that all uses of dialect take on negative or sinister connotations. Look at the intelligent characters in movies. Count how many of them speak with a British accent of some kind. A lot, right?

But what is this saying about our culture that we allow even these subtle stereotypes to influence (however slightly) around our children? If we're so concerned about racism, why are we perpetuating these unfair portrayals of language and how certain races speak? It's just something to consider and keep in mind next time you watch movies.

Think about the audiences the shows/movies are aimed at as well. Many times in the more adult targeted entertainment, language is used as a commentary to bring to light and make fun of such blatant stereotypes within our culture.

4 comments:

djahren said...

WOW! This is very very intriguing! I've never really thought of that before. But now that you mention it, it's a very good point, and is almost scary. I guess it really makes you realized how much stereotypes are constantly perpetuated especially through the media.

Life = better when sans-stereotype.
I think I live that way...I may fall into some category but rarely do I fit the stereotypes XD

djahren said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
djahren said...

my comment was sorta narcissistic at the end there?

Speaking of narcissistic...do you know the etymology of that word? There's a story behind it :) Yay stories!

Unknown said...

I don't think it was narcissistic at all. You don't strike me as someone who fits most stereotypes. You're pretty open to everything it seems like.
And is that the story of Narcissus? I know it, but I want you to tell me it.