You have a good point. Certainly, such things must be attempted if one wishes to do them. However, this remark was made in response to someone asking for pointers on how to write Sam well, who seemed nervous about doing so. Therefore, the advice about the dialect was given as a way to try to remove that as a prerequisite for writing Sam. I have seen many writers agonize over it when perhaps it's not necessary to write a special dialect, at all. I cannot say that I made either point as well as I could have, as I have been short on time, sleep and eyes, lately.
To my mind, there's a difference also between hearing dialect and seeing it written out. I know that Sean Astin didn't get it completely, though he did a very decent job for an American, I think, and I adored his performance. (I am American, and I grew up in the area they were trying to emulate. I always had trouble translating it from the ear to the mouth. :) ) Going off on a technical and geeky tangent, they gave Astin the wrong accent for Sam, as they chose a Westcountry one when it actually should have been moved closer to the Midlands, specifically Warwickshire and/or the Severn Valley of the early twentieth century. (The way Tolkien wrote him, though, I always heard him the way our Devonshire gardener spoke, with a few exceptions.) The speech of this area is tinged with all sorts of influences and virtually impossible for an American to emulate. The Westcountry accent is tough but possible for an American to do, as that's about where the underlying 'standard' American accent originated. Of all the possible English regionalisms, Astin's native speech most closely resembles that accent, so it was a wise choice that best fit the needs of the movie and the actor.
It's a hard thing to write dialect well, and one that can be an obstacle to any writer if they think that they must attempt it. I struggle with it when I write it, as it's something that can overtake an author, thus distracting the reader. All that said, you're quite right that for a person who specifically wishes to attempt Sam's dialect, in particular, LJ Hobbit fandom is (or can be) a fairly safe place to start. Had I known or deduced that such was the case for Sophinisba, I might have phrased things a little differently, and simply expanded upon the advice I did give about how to write it. To my mind, though, the very best stories about him focus less on his language and more on his character.
Sorry for the lengthy response. I am a huge language geek, and always get carried away when talking about it.
no subject
To my mind, there's a difference also between hearing dialect and seeing it written out. I know that Sean Astin didn't get it completely, though he did a very decent job for an American, I think, and I adored his performance. (I am American, and I grew up in the area they were trying to emulate. I always had trouble translating it from the ear to the mouth. :) ) Going off on a technical and geeky tangent, they gave Astin the wrong accent for Sam, as they chose a Westcountry one when it actually should have been moved closer to the Midlands, specifically Warwickshire and/or the Severn Valley of the early twentieth century. (The way Tolkien wrote him, though, I always heard him the way our Devonshire gardener spoke, with a few exceptions.) The speech of this area is tinged with all sorts of influences and virtually impossible for an American to emulate. The Westcountry accent is tough but possible for an American to do, as that's about where the underlying 'standard' American accent originated. Of all the possible English regionalisms, Astin's native speech most closely resembles that accent, so it was a wise choice that best fit the needs of the movie and the actor.
It's a hard thing to write dialect well, and one that can be an obstacle to any writer if they think that they must attempt it. I struggle with it when I write it, as it's something that can overtake an author, thus distracting the reader. All that said, you're quite right that for a person who specifically wishes to attempt Sam's dialect, in particular, LJ Hobbit fandom is (or can be) a fairly safe place to start. Had I known or deduced that such was the case for Sophinisba, I might have phrased things a little differently, and simply expanded upon the advice I did give about how to write it. To my mind, though, the very best stories about him focus less on his language and more on his character.
Sorry for the lengthy response. I am a huge language geek, and always get carried away when talking about it.
Catherine