Pronunciation

[Hockham Admiral]

If you can pronounce correctly every word in this poem, you will be speaking English better than 90% of the native English speakers in the world

After trying the verses, a Frenchman said he’d prefer six months of hard labour to reading six lines aloud, and we’ll be honest with you, we struggled with parts of it.

[JennyMorgan]

I would struggle with the French alternative, fact, but surely the average, reasonably educated Englishman could cope with the above. Suspect a Scotsman would struggle though

[TheQ]

1 hour ago, JennyMorgan said:

I would struggle with the French alternative, fact, but surely the average, reasonably educated Englishman could cope with the above. Suspect a Scotsman would struggle though

I suspect that would depend on whether you allow Birmingham, Liverpool, or Newcastle or any other of the stronger accents.

[Hockham Admiral]

You don't include Norfolk, Queren???         

[TheQ]

I know one strong Norfolk Accented person, yes he couldn't cope with the text, these days the strong  Norfolk Accent has mostly disappeared, I'm more likely to hear SAAF Essex, or Yorkshire or Lithuainian accent than strong Norfolk.

[HakunaMatata]

A German has struggled

That's a good one for training in shools.

[JawsOrca]

This kentish, ex-londoner, working in sussex (spending far too much time in norfolk).. was fine... 

[BroadScot]

They say those from Inverness are the finest speakers in the UK, would find that a breeze!

Iain

[JennyMorgan]

3 hours ago, TheQ said:

I know one strong Norfolk Accented person, yes he couldn't cope with the text, these days the strong  Norfolk Accent has mostly disappeared, I'm more likely to hear SAAF Essex, or Yorkshire or Lithuainian accent than strong Norfolk.

How roight yew are bor! All them b***** foriners wot cum up hair! 

For our continental friends the above is English how it should be spoken, only incomers from other parts of Britain have diluted or even smothered the local Norfolk dialect. You are now about as likely to meet an empty dustbin on the river bank as you are someone genuinely speaking broad Norfolk as their grandparents would have done. 

[TheQ]

40 minutes ago, BroadScot said:

They say those from Inverness are the finest speakers in the UK, would find that a breeze!

Iain

As I went to School at Inverness High School that would be why with added time in England have no trace of a Scottish accent at all, (and have an accent from nowhere in particular)

[BroadScot]

TheQ, they say the same about Dingwall, there has been several lady weather forecasters who hail from there, they got the job because of their excellent diction.

Iain

[TheQ]

There was another good thing about Dingwall..... it was the only School cricket team that the High managed to beat, while I played for the High.

 

Yes I am that bad at any ball sport...

[BroadScot]

Where is the cricket ground there? I've been to the footy ground many times, have stayed in Dingwall for short breaks, never saw a cricket ground though.

Iain

[Hockham Admiral]

7 hours ago, TheQ said:

I know one strong Norfolk Accented person, yes he couldn't cope with the text, these days the strong  Norfolk Accent has mostly disappeared, I'm more likely to hear SAAF Essex, or Yorkshire or Lithuainian accent than strong Norfolk.

In NE Lincolnshire (Grimsby to be exact) there is absolutely NO dilution of accent, Queren. 

I suppose if you live in "a fishing village at the end of a railway track" then you have to expect that?

[Hockham Admiral]

3 hours ago, BroadScot said:

TheQ, they say the same about Dingwall, there has been several lady weather forecasters who hail from there, they got the job because of their excellent diction.

Iain

Is that the Scottish definition, Iain?

[BroadScot]

Dunno John, only what I have read, and noted how clear their accent is up there when been up on short break holidays. Two of the girls work for the BBC Weather, now.

Iain 

[Polly]

I did a 'programmed learning' linguistics course back in the day. It was American, so that affected pronunciation, then our tutor was a Scot who made constant reference to the 'pure vowel sounds' of the Edinburgh accent; and we were mostly English, some from Bradford, still others were from Eire. It made for a complicated set of course adjustments!

[JennyMorgan]

Polly, mixing with all those foreigners was never the best idea, an afternoon spent on Norwich Market would probably have done the job far more successfully.

[Vaughan]

19 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

For our continental friends the above is English how it should be spoken,

That in't roight Pe - er.

Thass English loik what that orter be spook.

[BroadScot]

3 hours ago, JennyMorgan said:

an afternoon spent on Norwich Market would probably have done the job far more successfully.

Aye JM, so long as you had an interpreter with you!

Iain

[Polly]

I'd happily trade in the course for an afternoon at Norwich Market.

[Polly]

My friend Rosemary came from a fairly posh family. Hard 'a' as in bath or path would be a hanging offence.  

As university beckoned she chose a business course at a Birmingham University. She told her mother of her plans and the balloon went up. 

'Rosemary, I forbid you to use such common pronunciation, it's 'Arseton' not 'Aston' ! ' 

That  caused some amusement in our sixth form.

[JennyMorgan]

A Norwich classic, according to a local writer, Johnathan Mardle, is 'Larr Goo Laane', Lower Goat Lane. On the Broads it's Po-errr for Potter Heigham. 

[TheQ]

On 19/02/2016 at 2:41 PM, BroadScot said:

Where is the cricket ground there? I've been to the footy ground many times, have stayed in Dingwall for short breaks, never saw a cricket ground though.

Iain

School teams don't generally get to play in a proper cricket ground, it would have been on the school playing fields. Only once did we not play at a school and after all this time I'm not sure where but I think it was Cooper park Elgin.

[Polly]

Or more formally 'Po'oer Haaaam' JM?