The actor would probably be noticed the minute he or she opened their mouth. I attended a talk several years by an expert on Elizabethan English (I forget the name). What we tend to think of as an Elizabethan accent is "BBC" English, but that comes from the Victorian period. The Elizabethan accent was apparently distinctly different. She said that the closest equivalents to Elizabethan English aren't found in England at all, but in isolated parts of the northeastern US (presumably preserved by isolated communities of early immigrants).
Guy ----- Original Message ----- From: "Herbert Ward" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, January 12, 2006 10:44 AM Subject: [LUTE] Surviving in Eliz. England. > > Who, from the 21st century, would stand the best chance > of visiting Elizabethan England and not being spotted > as foreign in his manners, knowledge of day-to-day life, > political knowledge, and overall demeanor? > > Of course, some Shakesperean actor would probably be best > suited as far as language and dress are concerned. However, > I'm not convinced that Shakespeare's world of sword fights, > robber princes, and moonlit balconies would prepare him well > for everyday life. > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >
