Going to write a short story ~40k words, question on accents

[|Y|]

Two people who have had direct influance on my ideas were Albamaians with very heavy accents, which actually rubbed off on me a bit. The thing is that it seems that often in text only Irish people or people with really thick accents have their accents "spelled-out," and then there's the whole black stereotype where accents are spelled-out in obvious racism (consider Ol' Man Adam An' His Chillun; I have a first edition).

When is it appropriate, and when isn't it? Would it be OK to write out an accented aspect of speech during a moment where it really seems necessary.

"Fokin arseholes!" vs "Fucking assholes!"

[Jawn Disease]

I wrote a story once where I just wrote everybody's words as if they were really talking.

"Yo, y'gatta fuckin smoke fer me, bra?" said character 1.
"No, don't. Getcher own cigarettes, ya lazy piece'a shit," replied character 2.
"Zet toutes dz'esti'd'cons, la," disait l'Quebecois.

[Zazaban]

In my novel, there is a character in which everything he says is spelt out. Example: "I mean th’t somebody ‘ere’s with th’ Empire. Nobody’s s’posed th’ know ‘bout th’ smugglin’. Th’ Captain’s too good fer th’t. An’ yeh’d have th’ be trusted nuff th’ be let in ‘th storehouse th’ set up a bomb der..."

Anyhow, I don't think it's ever inappropriate if it's actually accurate. In fact, I think it's generally the only appropriate thing to do when somebody has a notable accent. The thing with 'coon' talk is that black people never actually spoke like that.

But I recall in V for Vendetta there was a character in which I had to strain to understand a word he said. Don't try that hard, it's vastly unfair to the people reading.

[jack]

In my novel, there is a character in which everything he says is spelt out. Example: "I mean th’t somebody ‘ere’s with th’ Empire. Nobody’s s’posed th’ know ‘bout th’ smugglin’. Th’ Captain’s too good fer th’t. An’ yeh’d have th’ be trusted nuff th’ be let in ‘th storehouse th’ set up a bomb der..."

Anyhow, I don't think it's ever inappropriate if it's actually accurate. In fact, I think it's generally the only appropriate thing to do when somebody has a notable accent. The thing with 'coon' talk is that black people never actually spoke like that.

But I recall in V for Vendetta there was a character in which I had to strain to understand a word he said. Don't try that hard, it's vastly unfair to the people reading.

Just wondering, how is "th't" pronounced? I can't seem to do it without sounding the "a".

[|Y|]

You pronounce the a, just very very shortly.

I don't think I'll utilize accents, after giving it a lot of thought.

Mainly because I don't know how I'd spell 'em!

[Yarrow]

i'd rhyme it with 'foot'.

we got this this thing at the moment, saying t't (north english accent, same rhyme). it's supposed to be used as in 'Ah'm going t't shop', but we add it all over the place. it's t't funny.

the thing about accents is, everyone else can't help but laugh at yours...

[coup-detat]

i'd rhyme it with 'foot'.

we got this this thing at the moment, saying t't (north english accent, same rhyme). it's supposed to be used as in 'Ah'm going t't shop', but we add it all over the place. it's t't funny.

the thing about accents is, everyone else can't help but laugh at yours...

I had an Appalachian accent, when I lived in Ohio for a few years. When I finally left, I heard no end of it. It was also mixed with my slight canadian accent. I've physically forced myself to stop. It sometimes catches up with me though.