Categories: just-life
Date: 14 April 2011 09:21:41
One of my all time favourite musicals is that of 'My Fair Lady' and I have been listening to the 2001 London Cast recording far too much over the last couple of weeks... but as it's very, very good I'm not complaining. It also has possibly the best closing line of any film.
In the opening song of the musical, Professor Higgens is lamenting to Colonel Pickering about the quality of spoken English; "Hear them down in Soho Square, Dropping aitches everywhere," and it is so true. I've had a few friends who've cme from Sarf London and I have trained myself not to to wince as they mangle the language...
But before you think that I'm picking on the people of Sarf London I'm not... well, not only... ;o) I was in my local superstore this week and listing to some of the younger people chatting away in the local accent I really did want to throw some orranges at them to stop... And unlike Professor Higgins where it is the accent; "Hear a Yorkshireman or worse, hear a Cornishman converse," or, "The Scots and Irish leave you close to tears," I actually like different accents.
When I went back to Wales this weekend gone I quite enjoyed just sitting back in the pub and listening to people chatting away in their Welsh accent. I like the burr from the South West... the Irish and the Scotish accents I find quite nice... as long as the English used is correct enough that you wouldn't have to change the spelling to make the written word vaugely like the spoken word.
I mean.... is that too much to ask... or should that be arsk...?? ;o)
Now.... where the devil are my slippers...??