The Mad Bull’s Blog, Version 3

15 Responses to “Got a question for you”

1. Cho // Dec 30, 2006 at 9:56 am

   While it may seem to your ears that it is an American accent, it is not really. I’m use to dealing with lots of Americans so, rather than an American accent, to my ear these personalities have a distinct Caribbean accent though not really of any specific island. But, I will agree that it doesn’t sound overly Jamaican or Caymanian to a local and that is precisely the point.

   Almost all broadcast media look for this “accent” in their on-air personalities because it has long been determined that this particular “accent” or, more precisely lack thereof, is the most bland and generic.

   It is not really an accent but, rather an absence of regional characteristics. This makes it more widely understandable, meaning that more people will be able to more easily understand the personality as compared to a more “colorful” local accent. It has also been found that this accent is the least offensive to the broadest audience, MB excepted.

   Now, you might think that what I’m saying is ridiculous for somewhere small like Cayman or Jamaica but, different accents and dialects exist even in these places. Think of the different sound of someone from Kingston and someone “from country”. The difference is slight but, it is noticeable. The differences are far more exaggerated in Cayman where you have a more diverse population with Caymanians, Jamaicans, Trinidadians, Americans, Canadians, British, and more.

   For the record, Americans and Canadians think that the on-air personalities you describe, bland as they are, sound completely foreign and most definitely not American.

2. Dr. D. // Dec 30, 2006 at 10:26 am

   I can’t speak for the ones in turtle country, but I think to say that ALL our radio and TV personalities have American sounding accents is a bit of a hasty generalization MB. It is confined to some. But I do agree with you that those who do have this accent are most annoying to listen to! Speak in your native tongue nuh…..

3. NeNa // Dec 30, 2006 at 1:16 pm

   two words….too thick!!!!

   i stream FAME FM Live Radio through the internet and if it were not for having so many friends from Jamaica and a keen sense of listening I would miss everything they are saying. Most people listen to the radio without REALLY hearing what is being said. Add an accent to that and there go the radio ratings. Why they choose American accents baffles me though because everyone over in the states is trying to talk like everyone in Britain or England….Makes me want to move to Canada…

4. Melody // Dec 30, 2006 at 2:41 pm

   Many J’cans twang to cover insecure speech/grammar skills — maybe that’s it on air also. They think it makes them sound ‘hot’ but it’s so tacky …

5. guyana-gyal // Dec 30, 2006 at 5:14 pm

   Y’know what bothers me? Like, y’know, when our young people here? They’re like, talking, like, y’know, as if they’re asking questions? When they’re making a statement? And when they, like, y’know, pronounce their words like, “This is a massage from the Manastry of Halth.”

6. Mad Bull // Dec 30, 2006 at 5:28 pm

   Doctor D, iz not me post dah one yah. Look close… you know, I doh like when templates put the author name up by the title, people tend to miss it.

7. Mad Bull // Dec 30, 2006 at 5:40 pm

   There… I’ve fixed it.

8. Campfyah // Dec 30, 2006 at 6:18 pm

   just de same way the ones in Barbados have the annoying British accent. especially the TV personalities. The radio ones are cool in their native tongue

9. kami // Dec 30, 2006 at 6:37 pm

   Same thing here happens with some announcers. They definitely don’t sound local and they all talk fast fast with a whole setta American lingo. why? They most likely think it’s hip

10. Afroditee // Dec 30, 2006 at 7:31 pm

    Strange…the odda day I was wondering why every sound DJ that pick up a mike, dons a Jamaican accent. Found that very hilarious with a lot of the local yodles, who nevah set foot a day in Jam in heir life.

    But…lawd…I just appreciate if the DJ’s speak proper English, and make sense on the radio. Can’t stand to hear an eedyat talk on the radio, regardless of his accent.

11. Remnants // Dec 30, 2006 at 7:33 pm

    I can understand what you mean, because I have grown up in Amarica in the south. I hate it when I watch T.V. or a movie & someone tries to imitate a southern accent. Or some of our public personalities here that try to take on an accent that is not really theirs.

12. Dr. D. // Dec 31, 2006 at 11:14 am

    MB, it really doesn’t matter who posted….my response remains the same…..

13. 7 // Dec 31, 2006 at 3:40 pm

    is who nyam dr. d food???

14. Mystro // Jan 2, 2007 at 5:34 am

    We’ve got a similar phenomenon here in West Africa. We call it LAFA fever. L.A.F.A is short for Locally Acquired Foreign Accent.

15. natty // Jan 2, 2007 at 8:02 am

    7 Iz because I not there this xmas to annoy the *&^* out of him.