Screenwriting : Dialogue accents by Karen Stark

My feeling is a hybrid to insure the impression is clear and much depends on the target reader (country of origin) or if the dialog is part of the story (comedy) .

I dunne cain what ye talkin aboot - "I dunne can what ye talking about",

whit dae ye think oh ra report oan the crime aroun hear? - " What dae ye think of the report on the crime aroun here".

note: In the green book the Italian feeling is portrayed in the LIP CHARACTERS dialog.

"Don’t worry about it, I took care of him."

"Come on, Pop. The kids were gettin’ splinters in their feet".

"Gorman’s. Fat Paulie bet me fifty bucks he could eat more hot dogs than me. He knocked off twenty-eight. Guy’s an animal."

hope that helps

Curt

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That's pretty much my take on it too Curt

Karen, I love writing accents within dialog!

Isn’t that part of the job, write with authenticity. We are supposed to be Experts.

I look at some “The Wire” tv pilot scripts. David Simon, a middle aged white guy, writes street slang. The actors are not winging it.

Personally, when I am writing a character that has an accent, I tend to include a word or two up front that establishes the fact that the character is foreign. Then I continue with normal dialogue and allow the reader to decide how to continue reading. My overall fear is that if I write protracted dialogue with accents, it will cause the reader to lose their momentum.

Slang and accents are not the same. Slang is the informal language used by a group of people or culture. An accent is a manner of pronunciation peculiar to a particular individual, location, or nation. So while the use of slang in writing is a great element to add for authenticity, writing phonetically on the page instead of writing words in their correct dictionary spellings can be problematic and certainly irksome to read. So... as far as capturing accents within the writing itself through particular odd spellings, if done simply, not heavy-handedly, it can add some bit of flavor, sure. But like most powerful spices, too much can ruin the pot. Lol! So if used, always use judiciously and effectively. ;) Often you can just say something like, "She speaks with an Irish lilt." Or rather it's through the use of distinct patterns of words and local phrases and cultural idiosyncrasies that capture an accent, how people communicate or how someone uses language, say, like the fantastic dialogue in FARGO. Me, I like to add little things like "hon" or "ya" (Minnesotan) or "git" (Southern) on occasion, but I never go overboard and I keep it to a minimum. If it's hard to read or it may be irksome to a reader or may confuse or if ever in doubt, then leave it out. If characters and the story world are well created and developed on the page—and a script does go further—actors will take those cues and build the voice and character as they see fit. ;)

I don't do accents. A top literary agent advised me it is best to stay away from them.

On this topic I always say...hell if it fits in with the script and makes a particular character realistic based on their placement in the script, fling it in there. But like Beth stated I've read a couple scripts that go the route and say (in dialect) or whatever it may be, and then continue the dialogue in English, and personally I'd probably go this route if I ever have to employ accents in dialogue

A female screenwriting friend has the thickest southern drawl so her protagonist is written that way. As a Yankee Michigander, she tells me I'm the one who talks funny, y'all.

In my script, which takes place in Boston, I just wrote that they spoke in a strong Boston accent and underlined it. Then the dialogue follows and it's up to the actor to learn the accent. If I wrote how they spoke, "pahk (park), cah (car).. it would be annoying to read as well as distracting. Jeremy Renner NAILED the accent and the mannerisms of a Bostonian in "The Town".

I don’t go full tilt. Just a small inflection and the occasional word gets the mood across.

I am guessing only Aussies know what a drongo, yobo and a boomer are. All Aussie terms that could used without making us sound like Paul Hogan or Steve Erwin.

I do it like Craig and Ironically I am sending out a script to day that is set in Australia and I use a few of their terms here and there.

Identify the nationality of character in initial description or even put in parenthesis (Scottish accent) for the first time they speak. Then leave it at that or very lightly sprinkle some accent tones in their dialogue. eg "did you not think to take a wee moment to think about the consequences". A cockney/Eliza Doolittle style accent would be interesting to explore - do you just identify it or actually write in that accent - 'ave a 'ook at this 'ere paint'n

I note an accent but write it straight. Makes a quicker cleaner read. Now slangs another thing. I use that

Personally, I LIKE to write out the accent: Dennis! TheAhe's sume luvely filth down 'ere!

(noticing Arthur) Oh! 'Ow'd'ja do?

Arthur: Ow do you do, good lady. I am Ahthah, king o the Britons. Oose

castle is thaht?

Woman: King of the 'oo?

Arthur: King of the Britons.

Woman: 'Oo are the Britons?

Pretty well the way Monty Pythons does it. but I am Canadian, eh so I change the Arthur to Ahthah. For me, in Canada.

That's like reading Shakespeare haha! I say ...don't ever do that! I have no idea what they are even saying. Sorry...

Note the accent, write it normal. Writing it out the way you hear it may not be the way they can read it and understand it. You want a clean, quick read. If it requires them to try and decipher it, it may cause an issue.