Entertainment
‘Peppa Pig’ Fame Results in US Kids Developing Dialects
Credit: Unsplash
Youngsters absorb numerous idiosyncrasies and behaviors from the programs they view while growing up. Personally, I still incorporate many of the peculiar jargon I acquired from the odd realm of online cartoons during my upbringing. Though most parents typically set boundaries on their kids’ media consumption, this assimilation process usually occurs gradually and in moderation. However, due to the pandemic confining everyone indoors for over a year, those restrictions often fell aside as kids sought activities. Consequently, this situation has brought about an interesting occurrence for many youngsters in America.
One of the most favored children’s animations globally, following just behind Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob Squarepants, is the UK-originated Peppa Pig. Throughout the lockdown period, American kids had more freedom to enjoy this delightful British show than usual, leading to a notable increase in American children not only adopting British slang like referring to a television as “the telly” and phrases such as “ready, steady, go,” but even conversing in genuine British accents.
“Prior to the pandemic, my 5-year-old niece in NYC spoke with an American accent. However, after spending a year at home engrossed in Peppa Pig, she now speaks with a posh English accent,” recounted Wall Street Journal journalist Preetika Rana.
Curious why American children are adopting British accents? Point the finger at the pandemic “Peppa Pig” marathons. “Can we turn the telly on?” https://t.co/Cd4WHvOZtm
— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) July 18, 2021
“During a recent GETAWAY, my 5-year-old boldly informed me that she was enjoying her HOLIDAY,” shared California resident Matias Cavallin on Twitter in response to Rana’s post, playfully adding, “I reminded her that we speak American in this abode… and also Spanish.”
“Young Peppa enthusiasts view her as a companion… and, akin to how we emulate traits of admired friends, begin to adopt some of their characteristics,” indicated Entertainment One Ltd, the show’s proprietor, in a statement to the Wall Street Journal.
