The EMG Presents: British Drama League The Somerset Accent

Mr J A Garton on the EMG Gramophone

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[quarkwrok]

20 years ago I bought Cider from a man in Zummerzet who spoke like this and I have no problem with the idea that someone who would have been young in the 19th century might speak like it. Southern Rhotic has simply disappeared which is a shame. Can't understand why anyone would find oo-aarr funny. The artificial accent is the one the colonel uses, middle class 1950's I'd say, or my own, slightly nasal Hertfordshire RP. There used to be some old folks in Herts who spoke rhotic and I wish I did.

[EMGColonel]

@quarkwrok I don't have an "Artificial Accent" I athough born in Bucks i was educated at Berkhampstead and so may have a trace of the "Herts" Accent but the idea that it's "1950's" is hilarious ! i was telling a friend recently that Berkhampstead in the 1970's was probably identical to Berkhampstead in the1950's - he laughed but it seems that it may well have been !

[quarkwrok]

@quarkwrok Just to add, RP itself has changed with stretched vowels and a slight burr disappearing. RP originated in the 19th century public and state education system, a kind of lingua franca mixed with elocution and a hefty influence from its top end stemming from continental courtly and emigree aristocracy.

[EMGColonel]

@quarkwrok I'm not so certain about that - listen to my video of Sir Robert BAden Powell (Pole) addressin the public or the one addressing scouts - he speaks with a strange Victorian/Edwardian accent where he literally drops his "G's"

[quarkwrok]

@EMGColonel Yes, this example confirms my point ;) Even what can be made out of the recently posted (somewhere on YT) bit of speech from Queen Victoria seems to show some difference from boring modern RP. The worst are modern UK TV dramas where people speak with a bland graduate/actor form of accent devoid of expression. We need more colourful RP or we might as well go down the Prince Harry route!

[EMGColonel]

@quarkwrok Modern TV Dramas are appauling and bear no relation to reality - "Downton Abbey" is merely "Eastenders with Costumes" the very idea of a Butler pointing out where his Master should shoot is ridiculous ! Hear the recordings of King Edward V111 when Prince of Wales and you hear Not RP but a strange Norfolk like pronunciation heard in echo In our Own Prince Of Wales' Speech

[quarkwrok]

@EMGColonel OK artificial perhaps a bit strong, but a construct which has developed relatively recently in historical terms as per my 2nd post and one which was very much fostered with the idea of 'correct' pronunciation. I have maybe a few doubts about these discs, maybe a bit of 'Sunday Best' creeping in. also, each area had its different class accents too.

[blaenllechau]

OH memories of my grandfather who hailed from Brisl, spoke just like this.

[MIIAIIRIIK]

200 years ago there was no BBC English or Queen's English that we know of today. This kind of pronunciations were more mainstream and acted as the pre-cursor for the American accent. So in a way elements of this still exist!