You may have noticed that TikTok sounds almost identical to everyone else. This is because Gen Z restored the Mid Atlantic accent, which was popularised in Hollywood back before the 1960s.
Linguists have revealed that the “TikTalk” or “TikTok” voice is actually a mid-Atlantic accent, which was used to indicate class status and education in the 1920s era of sound films (talkies).
Katharine Hepburn and other stars made it famous. The half-English-half-American drawl became known as “the movie accent”, due to its prominent use in Hollywood films. Stars such as Harry Styles and Millie Bobby Brown, as well as Gillian Anderson.
And it has now picked up steam on the social media app, with TikTok user @It’sMeJadeB recently posting a video which has since gained over 1.7 million views in which she commentsed ‘Who decided this is how we were going to talk on TikTok?’
Others agreed with her observation. One user stated that they had looked at all of their videos and discovered they were imitating the accent.
FEMAIL spoke with linguists, voice coaches, and did not hesitate to reveal how TikTok voice (aka TikTalk) has been used to tell stories in storytelling videos.
Babbel, an expert in linguists for the app said that the “TikTok” voice was first popularized by Katharine and Katharine Shepburn as part of their 1920s Hollywood stardom.
“Since when did he become American?”‘: Harry Styles left fans baffled at the BRIT Awards 2021 on Tuesday night as viewers questioned why he had suddenly developed an ‘American accent’
This is the same story as Stranger Things star Millie Bobbie Brown, who was born in Dorset, England but has taken on an American accent.
Expert linguists at the app Babbel spoke out about the “TikTok Voice”: “The TikTok vocal is actually the midatlantic accent, also known as trans-Altantic or American Theater Standard, which was popular in northeastern United States and was named after the middle Atlantic Ocean, not the mid-Atlantic area of the U.S.
“The Accent is named so because it sounds like an amalgamation of two accents on opposite sides the Atlantic: British Received Pronunciation, (BRP), and Standard American.
“Historically the mid-Atlantic accent was used to denote class, status, education and social status during the period of sound films (talkies) in 1920s. It became well-known as the “movie accent” because it is prominent in Hollywood movies.
This accent is a combination of the Standard American and BRP accents that was learned and consciously taught back then. The accent has been embraced by everyone, from Cary Grant to Audrey Hepburn to newsreel anchors to Cary Grant.
It hasn’t been taught for many decades. The’movie Accent’ rapidly fell out of favor following the end WWII. But, it is a common accent that people use when writing content on social media.
“Accents and dialects are cultural shorthands that tap into common stereotypes. And falling into one accent can help to convey a common type of character.
“Because its prominence in American history media, the mid Atlantic accent can still be used for communication wealth and education.
Meanwhile they continued: ‘Whilst it can’t be said exactly why Gen Z are so eager to bring back the accent, we can theorize that they may be trying to tap into the status and power that come hand-in-hand with sounding mid-Atlantic.
“Outside of that, it could be that influencers want to stand out in a saturated market with a distinct sound – or they simply find the accent enjoyable!”
Experts have revealed the reason why TikTok users use a ‘affected theatrical draw which is half English and half American’ to make videos.
The accent was popularised by some of TikTok most popular users including Audrey Peters (left) and @glamdemon2004 (right)
Some of TikTok’s most famous users, including Audrey Peters, Sara Nahusenay and @glamdemon2004 made the accent popular.
The accent is not limited to American accounts. @MaybeTasniu, a London-based company, also adopted the accent.
Professor Nicole Holliday, sociolinguist at the University of Pennsylvania and co-host of the Spectacular Vernacular podcast, told Refinery29: ‘What they have in common is that they’re doing various strategies for attention/floor-holding, which is particularly important for influencers given how easy it is to skip past TikTok videos.
Some common characteristics she identified were:’moving up and down your voice more, unusual voice qualities like breathiness or falsetto and open vowels, rhoticity and the pronunciation of the consonant “r”.
The accent is not limited to American accounts. @MaybeTasniu, a London-based company, also adopted the accent.
TikTalk is a method of signaling that you are a specific type of person and an influencer, according to the expert.
According to her, the accent is a sign of aspiration or influence. She added: “The people who created it.” [influencer]White women are the mould. This is why everyone feels incentivised and encouraged to sound this way.
Kate Lee, a professional voice coach with 20 years’ experience training presenters for TV and radio, explained TikTokers ‘play with intonation, vary pace, lift key words, hang on vowel sounds’.
“The way that you talk is what makes you part of the group, it’s how you get along with them.” “And now, of course we’re all part of it anywhere in the globe.
Celebrities including Harry Styles and Gillian Anderson have left fans baffled with their Mid-Atlantic accents over the last few years.
Many people were confused by the sudden American accent that One Direction singer had developed at the BRIT Awards 2021.
Harry won the Best British Single award for Watermelon Sugar. The singer, who was born in Cheshire but raised in England, made his acceptance speech and claimed that he now sounded American.
After Harry’s acceptance speech, fans took to Twitter to ask why Harry was speaking in an American accent. Others pointed out that Harry had just completed filming Don’t Worry Darling here in America and explained the twang.
Meanwhile Gillian, who was born in Chicago but has lived in London since 2002 after growing up there from ages 2-11, has also been criticised for her accent.
Her previous statement was: “I grew up in two different countries, so depending on whom is in my ears is which direction is my accent.” This is why it has become so familiar to me that it feels almost old news.
It’s a similar story for Stranger Things star Millie Bobbie Brown who grew up in Dorset, England.
Since she was eight years old, her American accent has been adopted by the actress. She had previously admitted that English accents were difficult for her roles.