Is McCoy still Southern?

[catecumen]

Fic-related question: is the Abramsverse McCoy still Southern, like DeForest Kelley's TOS version of the character? or is he more of a generic-sort-of-Midwesterner now?

Comments

[miss_s_b]

Clueless Brit checking in: can you explain those terms to me? Where does the South begin and end, and what the hell does Midwest mean, in terms of USian geography?

[catecumen]

Ah, that's quite a topic for endless argument - just look at the which states are the South? entry in Wikipedia for an example - but the TOS actor, DeForest Kelley, was from Atlanta, Georgia, which is pretty much universally agreed upon by everyone to be a "Southern" state. Iowa, not only Kirk's home state but also the location where both Kirk and McCoy board that shuttle to join Starfleet, is located in the Midwest. However, just because the Abramsverse McCoy gets on that flight from a location in Iowa doesn't necessarily mean that he is from that area, since we don't know how many different locations exist in North America from which to enlist in Starfleet. One of the defining characteristics of DeForest Kelley's Dr. McCoy, as often stereotyped in fan fiction, was his use of somewhat exaggerated "Southern" old-country-boy mannerisms and patterns of speech. From what we've seen so far, I don't think the Abramsverse McCoy would speak like this.

[miss_s_b]

And there was me thinking it was a simple matter of accent. New McCoy was audibly different from the others to these ears.

[catecumen]

Since I don't have it here to replay, I guess I'll just have to go see the movie again with my friend from Georgia. Strictly for accent verification purposes, of course. :-)

[miss_s_b]

Oh you poor thing. That sounds like such a chore! I can't imagine having to go through all that just for fic accuracy... ;)

[lifebecomesart]

His accent isn't as pronounced as DeForest's was, but he made a few comments that were very Southern. I think they're probably going more on his mannerisms and sayings to link him to old!Bones rather than his accent.

[ponygirl72]

Karl Urban is a Kiwi, according to Wikipedia, so any American accent he has in the movie is an assumed one. I'm a midwesterner, one state removed from Iowa, and I *thought* I was hearing an attempt at some broad, Southern vowels in the performance.

In my personal canon, McCoy is a Georgia boy, until I'm told otherwise. :-)