I’m sure I’ve read a blog post about this before somewhere…it might have even been on this blog. My memory’s not what it used to be.
Anyway, last week I read a book called The Larton Chronicles by James Anson. It was a great book about two men, their relationship, their lives, the lives of the people of the town they lived in, Larton, and various family members and friends of theirs. For the most part the book took place in the English countryside and while I was reading I heard the British accents – or Irish accents as they came along – of the characters. It really seemed odd to me that I was reading yet hearing them speak in an accent.
Normally when I read a book, if the characters are from a different country I never hear their accents in my head. Ok, I hear their voices in my head but it’s always in American accent – whatever that may be. I hear twangs if the person is from the South and I hear the New York in their voice if their from that area of the US but I rarely hear British accents - or any others. What causes this strange phenomenon…or doesn’t cause it as the case may be?
Do you hear voices?
2 comments:
I don't. :)
I think sometimes it's not just the way the author writes the words as much as the words they use. I often find that if a book is set in the USA, I don't 'hear the voices' as such, except the occasional twang if certain words are used that I would associate with a particular part of the USA.
However, when I read a book set in the UK I do tend to hear the 'voice' of the characters more, especially of they are from a part of the country with a strong dialect - for example Scotland or Ireland or my own native Yorkshire.
I think it takes great skill from a writer to be able to give their characters a distinctive 'voice' without it coming across as grating on the nerves.
Interesting post, Tracy :).
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