Cyprus Star - Queen's English

decanddyl


Joined: 17/01/2009
Posts: 792

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 19:22

Having bought this newspaper today for the first time in 12 months I read with some concern that unless people originate from south of Golders Green then it is implied by the author that they do not speak the Queen's English. As the lady concerned stated "but I'm guessing it's the North of England, Scotland or Wales".

"When you go to any Turkish Cypriot establishment try speaking the "Queen's English" slowly and use as few words as possible in one sentence". I hope she has the common decency to print a retraction in her next column.

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 19:40

Can't beat a bit of RP!



Richard

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 19:48

Only one place in the UK speaks the Queens English and that is Inverness in Scotland. Google it!!!!!

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 19:54

You beat me to it Chris, now I suppose they will want to know why a city so far to the north of bonnie Scotland is in fact the only place that the queen's english is spoken. Maybe that is on google aswell.



By the way, I never really did like Inverness, they said I spoke funny

decanddyl


Joined: 17/01/2009
Posts: 792

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 19:55

Chris, quite agree but the way this lady put it nobody above Golders Green (North London) can speak properly enough to be understood.



Ged

jamestalbot


Joined: 20/12/2009
Posts: 958

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 19:57

Eee by gum, well I have no chance coming from Lancashire.





James

CarrieRBag



Joined: 23/12/2008
Posts: 1374

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 21:21

Nor me from Wales... and actually that is rich coming from (I assume) a non-native English speaker?

daisy dukes


Joined: 06/09/2008
Posts: 3815

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 21:47

actyuwally...i's frum brumijan....duz thees qualifoy as queenz englissh?



DD

jamestalbot


Joined: 20/12/2009
Posts: 958

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 21:55

DD no you don't qualify for anything if your from Brum, other than being some of the most friendliest people I have met.



James

smwredd


Joined: 07/10/2009
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 22:01

Actually it is not 'the Queen's English' but the King's English. King being a person (not a Monarch) who produced a publication indicating how 'English' should be spoken. Not sure of date but I think a couple of centuries ago.

Woodspeckie


Joined: 25/01/2009
Posts: 2263

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 23:15

James. People from dorn sorth dont talk like what we do from up North.

Jeannie


Joined: 04/08/2009
Posts: 3283

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 23:29

Woodspeckie



This is, obviously, where you're going wrong



We're from "dahn sarf" and you are from "oop Narth"



See - it gets easier with a bit of practice



Regards.



Jean

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 23:31

Unfortunately the English Language is becoming corrupted in the age of mass communications, the text message, e-mail and the like. It's now only spoken properly by a few thousand people. Most of us use some type of slang. No wot I mean guv?

NanaJan



Joined: 15/10/2009
Posts: 90

Message Posted:
10/07/2010 23:40

I love all the accents and can usually tell the area someone is from when they speak.





I am a Lanacashire lass with an accent to match and have no wish to change it. However even close towns have distinct accents. We moved to Southport many years ago and our family all speak "nicely" and nothing like the Liverpool accent just a few miles away. St Helens have yet another accent and the Preston folk another version. Not to mention the Bolton area who are really broad spoken.

Makes us all a patchwork sewn together into a whole quilt and dear to us all and so never try to change.

deputydawg


Joined: 30/03/2010
Posts: 1727

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 00:03

I know that many southerners believe that anywhere North of Watford is Scotland but, english spoken properly just South of Golders Green is ridiculous. More likely Hebrew or Arabic. Must be a very long way South. They should learn to speak english proper like I does !

Lilli



Joined: 21/07/2008
Posts: 13081

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 00:18

well guess what i had 3 lovely ladies in tonight, they asked me which part of England you are from as we have a bet. Of course i answered as you all know im irish. Oh my dear god the leader stood up no you are from Chelsea. i said im sorry im irish she sat and said how the hell speak with plum in her mouth, i swear to god, god help me if i lie. I said im sorry if i do not fit your description but thats what i am, she in turn said do you go back to Ireland, i said yes, then they should eradicate you as you have become too English, we had you down as a Chelsea girl. ME

hal9000


Joined: 01/12/2008
Posts: 154

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 02:24

Msg 14:



Janet, if we're speaking about the Queen's English, your reference to the people of the Bolton area should have said "broadly" spoken.



It's an adverb, rather than an adjective. Lynne Truss explains it all in "Eats, Shoots and Leaves".



And before you accuse me of being some soft Southern ponce, I'm from Bury originally. i just believe that having a Northern accent is not an excuse for sloppy English.

Jeannie


Joined: 04/08/2009
Posts: 3283

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 02:41

hal9000 - I, personally, have no objections whatsoever to Janet's (or any other posts) on this or any other subject/thread; however, I can assure you that if you are setting yourself up as an English Language tutor, you will certainly have your work cut out. Sloppy English - you've seen nothing yet and woe betide if you try to correct even the slightest or (glaringly) obvious mistakes - Janet, I am not including you here at all . I care for and have great respect for the English language; unfortunately, the likes of you and I are few and far between. I have been accused of no end of things because I have picked people up on their (mis)use of the English language. I don't bother anymore - but good luck - I think you'll need it



A Southerner

daisy dukes


Joined: 06/09/2008
Posts: 3815

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 08:23

msg 9....that is a very true statement...folk from Birmingham, really are some of the friendliest folk around...i've often wondered why that is....does anybody have an ideas to this?





DD

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 09:15

Because their accents are so unintelligible know one knows when they're being insulted!



Yam what I mean bostin'

decanddyl


Joined: 17/01/2009
Posts: 792

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 10:57

The point of the posting was to see if other people agreed that the comment in the paper was justified and whether or not the lady in question should print a retraction. Personally I feel she sounded condescending.

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 11:01

understandable decanddyl, unfortunately not having been able to read the paper I can't comment on that and just got drawn into the light heartedness of the comments, sorry

NanaJan



Joined: 15/10/2009
Posts: 90

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 17:38

Hal,



I stand corrected but to be honest I was thinking more about the spoken English rather than the written English at that point.

Having worked in PR and writing for top newspapers for many years I must say that my grammar has not held me back so far and I will mention to the owner of the Cyprus Star about the comments being made about the newspaper. Perhaps the new Editor will wish to comment.

daisy dukes


Joined: 06/09/2008
Posts: 3815

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 20:06

msg 23...Not sure if any inventors came from brum...but UB40 and Lenny Henry came from Brummijam, does this count?





DD

proger1



Joined: 18/04/2009
Posts: 2919

Message Posted:
11/07/2010 20:09

To be honest Daisy, not a lot for this subject

lushious


Joined: 06/12/2009
Posts: 286

Message Posted:
14/07/2010 16:04

ok just re read the dear doris column in cyprus star and have to agree it is a little confusing. My interpretation is that maybe turkish cypriots have difficulty understanding regional english. i.e. any broad accent wherever in uk you originate. As for the definition of "queens english" well we all know that our own corner of that green and pleasant land is the only one where it is spoken. I am sure doris did not wish to offend and as for a retraction, there are a lot more important issues in TRNC now that this little matter.

decanddyl


Joined: 17/01/2009
Posts: 792

Message Posted:
14/07/2010 23:50

The implication in the reply was that anyone North of Golders Green does not speak properly according to Doris. There are far more important issues in the TRNC so for an expat to have a go about regional accents is not appropriate and therefore she should apologise for the insulting comment whether she meant to offend or not.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
15/07/2010 13:24

There's only ONE English accent left in the world that's the REAL 'Queen's English' - that's 'Zildish' - i.e., the Kiwı accent!