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#6153 09/22/00 10:20 AM
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Pooh-Bah
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oo sound in words like hook, book, took, etc., was ever pronounced like the oo in "moon"

My wife, whose childood was spent in the Scottish borderlands, despite having had most of her accent replaced by RP at a posh London school, still tends to rhyme "book" with "Luke", although not so pronouncedly as our current Lancastrian neighbours.

When she refers to the carbon fall-out from our chimney, I have occasionally made the mistake of thinking she referred to my formal attire.


#6154 09/22/00 10:28 AM
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Have more children, get more pets, buy more boats

Sounds attractive - but my wife would almost certainly object to the first, whilst the second would require the purchase of a bigger house in addition to the revolt that probaby would occur among my existing tribe of felines.
The third is out of the question on the stipend of a part-time usher such as myself. The true value of education, and those who provide it, is grossly under-rated in this benighted kingdom!


#6155 09/23/00 02:54 AM
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Well, I'm not sure if I stand less or more mystified by my native Californian tongue wanting to rhyme "book" with "Luke", but I now know I am not alone. Lancashire, eh? What goes on there?
Rhubarb, I enjoyed your responses and must ask you: What does RP stand for?
Words "Lie beneath the linguistic hills, to rise and save us in our hour of need." That's wonderful! Very Platonic.
I don't think I'll ever forget it.
(I have the curse of sounding facetious whenever I am earnest)

#6156 09/23/00 03:11 AM
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Carpal Tunnel
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What does RP stand for?

I hope Rhubarb doesn't mind my jumping in here. RP is an abbreviation of Received Pronunciation, "The Queen's (Monarch's) English." At least here in NZ it was often referred to as "BBC English" from the days when RP was the only accent allowed by that broadcaster. RP is the pronunciation mocked around the world as the preserve of the pompous and pretentious, with the unfortunate consequence that whose for whom it is natural are often victimised.



#6157 09/23/00 03:17 AM
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"Whose for whom" ?
Gadzooks!


#6158 09/23/00 03:33 AM
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"Whose for whom"

Whoops! that's my outstanding hand-eye coordination at it again. Kindly replace the errant "W" in "Whose" with a "T". This substitution should enable the sentence to make sense!


#6159 09/23/00 03:01 PM
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. Lancashire, eh? What goes on there?


Eh, yoong chep, theyrs t'Brass* Bands, Black Sausage, Hot Pot and Wakes Week.
And if tha gets boored theyrs aluss t'sheep.
(* to rhyme with mass)

Definitely not RP (thanks, Max, for a masterly explication, even with the typo)

In addition, in North Lancashire, where I live, there are glorious hills, beautiful rivers, some of the friendliest folk in England and some excellent ale, which has to be served with at least and inch of "head" (froth) on it.


#6160 09/23/00 10:58 PM
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Definitely not RP

When I was typing my little RP summary, I was reminded of a joke about it. I am not sure how well it will move from the spoken to the written word, but here goes:
A man enters the RAF recruiting office and asks to sign up. The recruiting officers replies: "First, please say the word "air."
Applicant: "Air"
Officer: "Very good, now say "hair"
Applicant: "Hair."
Officer: "OK, now say "lair."
Applicant(increasingly bewildered): "Lair"
Officer: "Excellent. Now, finally, say all three words together quickly."
Applicant: "AirHairLair"
Officer "AirHairLair, welcome to the RAF!"

Please note: No offence or slight intended to any present or former RAF personnel who may chance to read this.


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