Speak proper!

Ana and Tegan you are brilliant !!!!

That indeed is the chappy!

Well done! (large one in Lil's later?)

How did you find it? Or did you suddenly remember his name?

I didn't. I just googled 'pronouncing house like arse BBC programmes'!

I tried that, (well something like it) and I think graces did too, you much have the magic touch!

And it's still listenable, for those that have a spare 28 minutes!

Just had a bath [pronounced baaaaath] and listened to it while I soaked meself . Now; I'm with Talktalk/AOL and my daughter, who's with BT says that I seem to get more info on my pooter.

I'm not sure it depends on your broadband provider, Tegan - more likely your browser? We're with BT as well.

My mum has always equated intelligence/education/"breeding" with RP/plummy voices and, even though I know this is ridiculous, I haven't been able to shake off feeling uncomfortable about my slightly Cockney "twang".

She's not alone. Research has shown that some accents affect people's chances of success - in interviews, career progression, etc., because of the way their accents are perceived. I've noticed that TV dramas often reinforce these stereotypes - cockneys are very often the "villain" of the piece, the person not to be trusted, the less intelligent person, etc., etc. Similarly, certain rural accents are used for comedy effect.

As for grammar, like lots of people I feel it is important that people know the difference between "formal" and "informal" speech because, however unfairly, the way you speak does affect your chances in life.

I was listening to "Woman's Hour" the other morning when the subject of "gangsta" type language was being discussed and some young women from Hackney were interviewed. They were all very articulate and made some quite insightful comments about how language is constantly changing. They also saw the way in which new words and phrases come into being as being a creative process. It certainly gave me food for thought and made my think about my own knee-jerk reactions.

A valid point well made Eloethan , but there are still some things that grate.

Plus of course there will always be occasions where "correct" speech does matter.

Eloethan I heard that program. I also was rather surprised by how articulate those girls were, given how they were speaking.

Which just shows the problem of how people are stereotyped by manner of speech. I felt rather ashamed of myself.

I know what you mean, Phoenix. "Innit" seems particularly pointless.

I felt a little shamefaced too Nelliemoser.

When I told my husband about the programme, he disagreed entirely and said that the problem is that some young people can only speak the "informal" language and that it will disadvantage them. I suppose he has a point.

As is using "like" totally inappropriately!

Once a ..........

'pon a time? (sic)

....a pedant!

Once upon a pedant?!! There must be laws against that!!

How much have you had? You've been at Lils again!
Once a pedant!

I understand that the oral component of GCSE English is internally examined, though externally moderated. If it were all externally examined wouldn't there be an incentive for the candidates to speak clearly and in standard English? Their own teachers will be used to them and their modes of speech whereas an external examiner might need an interpreter. I have done oral examining in East Africa - long ago. The worst candidates were a class of Sikh schoolgirls who, for all I knew might have been perfect in writing and comprehension but I could barely understand a word they said and consequently failed quite a lot of them>I felt very sad that they had not been taught the correct pronunciation. I don't know the current criteria for the oral GCSE English but would hope that children are being encouraged to speak clearly and comprehensibly.

Boasting! I took 'o' level oral English, I got an A. I'd forgotten about that.

I would expect no less, Galen!

There was no oral component to my English 'O' level (JMB). Did all the exam boards have it and it then got scrapped, or did only some of the boards ever incorporate it?

No English oral when I did O levels in 1966 – University of London board. French and Spanish orals – oui and si.