howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
this article surprised me as i thought that people had to use estuary english or mockney to get on nowadays.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/20/accent-no-longer-matters-elocutionGuest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#2
Johnny Cash did lend a little humour to the dire warning about building one's dream piece-meal, as I recall.
Plastic surgery, hair-dye, shoe-lifts, lipo-this 'n' that, botox, silicone, a little actual exercise (good for the promo-shots), poetry appreciation classes, deportment tutorials and elocution lessons...the list may not be endless, nor exhaustive either and way more tiresome than exhausting, although much will probably be made of the sacrifices, the devotion etc., but sooner or later the time will come when an actual sentence has to be produced...ah, that is where the pouting seminars come in to their own.
P.S.
In truth and for the sake of fairness. I must admit to having something of a personal interest in all and any talk of 'accent'. That I am also twice the man of any of those with experience of the procedures and what-nots above, but enough of me...and there is.
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#3
Many people on the Television - to me, really spoil themselves completely when the start to talk; some of the so called slebs are the worst, it's not much the regional accent (although there are some I think are really awful) as the complete laziness in talking.
Roger
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#4
Proper language, in writing or speech - with or without a regional accent - can be a joy to the reader or listener. Grammar, style, syntax and vocabulary are the tools in the toolbox of the writer and public speaker in the same way as brush control and the knowledge of the properties of different paint media are the tools of the visual artist and as major/minor keys, time signatures and tempos are the tools of the composer.
Unfortunately nowadays we hear so many BBC and other personalities debase our language and see it mangled on a daily basis by the tabloids. The reason is that for too many years schools have not taught English properly. No longer are pupils penalised for spelling mistakes or errors in grammar or punctuation in public exams.
That's like expecting a builder to construct a house with no knowledge of bricklaying.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
#5
I would never have passed an exam if spelling mistakes had been penalised , I have no knowlege of english grammer either ,
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#6
well said sarah
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#7
Don't agree Sarah. They only stopped penalising such errors when they stopped teaching grammar. So had you been educated in an environment where proper English was considered an essential building block in the learning process, you would have been taught grammar until your ears bled.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#8
as i am one that is guilty of lazy english i cannot say too much but expect better of our media idols.
sarah mentions spelling and grammar but if people have other skills and can make themselves clear i don't think it is that important.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#9
i'm with you sarah
should not judge people
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#10
Keith I'm not judging anyone. I'm just saying, how can you do a job properly without possessing the tools?
I'm still saving up to buy a shift key for you and Howard though.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
#11
thats nothing short of judging
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
#12
Peter , I was educated in the Grammar School sysytem in Kent at the same time as you . The teaching system didnt make my ears bleed but it did suceeed in making my soul cry , no mean feat .
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#13
you may have a long wait peter, i never learned about proper nouns and starting sentences.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#14
Sarah I think I am a few years older than you. I did my A levels in 1970 and went to a public school.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
#15
Only a few years Peter , I won a scholarship to a public school but was unable to take it up . I was probably 6 years behind you in the system
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#16
public school peter, i do hope that you did not pick up any nasty habits there?
still it qualifies you to be either prime minister or chancellor.
Guest 710- Registered: 28 Feb 2011
- Posts: 6,950
#17
If only we cherished Libraries for reading is the key.
Because of my own 'foibles' with regard to spelling etc. and the school system at the time, (my time at school ended about 1970/1) I passed only one exam in English...the 'O' Level, for they took a maximum of 4 points off for mistakes. Up until then I often went into minus scores.
But, learning is life-long and such should be catered for.
Oh...and I can't half pout..
Ignorance is bliss, bliss is happiness, I am happy...to draw your attention to the possible connectivity in the foregoing.
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#18
Tom, without writing there can be no reading.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
Guest 643- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 1,321
#19
Peter,
I am totally in agreement with you on this. I'm probably a bit older than you and grammar school educated at a time when the English language and everything about it was, as you put it, taught until our ears bled. However, these days even adults of our own era fail to use even basic skills such as full stops, commas, colons and semi colons and capital letters. A sentence is often ignored by not using the proper use of capital letters and spelling is atrocious.
The thing I don't understand is that with the internet we have the ability to rectify our mistakes, by using spellchecker and the like. I think some people are just too lazy to check, it's such a shame. Personally I find that if a person cannot be bothered to use basic use of our language I tend either not to read their posts or I assume they are not worth reading.
Sorry if this offends anyone but it's how I feel. Thank you Peter for raising the subject.
There's always a little truth behind every "Just kidding", a little emotion behind every "I don't care" and a little pain behind every "I'm ok".
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#20
peter,only a shift key,might be better to give them cockney rhyming slag lessons.in arabic if possable.