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m Dating maintenance tags: {{Primary sources}}
All easily merged to "Theater use" section of mid-Atlantic accent
 
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{{merge to|Mid-Atlantic accent|date=June 2016}}
#redirect [[Mid-Atlantic accent]]
{{Primary sources|date=June 2016}}
'''American Theater Standard''', also known as '''Theater Standard''', '''Eastern Standard''', '''American Stage Speech''', '''Stage Standard''', '''Standard American Pronunciation''', '''Standard American Stage''', '''Skinner Standard''', "'''Good American Speech'''"<ref name="Knight 1997, p. 174">{{Harvcoltxt|Knight|1997|p=174}}</ref> or "'''Good Speech'''", is a stage dialect associated with the voice coach Edith Skinner and defined in her work ''Speak With Distinction''.<ref name="s"/> It is taught as the appropriate dialect for use in "classics" and "elevated texts"<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Skinner|1990|p=334}}</ref> (such as the works of [[Shakespeare]]) in several dramatic schools in the United States, including [[Carnegie Mellon School of Drama]], [[Juilliard School]], [[California Institute of the Arts]], the [[Tisch School of the Arts]], [[Webster University]], the [[University of Evansville]], and the [[Yale School of Drama]]; and the [[American Conservatory Theater]] in San Francisco, where Edith Skinner taught for many years. It codifies a [[Mid-Atlantic English|Mid-Atlantic]] version of English widely used in Hollywood films of the 1930s and 1940s, associated with figures such as [[Cary Grant]] and [[Franklin Roosevelt]].<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|LaBouff|207|pp=241-242}}</ref>

==Vowels==
{|class="wikitable"
|+ Short [[monophthong]]s<ref name="s">{{Harvcoltxt|Skinner|1990}}</ref>
!
|[[Front vowel|Front]]
|[[Central vowel|Central]]
|[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-align=center
! [[Close vowel|Close]]
| {{IPA|ɪ}}
|
| {{IPA|ʊ}}
|-align=center
! [[Close vowel|Close-Mid]]
| {{IPA|e}}
|
| {{IPA|o*}}
|-align=center
! [[Open vowel|Open-Mid]]
|
| {{IPA|ə*}}
|
|-align=center
![[Open vowel|Near-open]]
| {{IPA|æ}}
| {{IPA|ʌ}}
|
|-align=center
![[Open vowel|Open]]
| {{IPA|a}}
|
| {{IPA|ɒ}}
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> only occurs in unstressed syllables

{|class="wikitable"
|+ Long monophthongs<ref name="s"/>
!
|[[Front vowel|Front]]
|[[Central vowel|Central]]
|[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-align=center
! [[Close vowel|Close]]
| {{IPA|iː}}
|
| {{IPA|uː}}
|-align=center
! [[Mid vowel|Mid]]
|
| {{IPA|ɜː}}
| {{IPA|ɔː}}
|-align=center
|-align=center
![[Open vowel|Open]]
|
|
| {{IPA|ɑː}}
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|+ Closing [[diphthong]]s<ref name="s"/>
!
|[[Front vowel|Front]]
|[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-align=center
! Close-mid
| {{IPA|eɪ̯}}
| {{IPA|oʊ̯}}
|-align=center
! Open-mid
|
| {{IPA|ɔɪ̯}}
|-align=center
|-align=center
! Open
| {{IPA|aɪ̯}}
| {{IPA|ɑʊ̯}}
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|+ Centering diphthongs<ref name="s"/>
!
|[[Front vowel|Front]]
|[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-align=center
! Close
| {{IPA|ɪə̯}}
|{{IPA|ʊə̯}}
|-align=center
! Close-mid
|{{IPA|ɛə̯}}
|{{IPA|ɔə̯}}
|-align=center
|-align=center
! Open
|
| {{IPA|ɑə̯}}
|}

{|class="wikitable"
|+ Triphthongs<ref name="s"/>
!
|[[Front vowel|Front]]
|[[Back vowel|Back]]
|-align=center
! Open
| {{IPA|aɪ̯ə}}
| {{IPA|ɑʊ̯ə}}
|}

===Realization===
The long monophthongs and closing diphthongs each have three possible lengths:<ref name="s" />
* long, when occurring in a stressed syllable and either word-final or followed by a voiced consonant
* mid-long, when otherwise occurring in a stressed syllable
* short, otherwise

All other vowels are short at all times.

===Lexical distribution of vowels===

This table shows the distribution of the vowels in accordance with the [[Lexical set#Wells Standard Lexical Sets for English|Standard Lexical Sets]] of John C. Wells:

{| class="IPA wikitable"
|-
| <small>KIT</small> || ɪ || <small>FLEECE</small> || iː || <small>NEAR</small> || ɪə̯
|-
| <small>DRESS</small> || e || <small>FACE</small> || eɪ̯ || <small>SQUARE</small> || ɛə̯
|-
| <small>TRAP</small> || æ || <small>PALM</small> || ɑː || <small>START</small> || ɑə̯, ɑː *
|-
| <small>LOT</small> || ɒ || <small>THOUGHT</small> || ɔː || <small>NORTH</small> || ɔə̯, ɔː *
|-
| <small>STRUT</small> || ʌ || <small>GOAT</small> || oʊ̯ || <small>FORCE</small> || ɔə̯, ɔː *
|-
| <small>FOOT</small> || ʊ || <small>GOOSE</small> || uː || <small>CURE</small> || ʊə̯
|-
| <small>BATH</small> || a || <small>PRICE</small> || aɪ̯ || ''happ''<small>Y</small> || ɪ
|-
| <small>CLOTH</small> || ɒ || <small>CHOICE</small> || ɔɪ̯ || ''lett''<small>ER</small> || ə
|-
| <small>NURSE</small> || ɜː || <small>MOUTH</small> || ɑʊ̯ || ''comm''<small>A</small> || ə <sup>1</sup>
|}
<nowiki>*</nowiki> In words of the <small>START</small>, <small>NORTH</small> and <small>FORCE</small> sets, closing diphthongs are used wherever a historical /r/ has been vocalized, and in the close derivatives of such words: long monophthongs are used elsewhere. Thus ''star'' is {{IPA|/stɑə̯/}}, ''starring'' is {{IPA|/ˈstɑə̯rɪŋ/}}, but ''Sahara'' is {{IPA|/səˈhɑːrə/}}.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Skinner|1990|p=135}}</ref> Similarly, ''score'' is {{IPA|/skɔə̯/}}, ''scorer'' is {{IPA|/ˈskɔə̯rə/}}, but ''Taurus'' is {{IPA|/ˈtɔːrəs/}}.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Skinner|1990|pp=126 and 178}}</ref>

<sup>1</sup> The ''comm''<small>A</small> set is specially marked to disallow the use of intrusive R (see below).

Triphthongs are used in words such as ''hire'' {{IPA|/haɪ̯ə/}}, ''flower'' {{IPA|/ˈflɑʊ̯ə/}}.

In unstressed syllables, {{IPA|/o/}} is used in words such as ''obey''</i> {{IPA|/oˈbeɪ̯/}}. It usually occurs in the first syllable of a word, and is never found at the end of a word.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Skinner|1990|p=343}}</ref>

In unstressed syllables, {{IPA|/ɪ/}} (rather than {{IPA|/ə/}}) is used in many places including the prefixes ''ex-'', ''be-'', ''de-'', ''se-'', ''re-'', ''pre-'' and the suffixes ''-ed'' (when pronounced), ''-et'', ''-it'', ''-est'', ''-less'', ''-ness'', ''-in'', ''-ing'', ''-ive'', ''-eth'', ''-es'', and ''-age''.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Skinner|1990|pp=64-65}}</ref> (See [[Phonological history of English high front vowels#Weak-vowel merger|weak-vowel merger]]).

In ''Speak With Distinction'', Skinner herself used a different set of keywords: w'''''i'''''ll, l'''''e'''''t, P'''''a'''''t, h'''''o'''''nest, c'''''u'''''p, w'''''ou'''''ld, p'''''a'''''ss, st'''''ir''''', L'''''ee''''', p'''''ay''''', f'''''a'''''thers, '''''a'''''ll, g'''''o''''', wh'''''o''''', '''''you''''',<ref>"you" is used when the vowel is preceded by {{IPA|/j/}}; "who" otherwise</ref> m'''''y''''', b'''''oy''''', n'''''ow''''', h'''''ere''''''s, th'''''eir''''', c'''''ar''''', '''''ore''''', p'''''oor''''', th'''''e''''' s'''''ur'''''prise.

==Consonants==

{| class="wikitable"
!
![[bilabial consonant|Bilabial]]
![[labiodental consonant|Labio-<br>dental]]
![[dental consonant|Dental]]
![[alveolar consonant|Alveolar]]
![[postalveolar consonant|Post-<br>alveolar]]
![[palatal consonant|Palatal]]
![[velar consonant|Velar]]
![[glottal consonant|Glottal]]
|-align=center
![[nasal stop|Nasal]]
| {{IPA|m}}
|
|
| {{IPA|n}}
|
|
| {{IPA|ŋ}}
|
|-align=center
![[Plosive consonant|Plosive]]
| {{IPA|p&nbsp;&nbsp;b}}
|
|
| {{IPA|t&nbsp;&nbsp;d}}
|
|
| {{IPA|k&nbsp;&nbsp;ɡ}}
|
|-align=center
![[affricate consonant|Affricate]]
|
|
|
|
| {{IPA|t͡ʃ&nbsp;&nbsp;d͡ʒ}}
|
|
|
|-align=center
![[fricative consonant|Fricative]]
|
| {{IPA|f&nbsp;&nbsp;v}}
| {{IPA|θ&nbsp;&nbsp;ð}}
| {{IPA|s&nbsp;&nbsp;z}}
| {{IPA|ʃ&nbsp;&nbsp;ʒ}}
|
| {{IPA|ʍ}}
| {{IPA|h}}
|-align=center
![[approximant consonant|Approximant]]
|
|
|
|
| {{IPA|r}}
| {{IPA|j}}
| {{IPA|w}}
|
|-align=center
![[lateral consonant|Lateral]]
|
|
|
| {{IPA|l}}
|
|
|
|
|}

{{IPA|ʍ}} is used in most words spelled "wh".<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Skinner|1990|p=335}}</ref>
{{IPA|/h/}} may be voiced ({{IPA|[ɦ]}}) between two vowel sounds. [[Linking R]] is used but [[intrusive R]] is not permitted.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Skinner|1990|p=102}}</ref> The consonant clusters {{IPA|/tj/}}, {{IPA|/dj/}}, {{IPA|/nj/}}, {{IPA|/sj/}} and {{IPA|/lj/}} (as in ''tune'', ''due'', ''new'', ''pursue'', ''evolution'') are all present, as found in Received Pronunciation, but in few North American dialects (see [[yod-dropping]]). In {{IPA|/sj/}} and {{IPA|/lj/}}, yod-dropping is optional.<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Skinner|1990|p=336}}</ref>

==Comparison with other accents==
American Theater Standard is similar to English [[Received Pronunciation]] (RP). The chief points of difference are:
* The addition of a distinctive phoneme {{IPA|/a/}} for words in the <small>BATH</small> set only. This is sometimes known as "Intermediate A" (contrasting to "Broad A" of RP).<ref name="Knight 1997, p. 174"/>
* The addition of closing diphthongs {{IPA|/ɑə̯/}}, {{IPA|/ɔə̯/}} for most words in the <small>START</small>, <small>NORTH</small> and <small>FORCE</small> sets. This means that American Theater Standard distinguishes pairs such as ''father-farther'' and ''caught-court'' that are homophones in RP.
* Mid back rounded starting point {{IPA|[o]}} of the <small>GOAT</small> diphthong, rather than the mid central unrounded one {{IPA|[ə]}} used in contemporary RP.
* The presence of the unstressed {{IPA|/o/}} vowel.
* The lack of intrusive R.
* The presence of {{IPA|/ʍ/}}, and resistance to the [[Phonological history of wh#Wine–whine merger|wine–whine merger]].

Comparison with [[General American]] accents reveals far more extensive differences:

* Resistance to the [[Phonological history of English low back vowels#Father–bother merger|father-bother]] and [[Phonological history of English low back vowels#Cot–caught merger|cot–caught]] mergers.
* The separate phoneme {{IPA|/a/}} for words in the <small>BATH</small> set.
* Absence of the [[Phonological history of English low back vowels#Lot–cloth split|lot–cloth split]].
* Retention of vowel length distinctions.
* Resistance to the [[Phonological history of English high front vowels#Weak-vowel merger|weak-vowel merger]].
* Nonprevocalic {{IPA|/r/}} is either replaced by centering diphthongs or dropped completely.
* Resistance to the [[English-language vowel changes before historic r#Mary–marry–merry merger|Mary-marry-merry]], [[English-language vowel changes before historic r#Mirror–nearer merger|mirror-nearer]] and [[English-language vowel changes before historic r#Hurry–furry merger|hurry–furry]] mergers.
* Absence of [[Phonological history of English consonant clusters#Yod-dropping|yod-dropping]] after {{IPA|/t/}}, {{IPA|/d/}} and {{IPA|/n/}}.
* Absence of [[Intervocalic alveolar flapping|lenition of intervocalic /t/]].

==Criticism==
American Theater Standard has been criticized as "mired in a self-serving and archaic notion of Euphony, and in a model of class, ethnic and racial hierarchy that is irrelevant to the acting of classical texts and repellent to the sensibilities of most theatre artists",<ref>{{Harvcoltxt|Knight|1997|p=177}}</ref> and as "a strange artifact of the Edwardian era [that] still exists, little changed, as we approach the year 2000".<ref name="k">{{Harvcoltxt|Knight|1997|p=178}}</ref> It is said to sound "somewhat British, but not fully so".<ref name="k"/>

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
* {{citation
|last=Knight
|first=Dudley
|chapter=Standard Speech: The Ongoing Debate
|editor-last=Hampton
|editor-first=Marian E.
|year=1997
|location=New York
|title=The vocal vision: views on voice by 24 leading teachers, coaches & directors
|publisher=Applause
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=5rpts9b0hN0C
}}
* {{cite book
|title=Singing and communicating in English: a singer's guide to English diction
|last=LaBouff
|first=Kathryn
|publisher=Oxford University Press
|year=2007
|isbn=0-19-531138-8
|pages=241–242
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=57WViR5nTrYC
|location=New York
}}
* {{Cite journal
|doi=10.1215/01610775-25-1-78
|title=The Falling Standard
|last=Mufson
|first=Daniel
|journal=Theater
|year=1994
|volume=25 | issue = 1
|pages=78–81
|url=http://theater.dukejournals.org/cgi/pdf_extract/25/1/78
}}
* {{cite book
|title=Speak with distinction
|last=Skinner
|first=Edith
|author2=Timothy Monich
|author3=Lilene Mansell (ed.)
|edition=Second
|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=DwTmcanj1LQC
|location=New York
|publisher=Applause Theatre Book Publishers
|year=1990
|isbn=1-55783-047-9
}}

[[Category:American English]]
[[Category:Standard English]]

Latest revision as of 23:12, 7 June 2016

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