Homogenization of Accents

[Penarol1916]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A32693-2004Aug1.html

I saw this article and thought that it was very interesting about how Telemundo is forcing all of its actors to adopt the Mexican accent and that more and more marketers are trying to lump all latinos into one group, and primarily cater to them as Mexicans. Pretty interesting.

[efernandez9]

your link did not work- is a registration form for the W post

pls post/paste and copy the part that botter you, for what you said it sounds like non sense!

[Penarol1916]

your link did not work- is a registration form for the W post

pls post/paste and copy the part that botter you, for what you said it sounds like non sense!

It's a free registration to look at the article, and it is pretty much the entire article that is interesting.


For the past year, Telemundo has been employing on-set dialogue coaches to "neutralize" the many national and regional Spanish accents of the network's actors. The network is aiming for the Spanish equivalent of the English-speaking local news broadcaster sound -- a well-paced, accent-free patter that's pretty much the same, whether the anchors work in New York, Ohio or Los Angeles.

Accent-neutral Spanish is the sound of a coming media culture. Spanish-speakers make up the fastest-growing group of minority media consumers in the United States, according to Nielsen Media Research. Univision encourages accent-free Spanish among its actors, even if it does not enforce it as Telemundo does. And neutralized Spanish can be heard elsewhere, as well: Both presidential campaigns employ it in their Spanish-language television ads targeting Hispanic voters.



Mexican Spanish, Telemundo says, hits a middle ground between Colombian Spanish, which the network considers too fast and terse, and some Caribbean accents that are too slow and imprecise. Telemundo executives say Mexican Spanish is the broadest-appeal, easiest-to-understand Spanish -- if Telemundo's coaches can iron out its typical sing-song cadence. In other words, it becomes the Nebraskan of Spanish.

The strategy has brought criticism from some quarters, such as Colombian television and cultural critics, who fault Telemundo for "Mexicanizing" the accents of its Colombian actors. Many Colombians believe their Spanish to be the purest spoken.

McNamara disagrees, offering a different analogy. "It's more the Americanization" of telenovelas. Which may be even worse for guardians of Hispanic culture, who fear that the United States-fueled homogeneity in media will eradicate national and cultural identities. Telemundo itself is owned by an American business icon -- General Electric Co., owners of NBC Universal Inc., which has overseen Telemundo since the media giant purchased it in 2002.




For example, in Argentina, "pollo," Spanish for "chicken," is pronounced "pojz-joh," where in Cuba it sounds like "po-eeoh." Barraza tries to get everyone to say the universally understood "poh-yoh." Argentine and Uruguayan accents are the hardest to flatten, she said. But an apt student from any country can make the transition to Mexican-neutral in 15 days.

Her first job, however, is to mentally prepare the actor for the training.

"The feeling of losing your identity . . . the fear of ridicule and mockery . . . the feeling of being an impostor by taking an accent that is not theirs by birth" are the toughest hurdles to overcome, she wrote. Some of her students never master the skill and end up "only able to work in their [home] country or [they] completely disappeared from Mexico's acting scene," she wrote.




Univision appreciates "that our talent should maintain the essence of who they are, and not abandon their valuable uniqueness and individual culture and heritage they bring to their role at Univision," Univision President Ray Rodriguez said via e-mail.

Agreed, said Fabio Lopez de la Roche, a professor at Colombia's Universidad Nacional, who criticized Telemundo in an April article in a Bogota newspaper, saying: "In the search for massive audiences and for a Hispanic public which is highly fragmented in their identities, these soaps seem diluted and deprived of socio-cultural representation."

[efernandez9]

Mexican Spanish, Telemundo says, hits a middle ground between Colombian Spanish, which the network considers too fast and terse, and some Caribbean accents that are too slow and imprecise. Telemundo executives say Mexican Spanish is the broadest-appeal, easiest-to-understand Spanish -- if Telemundo's coaches can iron out its typical sing-song cadence. In other words, it becomes the Nebraskan of Spanish.

The strategy has brought criticism from some quarters, such as Colombian television and cultural critics, who fault Telemundo for "Mexicanizing" the accents of its Colombian actors. Many Colombians believe their Spanish to be the purest spoken

NO COMMENTS

[El Sabio]

Mexican Spanish, Telemundo says, hits a middle ground between Colombian Spanish, which the network considers too fast and terse, and some Caribbean accents that are too slow and imprecise. Telemundo executives say Mexican Spanish is the broadest-appeal, easiest-to-understand Spanish -- if Telemundo's coaches can iron out its typical sing-song cadence. In other words, it becomes the Nebraskan of Spanish.

The strategy has brought criticism from some quarters, such as Colombian television and cultural critics, who fault Telemundo for "Mexicanizing" the accents of its Colombian actors. Many Colombians believe their Spanish to be the purest spoken

NO COMMENTS

Well in linguistic terms there is no "pure" language or "correct" language. Language is a envolving thing that can't really be controlled through time. If it's understandable to others and preferable, it's functional.

Having said that, to my ears central Colombian spanish and some Mexican spanish is the "crispist" (for lack of better term) sounding spanish, easiest to understand and easiest on the ears.

Carribean and some Central American spanish to me is some times bordering on completely unintelligible with the elimination of so many consonants and slurring together of vowels.

[LMvCP]

I'll be honest..the spanish spoken in Spain and Mexico are the easiest for me. It is clear and easy to understand. I know I joke around about the accents from Monterrey and northern parts of Mexico, but that accent has to be by far the most easiest to understand. Even its slang and informalities are understood.

The spanish spoken in the Islands is beyond mutilated (at least in my opinion). The spanish spoken in Central America and South America has too many irregularities with regards to falling and rising dipthongs.

I know that every country will say they speak the purest. But in all fairness, spanish did come from the Iberian Peninsula. Some countries will say they speak the purest form, Mexico on the other hand, wanted thier own identity and it reflected in the spanish they spoke. They still abided by most grammar rules and pronunciations, but cut down on stuff that was too repetitive or useless.

I remember being in school and being tough the verbs like erais, comas, etc and the teacher telling us not to use them.. not to use vosotros, vos, etc... because 1) we are not in Spain, 2) its pointless to use, and 3) its easier and still correct

This is a true story.. I was taking a friend of mine to a car shop. So I took her to a reliable mechanic that I knew. Well this girl aside was actually somewhat fluent in Spanish considering it was her major. To make a long story short.. towards the end.. the mechanic goes, "Y vos?" but it sounded "ivone" .. Her name was Ivonne, but he didnt know that? so when the mechanic said that.. she thought he had called her name.. we all luaghed....

and after we left the place... she told me that her spanish needed to improve because she couldnt make out what was being said...I told her ... not to worry her not to worry about it because I even thought he had called her name

[Pibe#10]

Colombians/Venezuelans/Ecuadorians speak very similar, so do Argentines/Uruguayans - Paraguayans?? .Central American Spanish, excluding Mexico and Costa Rica, very difficult to understand, they have different ways of construction of sentences........I don't know, but Telemundo has hired several Colombian and Argentine news anchors for their news, and CNN has also done the same.

I don't know how Telemundo and Univison will respond to the international channels that are coming in from Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, maybe they'll change their policy again, and let people speak like they do. Colombian Telenovelas are very popular on Telemundo, who can forget, Pedrito Coral, or now los Gavilanes, everybody seems to understand even the idioms of the region, they all get hooked on them..............

[Caraemondinga]

Colombia has many differeny accents. The accent in the caribbean coast is way different than in the capital. I cant even understand people from the capital-cachacos-and they sometimes barely understand what I say and where from the same country

[Pibe#10]

Once Once! well that's true, the hardest to understand are people from the coast, cachacos aren't that difficult.......

[Caturro]

I must say, though, that the Spanish we speak in Chile sometimes sounds like it's anything BUT Spanish. I'm sure Don Francisco had somebody training him to develop the Cuban/Mexican hybrid accent that he now has.
Nevertheless, I still think what Telemundo is doing is wrong. As long as the actors enunciate their vowels and consonants in a clear manner, there's no reason to force them to speak with a completely different accent.

[The Double]

My mom has been saying this to me for the past 3 weeks or so. Glad that other people are noticing it.

[fordfjord]

It's a free registration to look at the article, and it is pretty much the entire article that is interesting.Sir, nothing in life is ever free - I therefore duly thank you for posting the relevent portions...

I personally think this is a crock. I don't speak Spanish, but the little I have picked up I have learned from watching Telemundo, Univision et al. Part of the fun in learning has been trying to decipher just what the commentator/anchor/actor said because of his accent. I see it as part of something so much bigger that, unfortunately, I feel the folks at Telemundo are trying to make smaller. I don't want smaller - I want richer, I want fuller, I want the whole unadulterated experience, not some watered down version of it.

It actually kind of annoys me to think that the US networks have led the way in helping to massacre the various dialects to be found here in the States... I don't like fake, and this is patently fake, in a "be who you are, not what someone else wants you to be" fashion.

[efernandez9]

the larger the country the larger the difference on pronunciation of words and even harder for some long phrases

last post and the post from elSabio are very true, kuddos to your contribution.

on the other hand: have you seen the new anchors for news cast in CNN espanol, sports and politics?
as for the one bashing central american accents: the Honduran lady in the morning show with araujo is very clear and crispy to listen. As renan Cardona from contacto deportivo, both newsman are hondurans. I think that level of education of each person (not nationality makes his accent more attractive!)

I well remember a teacher in college, saying that in his large travel days, he found the colombian and chilean accents to be the easiest to understand and repeat, making them his choosen model to speak spanish, this american was well in his 60's and had travel with diplomatic corps of the USA government for over 29yrs (from bolivia to Macao)

[X X I]

The spanish spoken in the Islands is beyond mutilated (at least in my opinion). The spanish spoken in Central America and South America has too many irregularities with regards to falling and rising dipthongs.

If Cubans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans speak Spanish that is "beyond mutilated," then so is the Spanish in Argentina and Uruguay. They try to speak Spanish with an Italian accent. :rolleyes:

You mention Mexicans having their own identity through the way they speak, yet you insult the Caribbean countries for speaking in their own ways. You have to realize that the life on these islands is very different from the life experienced in Central America and South America, and it is reflected in the way Cubans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans speak.

I'd have to say though that the ugliest accent is the Mexican one followed by the Dominican one. That doesn't mean that I think that both of the countries mutilate Spanish.

By the way, I'd say the easiest accent to understand is an educated Colombian's.

[LMvCP]

If Cubans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans speak Spanish that is "beyond mutilated," then so is the Spanish in Argentina and Uruguay. They try to speak Spanish with an Italian accent. :rolleyes:

And that is why I say there are many irregularities in thier rising and falling dipthongs.

You mention Mexicans having their own identity through the way they speak, yet you insult the Caribbean countries for speaking in their own ways. You have to realize that the life on these islands is very different from the life experienced in Central America and South America, and it is reflected in the way Cubans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans speak.

Its not an insult. And apparently, I am not the only one or esle Telemundo wouldnt be thinking of doing this.

I'd have to say though that the ugliest accent is the Mexican one followed by the Dominican one. That doesn't mean that I think that both of the countries mutilate Spanish.

I really dont care what you think is the ugliest. But a Mexican accent is the most useful and easiest to understand. And having an acent free spanish is the way too go. Televisa did it 30 years ago. You couldnt tell if they were Jarochos, Regiomontanos, Chilangos, Poblanos, etc.

If the accent in Mexico was really that bad and ugly, I doubt that Televisa would have had the success of importing to all the spanish speaking world our culture, music, novelas, shows, artists, etc.

By the way, I'd say the easiest accent to understand is an educated Colombian's.

I think its safe to say that some dont like it due to national pride and its understandable, but it seems if an educated Colombian;s accent was the easiest to understand, then they would have gone with it.. and not Mexico's accent free SPanish.

You can say that its because the majority are Mexican if it makes you feel better

[Penarol1916]

If Cubans, Dominicans, and Puerto Ricans speak Spanish that is "beyond mutilated," then so is the Spanish in Argentina and Uruguay. They try to speak Spanish with an Italian accent. :rolleyes:


You see, there is a difference between speaking with a different accent and leaving out syllables and slurring words to the point where you are not able to understand them, and that was what rdl meant when he said mutilated Spanish.

[blanquiroja redded]

You see, there is a difference between speaking with a different accent and leaving out syllables and slurring words to the point where you are not able to understand them, and that was what rdl meant when he said mutilated Spanish.

You're right, but all the dominicans and puerto ricans i've met always slur and skip letters. Even those in the university desecrate the spanish language.

[LMvCP]

You see, there is a difference between speaking with a different accent and leaving out syllables and slurring words to the point where you are not able to understand them, and that was what rdl meant when he said mutilated Spanish.
exactly!! Disregarding some vowels and consanants is not the same as speaking with an accent.

Even speaking with an accent free dialect is still speaking with an accent because by virtue of verbal communication, an accent exist. But the objective of an accent-free spanish is a standardized dialect that facilitates comprehension and promotes proper pronunciation and usage.





[Not directed at you penarol]

I know this is a touchy subject and no one wants to hear that their spoken language is useless or impractical. To be fair, lets move away from the Spanish language and use the English language.

Scots, Welsh, Irish, English, Australians all like to think their English is practical and/or more understandable. But the English in America is the most practical. The English spoken in America is practical and very easy to understand. Maybe it because the influence in pop culture that America has had and reaches wide audiences. Even british actors have said that they practice thier american accents with the intent to aquire employment. This is not new.

I didnt even know the character of Jim Winters (Band of Brothers) was a brit until i heard an actual interview from him.

NOW, back to Spanish. Whats the differene between actors/actresses adopting and/or practicing Mexican accents? British and Australian actors do it? If they can land employment, isnt that what counts?

Fortunately for Mexicans, their media and entertainment are forerunners in the industry.

[Caturro]

I think you have to look at it this way:

All of the dubbing done to Hollywood movies in Spanish is done in Mexico, period. :D This means that either Mexican Spanish has ALREADY become the standard for all of Latin America or that dubbing movies in Mexico is cheaper than doing it anywhere else :p

I do have to agree though, Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Dominicans speak a rather messed up Spanish. Paying close attention is required when I'm listening to Caribbean Spanish. I wouldn't say it's better or worse, but just not something I'm used to.

[X X I]

You see, there is a difference between speaking with a different accent and leaving out syllables and slurring words to the point where you are not able to understand them

Do you guys (assuming you are Uruguayan) really think that you speak perfect Castellano?