if i were you i would watch the scarlet pimpernel and read lords of discipline. percy blakney IS english...and tradd st. croix and his family are southern...but they use the same kind of formality to create a sense of distance and superiority over others. affected language also creates this. put whatever accent you want on your character, but if you use lots of big literary words and lots of affected words like "alas" and older figures of speach, i think you will be able to get the effect you want. also it would be good to speak good english. m_lebouc is VERY good at this and you should ask him. things like never ending a sentance with a preposition, and precision with "who" vs. "whom". can make you sound like a big snob. practice looking down your nose, moving your head very slight back on your neck when you are disgusted by something, even if you don't dare say anything.
The mother in the movie Harold and Maude has what I think of as a pretentious American accent. I'm not sure if she's actually supposed to be British, but I think she's just that sort of upper-class American who likes to PRETEND they're British.
I'm looking for a juxtoposition of a little snobby but also somewhat friendly and approachable, sort of like "prep school elite." I've watched shows with kids like that and most of the time they just seem saracastic and exhasperated which does not get me to where I want to be either unfortunately since my character is a neonate and low status and wants to ingratiate himself to his betters.
You could watch Dead Poets Society if you're going for the prep-school accent. For books, read The Chocolate War, A Separate Peaceand if you haven't already The Catcher In the Rye. -but they're all mandatory high school reads ;-)
Alternatively, try to hit up bars like Smith Point in G'town. Full of prep school douches.
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percy blakney IS english...and tradd st. croix and his family are southern...but they use the same kind of formality to create a sense of distance and superiority over others.
affected language also creates this. put whatever accent you want on your character, but if you use lots of big literary words and lots of affected words like "alas" and older figures of speach, i think you will be able to get the effect you want.
also it would be good to speak good english. m_lebouc is VERY good at this and you should ask him. things like never ending a sentance with a preposition, and precision with "who" vs. "whom". can make you sound like a big snob. practice looking down your nose, moving your head very slight back on your neck when you are disgusted by something, even if you don't dare say anything.
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The mother in the movie Harold and Maude has what I think of as a pretentious American accent. I'm not sure if she's actually supposed to be British, but I think she's just that sort of upper-class American who likes to PRETEND they're British.
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also a very young ian mckellan is in it. :)
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Alternatively, try to hit up bars like Smith Point in G'town. Full of prep school douches.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EI2afDGo8m8
~A
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gUBquqsUEHU
~A
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