AIBU to think that TV and film's use of the westccounty accent for nice but dim people, pirates and farmers is unfair?

[honeytea]

Me and DP are watching lord of the rings in preparation for watching the hobbit when it comes out in December. My DP is not british and he very much enjoys accent spotting.

He asked me why it is allways the simple or nice but dim charactors who have a west country accent.

These are the charactors that spring to mind:

Hagrid (Harry Potter)
Meri (lord of the rings)
Vicky pollard (little Britain)
Most pirates in most film

I think this is unfair! AIBU?

YANBU although you forgot farmers

It's such a comedic accent imo but having said that, you're not really going to get a sexy/glamorous leading role if you have any kind of really strong accent...well not unless the movie is called Braveheart or something like that.

Arr, that's roight unfaeerr.

Oi carnt read, an oi carnt roight
But dat done really ma'ter
Coz I do come fram Glo'ster
And oi can drive a trac'tor

Arr, that's roight unfaeerr. me luverrr

Did someone say comboine arrrvesterrrr?

YANBU
But people with London accents are always thick or criminal.
Specially in the Archers. If they want to introduce a dodgy character without too much faffing about, they just give him a estuary twang.

Has always been thus.

This made me smile, coming from the Westcountry.

My grandad often says about the time he went away on a course and everyone thought he was some thick yokel because of his accent. Shocked them when they realised he was a high up manager in the Dockyard and actually very intelligent.

It isn't the greatest of accents. I don't know why farmers = thick though!

It makes me laugh.

I long for the day though when there is a drug dealer gangland type in a tv drama played by a bloke with a bristol accent.

Or a james bond baddie from plymouth.

It would make me laaaaaaaaf. Oooh arrr etc.

YANBU

although, having said that, try coming form Northern Ireland. Anyone with my accent on TV is automatically a terrorist . I dream of only being stereotyped as thick!

I was brought up in deepest Somerset and went to state schools but even as a child decided there was no way I was going to speak with a Somerset accent. Ended up working in the City for a while if I had gone to the interview speaking as some of my old classmates did I would have been laughed out of the room.

If it's any consolation, the 'Wise'* Woman on Blackadder II had a West Country accent.

On reflection, YANBU.

I'd love to see some extreamly intelligent alien race invaiding earth speaking with a west country accent :)

or voldermort, he should have had a west country accent!

Who on Blackadder - 'Nursey' ?

Surely you mean "makes oi larrrrff" GetOrf - or are you hearing too much Cheltenham these days?

Or someone from the black country in a thought provoking emotional drama. "alright me cocker?"

I was brought up in deepest Somerset and went to state schools but even as a child decided there was no way I was going to speak with a Somerset accent. Ended up working in the City for a while if I had gone to the interview speaking as some of my old classmates did I would have been laughed out of the room.

I think thats sad, I am similar I grew up in Devon but I have a fairly neutral accent exept for when I am drunk.. then I sound like hagrids wife

I do sympathise but we are all typecast by the media. I am a scouser so am, of course, a rather excitable scally who will sing while nicking your hubcaps!

Actually, I recall incorrectly - the Wise Woman didn't have the WC accent; her, um, assistant, the Young Crone did.

But did Nursey have a WC accent as well, come to think of it?

DD1 definitely has a West Country accent . She even says, 'cheers drive!' and caught her teaching DS to say, 'alright me babber?'

It may be sad but its true! Wasnt going to sacrifice my career on the alter of rights of the West Country accent holders thanks very much.

FWIW the cooler you were at my school the deeper the burr. I was teased mercilessly for being "paaaarsh". Middle class friends would affect the accent which was pretty tragic at least I stayed true to my "posh" (ha!) roots.

Actually the first time I heard Vikki Pollard speak, I remember saying to my DH "Oh, I didn't realise they had teenagers in the West Country"?!

I don't think I'd ever heard a teenage West Country accent before then.

Upon reflection, I have no idea what I thought they did with their offspring once they got past the age of 12

Most of my class spoke like Vicki Pollard when I first heard it I was triggered straight back into the second year

and caught her teaching DS to say, 'alright me babber?' how cute! :)

Me and my little sister had this conversation when she was about 3

me "this afternoon we need to go to Newton abbot to drop the books at the library"
Dsis "Honeytea its not Newton abbot, it New-un aaaaarrrrrrbot"
me "so it is, anyway first we will go ice skating in Plymouth"
Dsis "it's not Plymouth it's plymufff"
me "yep.. anyway lets get going."

Hmm my ex is from Wiltshire, has a strong accent, look at that gert big trac'orr and he isn't the sharpest tool in the box.

Dosen't help the stereotype!

Although I am now an expert at spotting people from round there, I was in a pub in Manchester once, heard a guy speak, and said to him "are you from name of tiny village ?" He was vair impressed

Where the fuck is Hagrid supposed to come from with that accent anyway? Like no west country accent I have ever heard