Jackie Kennedy's accent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn't that known as a mid-Atlantic accent? (midway between the East Coast of the USA and England)

What a bizarre interpretation of the phrase... if you just made that up, I like it.

+1. Also, Madonna.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It was lovely. If you have spare time, watch this I almost could fall asleep with the music and her voice. Plus it is super educational.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CbFt4h3Dkkw

Thanks for posting this. I only had time to watch the first several minutes so far, but it was fascinating. I had no idea that the White House was completely gutted during the Truman Administration and rebuilt because of structural problems.

[Anonymous]

Who?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I always thought it was an affectation; her attempt to sound vaguely French, cultured, theatrical and sophisticated gave her this breathy, dramatic and unusual "accent."

Not an accent, just an affectation.

Totally agree. I think it sounds awful, frankly.

[Anonymous]

in that video, it just sounds matronly. Not too dramatic or deliberate.

[Anonymous]

I always thought it was affectation in part because her cadence was so slow. I went to Miss Porter's and nobody there talks like that. Not even the OLD teachers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I always thought it was an affectation; her attempt to sound vaguely French, cultured, theatrical and sophisticated gave her this breathy, dramatic and unusual "accent."

Not an accent, just an affectation.

Totally agree. I think it sounds awful, frankly.

Me too. And I like her. I just think her voice is odd.

[Anonymous]

Her voice is like nails on a chalkboard for me. *shudder*

[Anonymous]

Funny, her voice is not so different from Marilyn Monroe's....

[Anonymous]

she sounds like an idiot.

[Anonymous]

Not sure if there are any fellow Howard Stern fans out there but he has done some hysterical pieces about this very subject. The Kennedy impersonations (JFK, Ted, Jackie) are all roll on the floor funny.
When Jackie O. died and Robin mentioned it on the news, they went off on a tangent to figure out what kind of accent he had. So funny. Not sure how to find it and no time to Google around the internet right now. Worth the search though.

[Anonymous]

I've always thought that she sounded high as a kite

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It wasn't made up to sound like it was from snobby old money?

No, it was real to sound like it was from snobby old money. (Or money, in any case.)

Right. See, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.

[Anonymous]

it's very affected. i hate it. my mom said a lot of girls of her generation tried to imitate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It wasn't made up to sound like it was from snobby old money?

No, it was real to sound like it was from snobby old money. (Or money, in any case.)

Right. See, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Sooo--my great aunt is from the same part of NY and sounded exactly like a cross-between Katherine Hepburn and Jackie-O.

My parents were both raised in Connecticut and spent college in Boston. Uncles went to Providence and Yale.

They don't have it as crazy as Jackie-Os but I love going back for family events and listening to all of my Aunts and Uncles speak. It is that certain 'new england accent'. Kennedy-esque. It brings me back to my childhood.

My dad doesn't have it all and he went to all private schools--but was poor and given scholarships to all the best Conn. prep schools--college. My mom has it a bit but she grew up across the street from Yale.

You really don't hear it much anymore. It didn't translate down to my cousins.