Recordings of R-rated language in a General Australian accent?

January 14, 2013 7:06 PM

I'm learning a monologue with a General Australian accent, but I'm having trouble finding resources to check my pronunciation of the R-rated language in the monologue. Can you point me to recordings that may help?

I'm in a production of The Vagina Monologues, in which I'll be playing "My Angry Vagina," (NSFW language), a humorous monologue. For various reasons my director and I have decided that I'll learn the monologue in a General Australian accent.

I'm quite excited about this because I've been wanting to learn Australian accents for several years, and I think this will add a lovely dimension to a character that can be tricky to pull off because she can come across as generic and annoying. Last year the actress, who is Indian, did the character extremely well in a strong Indian accent, so there's hilarious precedent.

I've already bought two accent CD courses and have been practicing for weeks, but I'm having a lot of trouble "translating" the specific words in the monologue. I'm afraid my vowel modifications are too exaggerated, not exaggerated enough, or just plain wrong for certain words. I don't have access to a dialect coach to critique what I've learned. I'm aware that this is an extra layer of difficulty, but as an actress I think I'm ready.

My question is this: where can I find clips of people saying things like "vagina," "p***y," "motherf***ers," and similar words that are unlikely to be super common in recordings, so that I can check that my pronunciations are right?

And this is a long shot, but are there any Australians or dialogue coaches on this site who would be willing to record these words / the text of the monologue and post it here for posterity? I have the text available and can send it to someone if that is a possibility.

YouTube videos and clips from films, radio interviews, TV shows, etc. are all equally welcome.

Thank you in advance!

posted by lemoncakeisalie to Grab Bag (44 answers total)

I am Australian and female and I can swear like a motherfuckin' trooper.
Always drop the 'g' on any word ending in fucking. eg: Ya fuckin' wanker.
I'd be happy to record an audio file for you if you send me the script.

An excellent movie choice to watch would be Jackie Weaver in Animal Kingdom.
posted by Kerasia at 7:34 PM on January 14, 2013 [5 favorites]

contact these guys?

You could have a listen through the works of Jenny Talia and her dad, Kevin Bloody Wilson - her accent sounds pretty normal to me, although I'm not an expert. I don't know if she uses the specific language you need.

You can also look up a few r-rated australian movies: Nothing comes to mind right now, but examples are The Boys, which is not my kind of movie but should cover some relevant language.
posted by jacalata at 7:35 PM on January 14, 2013

This clip of Australian Tim Minchin has "motherfucking". As an Aussie it sounds like a mild Aussie accent to me.
posted by quercus23 at 7:37 PM on January 14, 2013

I am Australian and female, I'd be happy to record an audio file for you if you send me the script.
posted by b33j at 7:38 PM on January 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

Try Kevin Bloody Wilson. I don't know whether his act includes the specific words you want but the accent is definitely there. He has a website (www.kevinbloodywilson.com, can't link) and is on YouTube. Note the "Bloody" is part of his stage name, just discovered he does say the c-word on YouTube.
posted by Logophiliac at 7:39 PM on January 14, 2013

Snap, took too long ...
posted by Logophiliac at 7:40 PM on January 14, 2013

Yeah, I think Tim Minchin's accent is not quite 'typical Aussie'. I'd also be happy to record some profanity for you if need be (qualification: 30+ years of Aussie foul language) :-)
posted by Salamander at 7:41 PM on January 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

I have access to recording studios at work and am a native born Australian swearing women. Happy to help if I can.

I also think of 'pussy' as a rather American word for cunt, but it isn't unheard of here.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 7:47 PM on January 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

Happy to swear at you as well. I've had people in canada/america not understand me, so presumably I am broad enough.

Whilst not answering your question, Richard Fidler did a conversation hour with Victoria Mielewska who is a dialect coach who helped Kate winslet get an australian accent for some movie

She talks about it in the interview which was taken on Tuesday, 13 November 2012.

You need to scroll down the page to find the Victoria interview.

http://www.abc.net.au/queensland/conversations/conversationspodcast.xml

I am slightly curious about what is considered a "general" australian accent though.
posted by insomniax at 7:48 PM on January 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

I am slightly curious about what is considered a "general" australian accent though.

Anything that's neither broad nor cultivated.
posted by holgate at 8:02 PM on January 14, 2013

If you can find a copy, the 1976 film Don's Party is a treasure trove of profanity. As a bonus, it's very funny.
posted by Combustible Edison Lighthouse at 8:11 PM on January 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

I'm happy to visit with Trivia Newton John and swear, and drink, whilst recording profane and vulgar Australian women au naturel.

For art, of course.

Let us know.
posted by taff at 8:18 PM on January 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

Another Aussie female here. Good luck with it, hope it all goes well!!
posted by Youremyworld at 8:21 PM on January 14, 2013

Response by poster: MeFi is an amazing community. You're all fantastic! Thank you for the suggestions. :)

I've sent messages to those who offered to help. You can post recordings in this thread if you like or send them to me and I'll make sure they all get posted here.

Thanks again to everyone!
posted by lemoncakeisalie at 8:23 PM on January 14, 2013

where can I find clips of people saying things like "vagina," "p***y," "motherf***ers," and similar words that are unlikely to be super common in recordings, so that I can check that my pronunciations are right?

Just for a sanity check on the recorded offerings above, try watching an episode or two of Housos.
posted by UbuRoivas at 8:27 PM on January 14, 2013 [3 favorites]

Regarding pussy, I find it's the most commonly used word (even ahead of fanny) when discussing sex with new partners. Cunt is considered (in the circles I travel in) impolite by both male and female.

I used my phone and did the transcript. It was fun. I'm not sure what my neighbours thought. I did note that "ass" should be "arse" and that I've always been given a cotton gown, and that when I asked the nurses why the duckbill had to be so cold, they told me that when they'd tested it warmed, it'd ripped off internal skin. But, this is a country where the dropbear is rife, and my older brother convinced me that footballers (who don't wear padding here) would shave their genitals (back in the day when very few people did), tuck their testes inside their pelvic cavity and tape over them, to protect them - so I'm not convinced of the authenticity of that.
posted by b33j at 8:46 PM on January 14, 2013

The Speech Accent Archive won't have those specific words, but it will give you a general feeling of how it should sound.
posted by rakaidan at 8:47 PM on January 14, 2013

I'm happy to do the transcript but I've been told my accent is weird (Northern NSW/south east QLD with WAY too much british TV growing up).

Pussy is rarely ever used in my social circles, usually it's sort of glossed over, or 'bits' if we're having to state it. Otherwise it gets pretty technical. I'm early thirties.
posted by geek anachronism at 9:02 PM on January 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

Crikey! Now that I've read the script there is definitely NOT ENOUGH SWEARING for a real aussie chick.
posted by Kerasia at 9:03 PM on January 14, 2013 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: Kerasia, I bet my director would let me ad lib a few extra. :) This is known as one of the most swear-heavy monologues.
posted by lemoncakeisalie at 9:11 PM on January 14, 2013

Yeah, more 'fuckings' would go down well, and I don't know how regional it is but I've never gotten fully undressed for a pap smear - last time it was knickers off, hike up my skirt and lay on the plain old exam table (hands under my bum, heels together, knees apart). And my GP made sure the speculum was not cold (no warmer, but he held it in his hands while we discussed what was about to happen).

I'll do it when the child is otherwise engaged...
posted by geek anachronism at 9:28 PM on January 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

I am an Australian female with broadcast training and I would be happy to Skype with you if it would help. Send me a memail.
posted by embrangled at 10:48 PM on January 14, 2013

Embrangled, you could come into the CRN studios with me.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 11:12 PM on January 14, 2013 [2 favorites]

An Australian female with radio experience here... Happy to record for you, just me mail me. Also happy to do two versions, one with ad-libbing using Austrayan vernacular, and one without.
posted by Alice Russel-Wallace at 11:21 PM on January 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

Seconding that Victoria Mielewska interview suggestion from insomniax. She talks about the different ways English speakers shape their throat and tongue depending on where they're from. It's not much information but it's pretty interesting.

Also, if you can get hold of Ben Folds' Fear of Pop collaboration, the song 'Root to this' features some amusing Aussie female swearing.
posted by fonetik at 11:35 PM on January 14, 2013 [1 favorite]

Also.... there is a not-insignificant number of vulgar Australian women who say cunt happily and liberally amongst consenting adults. If you step back from the word, it's unAustralian.

This was me:

BIG TIP......Don't look shocked when someone in the audience says "cunt". When I went to see it a few years ago.... at some stage in the beginning we, the audience, were asked to say "cunt" by one of the actresses. So I did. Loudly and proudly. Oops.

Apparently we were all supposed to be timid and ashamed and not able to say it till we'd been more warmed up by the monlogues... I was sitting in almost the front row... it was sort of "theatre in the round" so the actress asking got a very surprised look on her face. THEN I was embarrassed. (The whole audience laughed though, I have to say.... I didn't mean to undermine/upstage the artistic integrity..it's just not a word that I think should be whispered.)
posted by taff at 16:35 on December 7, 2008 [+] [!]
posted by taff at 12:15 AM on January 15, 2013 [3 favorites]

No seriously, we should start a group: Australian metafilter women with broadcast training. We could have our own podcast discussing posted metafilter topics from a austra-gyno perspective.
posted by Kerasia at 1:27 AM on January 15, 2013 [2 favorites]

Oh, and...

Cunt. Cunt. Cunt. Cunt.
Cunt. Cunt. Cunt. Cunt.
Cuntitty cuuuunt, cuntitty cuuuunt.

I am about to spouse Taff.
posted by Kerasia at 1:29 AM on January 15, 2013 [1 favorite]

I am trying to do an Aus chick version of the script but I don't know how to translate "poor-ass" into Australian.
As in: "thinking up ways to torture my poor-ass, gentle, loving vagina."
posted by Kerasia at 1:35 AM on January 15, 2013

I take 'poor-ass' and 'motherfucker' as loanwords - americanisms without direct translations.
posted by geek anachronism at 2:21 AM on January 15, 2013

I would say 'busted arse' before 'poor ass' but I acknowledge 'busted arse' isn't exactly common parliance.
posted by Trivia Newton John at 2:58 AM on January 15, 2013

The translation of "poor ass" is *obviously* "poor cunt".

yes, i expect this to be deleted along with much of the latter part of this thread
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:31 AM on January 15, 2013

Pork hunt. That better Ubu?
posted by Trivia Newton John at 3:39 AM on January 15, 2013

Yeah, but remember that the H is dropped. Pork'unt.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:42 AM on January 15, 2013

Um, are we not allowed to say :sotto voce: that word here? That's unStrayan.
posted by taff at 4:06 AM on January 15, 2013

This is AskMe. Youse cunts are no longer answering the question.
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:21 AM on January 15, 2013

A lass, pork hunt, we never went on one.
aaand deleted in 3, 2, 1
posted by moody cow at 5:38 AM on January 15, 2013

Response by poster: Does anyone have suggestions on how to go a bit broader with my Australian accent and stay away from a Kiwi (New Zealand) sound? I had my first linguistics class from a lovely lady from Christchurch, and her accent so fascinated me that I memorized many of her vowels, and they're creeping into my Aussie accent as I go further from the posh accent.
posted by lemoncakeisalie at 3:54 PM on January 16, 2013

Listen to more cockney folk. Cockney with flattened vowels.

(And I'm not just saying that so I can say cock on MeFi.)
posted by taff at 5:23 PM on January 16, 2013

I'm a Kiwi turned Aussie, I could probably give you some tips - do you have a recording of yourself?
posted by embrangled at 6:30 PM on January 16, 2013

Bullshit embrangled. Really? Well, I endorse you as a consultant, I have never heard an odd vowel leave your mouth. I'm astounded!
posted by taff at 5:14 AM on January 17, 2013 [1 favorite]

Yep, born and bred in Nyoo Zild, bro! But it's good to hear I've successfully disguised myself as a, uh, true blue Aussie sheila, maaate. lemoncakeisalie, I'd be happy to critique your vowels but it's difficult to describe in print - memail me a link to a recording. Alternatively, the offer to skype still stands. New Zealand and Australian accents done by US actors are often pretty terrible (too much cockney!) so I'm impressed by your dedication to getting it right :)
posted by embrangled at 12:21 PM on January 17, 2013

Uz thir thit mech duffrunce bitwin how a Nyoo Zilder ind un Ozzie would swir? For iximple, how would a Nyoo Zilder say "cunt"? It wuldint rhyme with "fush" or "chups" would it?
posted by UbuRoivas at 4:11 PM on January 17, 2013

I may or may not have sat at the bus stop, absentmindedly mouthing "cunt" to myself to figure out precisely what the pronunciation difference is. I think it's that the Strine vowel is formed towards the back of the mouth, while the Nyoo Zild vowel is formed at the front. I'm going to stop now, before my fellow passengers get the wrong idea.
posted by embrangled at 12:16 AM on January 18, 2013 [1 favorite]