Locust Valley lockjaw
Encyclopedia
Locust Valley Lockjaw is the colloquial term for a stereotypical upper class
American
accent associated with elite residents of the New York metropolitan area
, particularly those on the North Shore
of Long Island
. The accent takes its name from the hamlet of Locust Valley
in Oyster Bay
, whose exclusive country clubs (Piping Rock
, Beaver Dam, Seawanhaka, and The Creek) have included speakers of the accent. The accent is typically non-rhotic
and involves speaking while keeping the lips tight and jaw clenched and thrust forward.
Individuals who have been described as affecting a recognizable Lockjaw accent (other than Kay Thompson
's fictional Eloise
) include Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
, who learned it at Miss Porter's School
and affected it for a time, (until it was later modified and softened with an overlay of New York's Upper East side), U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
, actress Katharine Hepburn
, conservative commentator William F. Buckley, Jr.
, publisher and What's My Line personality Bennett Cerf
. It is used to pigeonhole the television characters of Jane Hathaway, the secretary on The Beverly Hillbillies
, and Thurston Howell III, the millionaire on the television series Gilligan's Island
. An exaggerated example is semi-recurring Family Guy
character James William Bottomtooth III who has such extreme underbite
he can hardly be understood.
In the 1958 film Auntie Mame
, the accent is used to establish Gloria Upson, (played by Joanna Barnes
), the fiancee of Mame's nephew, as fiercely snobbish, self-centered and superficial. She stops the conversation cold as she recounts a "ghastly" mishap at a country-club ping-pong tournament against opponent Bunny Bixler, delivering the line, "And I stepped on the ping-pong ball!" The 1983 feature film Trading Places
, used this classic line as an homage
to class distinction. In order to parody the elite social status of Louis Winthorp III's (Dan Ackroyd) friends, "Bunny Bixler" (played by Susan Fallender
), delivers a version of the tag line from her point of view, using the identical accent.
During the movie "Agent for H.A.R.M" on the comedy show Mystery Science Theater 3000
, Mike Nelson and the 'bots use the accent to deliver comedic asides during scenes depicting the clean-cut, sweater-wearing villains.
Upper class
In social science, the "upper class" is the group of people at the top of a social hierarchy. Members of an upper class may have great power over the allocation of resources and governmental policy in their area.- Historical meaning :...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
accent associated with elite residents of the New York metropolitan area
New York metropolitan area
The New York metropolitan area, also known as Greater New York, or the Tri-State area, is the region that composes of New York City and the surrounding region...
, particularly those on the North Shore
North Shore (Long Island)
The North Shore of Long Island is the area along Long Island's northern coast, bordering Long Island Sound. The region has long been the most affluent on Long Island, as well as the most affluent in the New York metropolitan area, which has earned it the nickname "the Gold Coast." Though some...
of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
. The accent takes its name from the hamlet of Locust Valley
Locust Valley, New York
Locust Valley is a hamlet located in Nassau County, New York. Locust Valley is an unincorporated area of the Town of Oyster Bay...
in Oyster Bay
Oyster Bay (town), New York
The Town of Oyster Bay is easternmost of the three towns in Nassau County, New York, in the United States. Part of the New York metropolitan area, it is the only town in Nassau County that extends from the North Shore to the South Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 census, the town population was...
, whose exclusive country clubs (Piping Rock
Piping Rock Club
Piping Rock Club is a country club in Locust Valley, New York.-History:The Piping Rock clubhouse was designed by American designer Guy Lowell, and built in 1911. Lowell based his designs on American colonial architecture a desire to link the house with the landscape...
, Beaver Dam, Seawanhaka, and The Creek) have included speakers of the accent. The accent is typically non-rhotic
Rhotic and non-rhotic accents
English pronunciation can be divided into two main accent groups: a rhotic speaker pronounces a rhotic consonant in words like hard; a non-rhotic speaker does not...
and involves speaking while keeping the lips tight and jaw clenched and thrust forward.
Individuals who have been described as affecting a recognizable Lockjaw accent (other than Kay Thompson
Kay Thompson
Kay Thompson was an American author, composer, musician, actress and singer. She is best known as the creator of the Eloise children's books.-Background:Catherine Louise Fink was born in St...
's fictional Eloise
Eloise (books)
Eloise is the name of the protagonist in a series of children's books written by Kay Thompson and illustrated by Hilary Knight.Eloise is a six-year-old girl who lives in the "room on the tippy-top floor" of the Plaza Hotel in New York with her Nanny, her pug dog Weenie, and her turtle Skipperdee. A...
) include Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jacqueline Lee Bouvier "Jackie" Kennedy Onassis was the wife of the 35th President of the United States, John F. Kennedy, and served as First Lady of the United States during his presidency from 1961 until his assassination in 1963. Five years later she married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle...
, who learned it at Miss Porter's School
Miss Porter's School
Miss Porter's School, sometimes simply referred to as Porter's or Farmington, is a private college preparatory school for girls located in Farmington, Connecticut.- History :...
and affected it for a time, (until it was later modified and softened with an overlay of New York's Upper East side), U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin D. Roosevelt
Franklin Delano Roosevelt , also known by his initials, FDR, was the 32nd President of the United States and a central figure in world events during the mid-20th century, leading the United States during a time of worldwide economic crisis and world war...
, actress Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Hepburn
Katharine Houghton Hepburn was an American actress of film, stage, and television. In a career that spanned 62 years as a leading lady, she was best known for playing strong-willed, sophisticated women in both dramas and comedies...
, conservative commentator William F. Buckley, Jr.
William F. Buckley, Jr.
William Frank Buckley, Jr. was an American conservative author and commentator. He founded the political magazine National Review in 1955, hosted 1,429 episodes of the television show Firing Line from 1966 until 1999, and was a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. His writing was noted for...
, publisher and What's My Line personality Bennett Cerf
Bennett Cerf
Bennett Alfred Cerf was a publisher and co-founder of Random House. Cerf was also known for his own compilations of jokes and puns, for regular personal appearances lecturing across the United States, and for his television appearances in the panel game show What's My Line?.-Biography:Bennett Cerf...
. It is used to pigeonhole the television characters of Jane Hathaway, the secretary on The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies
The Beverly Hillbillies is an American situation comedy originally broadcast for nine seasons on CBS from 1962 to 1971, starring Buddy Ebsen, Irene Ryan, Donna Douglas, and Max Baer, Jr....
, and Thurston Howell III, the millionaire on the television series Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island
Gilligan's Island is an American television series created and produced by Sherwood Schwartz and originally produced by United Artists Television. The situation comedy series featured Bob Denver; Alan Hale, Jr.; Jim Backus; Natalie Schafer; Tina Louise; Russell Johnson; and Dawn Wells. It aired for...
. An exaggerated example is semi-recurring Family Guy
Family Guy
Family Guy is an American animated television series created by Seth MacFarlane for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series centers on the Griffins, a dysfunctional family consisting of parents Peter and Lois; their children Meg, Chris, and Stewie; and their anthropomorphic pet dog Brian...
character James William Bottomtooth III who has such extreme underbite
Malocclusion
A malocclusion is a misalignment of teeth or incorrect relation between the teeth of the two dental arches. The term was coined by Edward Angle, the "father of modern orthodontics", as a derivative of occlusion, which refers to the manner in which opposing teeth meet.-Presentation:Most people have...
he can hardly be understood.
In the 1958 film Auntie Mame
Auntie Mame
Auntie Mame is a 1955 novel by Patrick Dennis that chronicles the madcap adventures of a boy, Patrick, growing up as the ward of his deceased father's eccentric sister, Mame Dennis. The book is a work of fiction inspired by the author's eccentric aunt, Marion Tanner, whose life and outlook in many...
, the accent is used to establish Gloria Upson, (played by Joanna Barnes
Joanna Barnes
Joanna Barnes is an American actress and writer.Barnes was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but moved to Los Angeles, California soon after finishing her education, and took up a contract with Columbia Pictures...
), the fiancee of Mame's nephew, as fiercely snobbish, self-centered and superficial. She stops the conversation cold as she recounts a "ghastly" mishap at a country-club ping-pong tournament against opponent Bunny Bixler, delivering the line, "And I stepped on the ping-pong ball!" The 1983 feature film Trading Places
Trading Places
Trading Places is a 1983 American comedy film, of the satire genre, directed by John Landis, starring Dan Aykroyd and Eddie Murphy. It tells the story of an upper class commodities broker and a homeless street hustler whose lives cross paths when they are unknowingly made part of an elaborate bet...
, used this classic line as an homage
Homage
Homage is a show or demonstration of respect or dedication to someone or something, sometimes by simple declaration but often by some more oblique reference, artistic or poetic....
to class distinction. In order to parody the elite social status of Louis Winthorp III's (Dan Ackroyd) friends, "Bunny Bixler" (played by Susan Fallender
Charles Shaughnessy
Charles George Patrick Shaughnessy, 5th Baron Shaughnessy , simply known as Charles Shaughnessy, is a British peer, and television, theatre and film actor. He is known for his roles on American television, as Shane Donovan on the soap opera Days of our Lives and as Maxwell Sheffield on the sitcom...
), delivers a version of the tag line from her point of view, using the identical accent.
During the movie "Agent for H.A.R.M" on the comedy show Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000
Mystery Science Theater 3000 is an American cult television comedy series created by Joel Hodgson and produced by Best Brains, Inc., that ran from 1988 to 1999....
, Mike Nelson and the 'bots use the accent to deliver comedic asides during scenes depicting the clean-cut, sweater-wearing villains.
External links
- Locust Valley, Long Island
- youtube.com — clip from Auntie Mame