Mumf.....!

My son has difficulty pronouncing "th". I don't know if this is because from the age of 10-13 I lived in Romford, or becausee has spent most of his life in east London or because he's picked up some of my husband's style of speech - his first language is French (Creole) and he just cannot pronounce "th".

I think there are certain sounds that, if one has not been introduced to them quite early in life, are almost impossible to replicate. In Hindi (and probably related languages) there is a sound that is half way between "th" and "t" which is so subtle that it is almost impossible for new learners to master. I remember reading that Chinese people were unable to replicate certain European language sounds, however much tuition they received. Some of them resorted to having tongue surgery in the mistaken belief that this inability was physiological in origin.

On of the Chasers on the TV quiz show offers 'firty fousand pounds' or 'forty fousand pounds' drives me potty. I think its laziness not Cockney in his case. My DD drops her ts ie wa.er, she is a classroom assistant I do fink she speaks proplee when in school though, honest guvner. My ex came from a Cockney family. His mum had a real cockney accent as did his dad. I suppose I can forgive my daughter as it is in her genes so to speak (no pun intended).

Aks is another instead of ask, it is spelled ASK so why pronounce it AKS.

May have mentioned this before. I was in Suffolk in a loaned beach hut. Most of these are owned by generations of families and some quite well off. (not me or the owner). Two women of a certain age stopped by 'my' hut and were having a conversation:

"Oh how absolutely delaitful you too lived in the Heemarlayars"

"Yes dahling I was born there, father was stationed in the Heemarlayars you know"

"Ow how fascinating, how old were you when you were born"

That's the moment I dived behind my novel trying not to haw haw too loudly.

It was the pretentious and stressed language. So wonderful to listen to, I was completely caught up in it.