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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
I'm quite a fan of this BBC program that our PBS (here in the US of A) re-broadcasts. Most people I know dislike it, but I and a few others love it and are hoping for a new season.
Now I didn't fall off the turnip truck yesterday, mind you, and have Brit friends and have visited London half a dozen times, but I have a question as to usage in the program: The Buckets refer to their family members as "our Onslow" or "our Violet." I was wondering if this is common in Britspeak (and if so, I've missed it), where this is most common, if it is a class/location dialect signifier, or wassup widdat, exactly.
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Joined: Nov 2000
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newbie
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newbie
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 29 |
Common throughout the north of England when I lived there as a child. Class? My family used it (we were poor but classy). I had cousins who lived in the north east who would actually refer to their parents as "our mam" or "our dad". Their family had a strong Irish thread.
Sounds like a group is speaking doesn't it?
Carpe rutila
Carpe whatever
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981
Pooh-Bah
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Pooh-Bah
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,981 |
Yes, you'd hear "our Sharon", "our Kylie", all over the North. I assume it is thrown in as a counterbalance to our Hyacinth's perfect speech patterns - Patricia Routledge* is a great actress and "does" Hyacinth "Bouquet" to perfection. my father-in-law uses Hyacinth as a pet(?!) name for my mother-in-law. No comment!
* In particular for Mrs. Malaprop (on stage) and for Alan Bennett's "Talking Heads" (BBC).
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Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 56
journeyman
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journeyman
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 56 |
this is/was a common practice in Scotland, used to distinguish between persons of the same christian name. the term 'our' denoting membership of a family.
In brings back happy memories of a comic strip in the Scottish Sunday Post called "Our Willie." and another called "The Broons"
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094 |
Patricia Routledge is a great actress and "does" Hyacinth "Bouquet" to perfection.
Is this actually a current program in England? I've often wondered if this and other BBC-PBS programs (Mr. Bean, Are You Being Served) are new. To me, being used to American sit-coms, these British shows seem to have bland humor and lower production quality. But, I guess you don't have an entertainment mecca like Hollywood over there, do you?
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Joined: Sep 2000
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 2,891 |
My, but you are as subtle as an ax murderer, and whew boy, tact oozing out of every orifice. Insult an entire nation’s entertainment industry, why don’t you.
You have to realize Jazzy, that not everybody has the same sense of humour. What you consider funny might be dead boring to another person and vice versa. This was discussed in a previous thread (I can’t find it now) but it might be interesting for you to look it up. The differences in English/U.S./Canadian humour was discussed.
Even with the ole mecca you got there, some pretty bad stinkers are being put out every year, don’t you agree?
True, the sitcoms imported from the U.K. are probably not your cup of tea; they seem to be aimed at an older crowd. Have you ever seen Red Dwarf – this is aimed at a younger crowd and is quite funny. I'd give it a chance. Expanding your horizons expands your mind.
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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OP
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
Jazz, I'm curious: what do you consider to be a quality U.S. sitcom?
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Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11 |
Both my sister and I are Americans who love the "Britcoms" --her favorites are "Are You Being Served" and "Keeping Up Appearances." My current favorites are "Red Dwarf" for its sci fi content and its star's wonderful Scottish accent, and "As Time Goes By" for its interesting British expressions and its warm portrayal of a relationship between two people who aren't ashamed to sport grey hair and wrinkles.
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
ShyHeart, welcome to you! I LOVE your name! I see that you and your sister have good taste, too. "Britcoms"--that's great! I've never heard that before! (don't watch much TV)
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Joined: Mar 2000
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old hand
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old hand
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 1,004 |
My current favorites are "Red Dwarf" for its sci fi content and its star's wonderful Scottish accent
Red Dwarf is great fun, but I thought I'd point out that there is no Scottish accent in it.
Rimmer - poncy RP
Cat - poncy
Krytten - American/Welsh
Holly - RP-esque
and the great Lister - Brummie (from Birmingham), or 'Black Country', at a stretch - and yes, he's right, we're all smegheads!
Come on you Brits - correct me on this if I've mucked it up.
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