I live in the U.S. and watched Gracepoint, and really enjoyed it so I bought season 1 of Braodchurch on DVD, and am now watching season 2 on BBC. I love the show, my only problem is I have trouble understanding a lot of what Hardy is saying. I don't have trouble understanding any of the other characters, it's like his accent is thicker than the rest. Anyone else have this problem?
shareDavid Tennant is Scottish so some people have a harder time with Scottish accents. I've watch other stuff his been in where he'll use his regular Scottish accent and I didn't have a problem I didn't some much with BC first season but this season I am a little bit but it seems over all. I don't know if it's them speaking faster or mumbling or just me. When I have a hard time with shows I'll put the subtitles on. I mean believe me I've watch some stuff where between the accent, talking fast and the slag I'm a little lost. OOooo and also seems like I read some where....that people were having a harder time understanding him. Sooo I don't think it's just you.
shareOK found it but it's this season.
Why has David Tennant suddenly got MORE Scottish in Broadchurch? Viewers complain they're finding it harder to understand actor's accent in second series
Fans of the hit television drama Broadchurch have complained they are finding it harder to understand David Tennant - because his accent has become 'more Scottish'.
The actor, who plays dour Detective Inspector Alec Hardy, received wide-spread praise for his performance in the first series of the acclaimed ITV crime show.
But a number of viewers have complained that they are finding it increasingly difficult to understand his accent - ever since the second series got underway earlier this month.
It goes on if you want to read the whole thing
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2928526/Has-David-Tennant-got-Scottish-Broadchurch-Viewers-complain-finding-harder-understand-actor-s-accent-second-series-ITV-crime-drama.html
David Tennant is Scottish so some people have a harder time with Scottish accents.
David Tennant was on a radio program back in January and the hosts had him do a bit as Alec Hardy. The audience got to hear him go into the voice. His comment was Hardy feels poorly so you could hear him suddenly sound full of phlegm. He also drops his voice a tone or so. I'm sure it is thicker this year because Hardy's supposed to be sicker.
In short, you're not imagining it.
Here's the bit: https://youtu.be/yvwFufzb5_k
And with visuals: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOpO662_oog
Are you only recently watching British series ? I think it gets much easier after hearing the UK accents after a while.
shareYes, it definitely helps when you hear the sounds a lot. I spent about 9 months in the UK back in 79 to 80. I recall the trouble I first had understanding some of the accents. Scottish accents can be very thick and difficult. When you add in the colloquialisms which are foreign to you it can be very hard to understand people with heavy Scottish accents.
After a short while though your "ear becomes trained" to the sounds, i.e. you learn to recognize the words, and you learn the new phrases.
I generally understand Hardy just fine. What is hard for me to understand are those actors who mumble or talk under their breath as Robert Downey Jr. did so much in the Sherlock Holmes movies. His accent was a decent recreation of a British accent, but he really overdid his rapid mumbling under his breath kind of thing.
The wide variety of English accents will always mean that some of us will struggle with a particular form of speech . The ones I have most difficulty with are heavy African-American and Southern United States accents. I suppose we all will have to resort to subtitles sometimes, if we want to see the best drama from other English speaking countries. However, I would much rather do that and hear authentic speech than have different English speakers converse in some kind of fake ,"standardised" dialect. Our accents are a part of our cultures and it would be very sad if we lost them.
Gordon P. Clarkson
I really like the way you put that. I do think it's sad that so many people in North America (where I live) hear nothing but a generic accent when they watch the news or other national programs. I really like the way so many BBC presenters keep their own accents when they are doing their programs.
http://currentscene.wordpress.com
The only times I really have a problem is sometimes if they're talking real fast, or real soft, or sometimes if there's a British idiom in there that I'm not familiar with.
Unless Alpert's covered in bacon grease, I don't think Hugo can track anything.
Thanks for all the responses, I guess I'll just have to try watching with subtitles. If it was any of the other characters I couldn't understand I could deal with it, but when it's the main character you need to know what he's saying at all times or else your bound to miss something important.
shareYeah, I have to switch them on occasionally or rewind and listen again. I do think that his Scottish accent is a bit more pronounced this season than it seemed to be last season.
Unless Alpert's covered in bacon grease, I don't think Hugo can track anything.
I love and have watched british shows for a long time. I always use sub titles. Now I even use them formjust about everything.
shareIn season 1, I did have a hard time understanding Hardy but somebody on this board talked about the actual varying accents we do hear in this show and the person went on to describe that we (US folks) were actually hearing posh UK, Scottish, not-posh UK, and even some Welsh. For example, I always can understand Beth and the Reverend. When Ellie gets excited, I have to listen carefully and when Hardy talks, I actually have to relax and listen to his words and the rhythm of the words. But I love it and wouldn't change it.
shareAgreed, I've seen that too, aurally they say it's the switching back and forth between various accents that makes it so difficult. I used to notice it particularly with Prime Suspect (and of course, now that I get older their tones are competing with steam heat and forced air conditioning for my hearing). For shows/movies where they use Received Pronunciation (RP), you're only getting used to one accent.
shareI occasionally have to turn the captions on for multiple character, mostly Hardy. Sometimes Eve Myles too.
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