‘Trans-Atlantic’ and 'Mid-Atlantic' accents...

Let us clear up some misconceptions about the terms ‘Trans-Atlantic’ and 'Mid-Atlantic' accents.

It is not true that the ‘Trans-Atlantic’ accent is an entirely ' made up ‘ accent, without ‘true native’ speakers.

However, it is true that a ‘Trans-Atlantic' accent was more commonly oberserved in American actors of the 1930’s – 1950’s, having elite lineages, than in subsequent geneations of American actors, espeically present day actors…

First, it is not entirely made up, but was instead evolving at the time the term was phrased by a linguist. The accent was evolving amongst ‘upper crust’ social elites on both sides of the Atlantic as technology of steam ship travel and then air travel made transatlantic travel more frequent. Jet age travel resulted in whole new generations of the social elites to exist living simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic (and elsewhere) for multiple months every year. Typically these lifesytels were characterised by social and business interactions amongst elite community members frequently living in more than one place, for example, London and New York. Assimilation of a clean and clear accent devoid of pronunciation isiosyncracies, attained it’s owned social status, indicating a person was no longer limited to living in one location.

Secondly, later generations followed on, and so did new generations of societal elites from places other than Britain and America. For example, the children of societal elites from other countries, often attending schooling in Britain, followed by University in America. There is now an entire international social strata that defines their identify by flaunting a transatlantic accent. And for many of the following generations, they are not merely flaunting- they know no other. They may have grown up with native mother tongue acents in entirely different languages, but after a young age, these are rarely used, and transatlantic English is used instead. As an example, this is especially noticeable among the Sindi community, their disapora now being dispersed internationally around the world, but with a large part of their cultural assimilation in the last 40 years in the UK and US. It is also not uncommon for such international community members to apply a thicker upper crust British accent to their conversations, or a more ‘flat’ American accent, as best suits their advantage and desire to be assimilated into the community they happen to be intermingling in during any specific social interaction, event, business meeting, or cocktail party- it is not an effort- it comes naturally !

The ‘Mid-Atlantic' accent is not the same as the ‘Trans-Atlantic' accent. The ':Mid-Atlantic' accent derives from usage of a clear and clean English accent by Americans on the Mid-Atlantic seaboard of the USA- typically from Boston to Washington DC. It is distinctly more American than the Trans-Atlantic accent, but without the idyosyncractic prononunciation vagaraties of lower class elements of society in any of those US sea board cities… This accent also was adapted by societal elites intermingling frequently in communities from Boston, New York, and elsewhere, especially when in Washington DC.

The variations between the above mentioned accents are quite obvious and distinct to speakers and community members of either. To outsiders attempting to mimic or learn these accents, the challenge is daunting because the refinements in pronunciation are subtle but just as sweet, for the subtlety… a gentle art that requires greater skill to apply, than applying a stronger, harsher accent of a lower class community from either side of the Atlantic. Class is no longer such an issue, but status identity still is, and is exercised with some comfort verging in glee, by those that are able to distinguish themselves accordingly…

RYAN OL: Actor and Writer: Professional Credits and Social Media Links