I'm afraid Amol Rajan has become increasingly annoying in his interviews on "Today". He sounded, this morning, as if he trained as an English Teacher. He has that way teachers do of having the superiority with adults that they might have with a classroom of children or young people - although I hope they don't.
This morning he decided to dissect the wording of Keir Starmer's release. Rajan has a first degree in English, so I imagine he expects Starmer to bow down to his superior knowledge. But really, did I want to have the meaning of certain words explained? I can think of at least one major question he didn't ask Starmer, presumably because he felt the time was his to use and not the audience's to have their questions answered.
Not nice. Not nice at all. When today's edition is released it will be on BBC sounds, and you will be able to find the interview at 8.10 and make up your own minds.
The interview left me feeling still open-minded about Starmer's plans. He will have more questions to answer the closer we get to a General Election. Sadly, it left me considerably less open-minded about the interviewer.
MerylStreep
Fleurpepper
Unlike you who is fixated on the wrong type of tourist and regional accents I listen to what the person has to say.
Give it a try.
Of course, and so do I.
In the meantime, give me one example of a UK TV presenter with a strong Asian accent. Quite simple, really.
I’ve never liked the Today programme, the interviewers are always more interested in hearing their own voices than listening to the interviewee’s answers. John Humphrys was dreadful.
AJ Odudu has a very strong accent.
Oh, sorry, she's not Asian.
Callistemon21
I wonder if DaisyAnne is wondering what has happened to the thread she started which was nothing to do with accents but about the way Amol Rajan conducted the interview with Sir Keir Starmer?
The thread has not just gone off piste, it's gone down a crevasse. ⛷
And no prizes for guessing correctly who brought up the type of accent.
Fleurpepper
Unlike you who is fixated on the wrong type of tourist and regional accents I listen to what the person has to say.
Give it a try.
Interestingly, though the garbled diction is annoying to me - it's his style that grates most!
I wonder if DaisyAnne is wondering what has happened to the thread she started which was nothing to do with accents but about the way Amol Rajan conducted the interview with Sir Keir Starmer?
The thread has not just gone off piste, it's gone down a crevasse. ⛷
Fleurpepper
MerylS I am talking about the UK and nothing but the UK.
Plenty of Asian accents on uk tv, in soaps, in films,
but please give me examples of any of the very many Asian tv presenters of every kind, who do have a strong Indian accent.
I can't hink of a single one.
Why don't you write to them and ask them why, Fleurpepper?
We're all agog.
MerylStreep
Fleurpepper
It’s not regional accents you have a beef about, is it?
It’s just Asian accents.
As I said, it's racist.
I'll ask our lovely Sabat Choudhury, he with the lovely voice and modulated vowels:
I was born in Bangladesh
We lived in Manchester first – I had a strong Northern accent to begin with! – before coming to the Cotswolds.
How long have you lived in the Cotswolds?
Since the age of 11. I was born in Bangladesh, where my dad was an orthopaedic surgeon and my mum was a television presenter.
Not all of the Cotswolds is posh, of course.
Fleurpepper
It’s not regional accents you have a beef about, is it?
It’s just Asian accents.
Fleurpepper
Is that lost in translation too? Give me examples from current UK TV. Plenty of Asian reporters, interviewers, presenters, NONE with Asian accent. You will find some in soaps, and films, yes.
Plenty of Asian reporters, interviewers, presenters, NONE with Asian accent
Perhaps they grew up in the UK 😁
MerylS I am talking about the UK and nothing but the UK.
Plenty of Asian accents on uk tv, in soaps, in films,
but please give me examples of any of the very many Asian tv presenters of every kind, who do have a strong Indian accent.
I can't hink of a single one.
Fleurpepper
It might be the norm in your neck of the woods but it’s not a scenario that we in the uk recognise.
grumppa
Amol Rajan's accent is acceptable and unremarkable, but as silverlining48 says, he gabbles and mumbles, often at the same time. That is inexcusable in a serious interviewer.
Yes, I've been saying that for a long time.
When he was BBC Media Editor I used to shout at the TV "Slow down and stop gabbling, Amol!".
Hiswordsrunintoonean
Melvyn Bragg has a posh regional accent, it is just one not heard very much. He was brought up in a pub in Wigton West Cumbria not far from where I am from. No actor can do the accent. In plays about the Lakes, they have Yorkshire or a general northern accent. The only time you hear it is on the Country file when they interview farmers.
He went to Oxford so probably lost it there, a friend of mine went to the same school and said his broad Cumbrian was going even in the 6th form.
Fleurpepper
Callistemon '🤔 Are you trying to introduce racism where none exists? '
NO, not at all. It is the reality that a UK regional accent is fine on today's TV, but an obvious Indian one would NOT. Can you deny this?
Can you deny this?
Yes, in this country anyway.
Not sure about the rest of Europe.
Fleurpepper
Callistemon '🤔 Are you trying to introduce racism where none exists? '
NO, not at all. It is the reality that a UK regional accent is fine on today's TV, but an obvious Indian one would NOT. Can you deny this?
But - I have just given an example of a man with a pronounced Jamaican accent who works for R4.
This is a bit odd really.
I know that a favourite presenter of mine, Darren Adam, who is from Aberdeen, is currently working on Icelandic radio…
Is that lost in translation too? Give me examples from current UK TV. Plenty of Asian reporters, interviewers, presenters, NONE with Asian accent. You will find some in soaps, and films, yes.
Fleurpepper
I watch mainly UK TV- and TV News and News programmes/debates. Give me any example of a presenter with a strong Indian accent??? Lots os Asian TV presenters (much to the real annoyance of a very Conservative relative) - but none with a distinct Asian accent.
I watch mainly UK TV- and TV News and News programmes/debates. Give me any example of a presenter with a strong Indian accent??? Lots os Asian TV presenters (much to the real annoyance of a very Conservative relative) - but none with a distinct Asian accent.
Fleurpepper
Callistemon '🤔 Are you trying to introduce racism where none exists? '
NO, not at all. It is the reality that a UK regional accent is fine on today's TV, but an obvious Indian one would NOT. Can you deny this?
Maybe watch more U.K. TV
There are accents from all around the world.
Callistemon '🤔 Are you trying to introduce racism where none exists? '
NO, not at all. It is the reality that a UK regional accent is fine on today's TV, but an obvious Indian one would NOT. Can you deny this?
Fleurpepper
MerylStreep
I blame Brexit 😂
ahahaha (funny? really? not)
Maybe the joke got lost in translation.
Amol Rajan's accent is acceptable and unremarkable, but as silverlining48 says, he gabbles and mumbles, often at the same time. That is inexcusable in a serious interviewer.
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