Cockney accent via Alabama

[sir pink]

I have a redneck character who uses a lousy British accent partially from self-amusement and partially from
superiority.

What is proper to denote this - or any accent?

Certainly not to parenthetical it each time - horrid!

Is once in the character descript with the occasional nod to phonetics in the dialogue OK??
(cause that's what I got)

Because, y'know, in a comedy sometimes the line ain't so frickin' comical as the way it's said...

[refriedwhiskey]

If he talks that way all the time, then yeah -- I would just say so when the character is introduced, then use phonetics *very sparingly* to suggest his speech patters. If you try and write all of his dialogue the way it sounds, it'll drive readers nuts. A little bit goes a long way.

[whistlelock]

it's a thin line between dialect and dumb. be careful not to cross it.

[theturnaround]

rather than write phonetically, which is a bad idea, i would periodically mix in the english vernacular, "half past four," "bollocks," "mincer," etc.

theturnaround

[E J Pennypacker]

I have a redneck character who uses a lousy British accent partially from self-amusement and partially from superiority.

A 'cockney' accent denotes someone from a blue-collar/ working class background. I would hardly refer to it as 'superior'. I think you may mean 'posh', like the Royals use?

EJ

[NikeeGoddess]

i don't know what your story is about but, if you do some research you'll find that some regions of england that spoke with a cockney accent migrated to the south and helped to cultivate that redneck accent. in a totally diff region they migrated to boston ;)

write on!

[sir pink]

Indeed! Posh, not cockney...

You know like Madonna did for awhile.

By the way Nikee Goddess - You are the mecca.

I honor thee for your ever guiding hand.