LL-L: "Pronunciation" LOWLANDS-L, 11.SEP.2000 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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  L O W L A N D S - L * 11.SEP.2000 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at scotstext.org]
Subject: "Pronunciation"

> From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
> Subject: Pronunciation
>
> John,
>
> I realize that I said "sitcom"and had really meant "comedy" more
> generally.  The only glaring example in a sitcom I can think of right
now
> is in _Fawlty Towers_ which, as Sandy explained, depicted a rude
> person and
> in one episode used his anti-German prejudices to illustrate how his
> "insanity" gets him into trouble.  In "comedy" I am including

This is one character in one episode of a sitcom made twenty
years ago, and the character of Basil Fawlty isn't intended
as an example of how anyone should behave - quite the opposite.
Another episode features a very hard-of-hearing woman whom
Basil irritates by whispering remarks behind her back and
mouthing silently to her face to make her think there's
something wrong with her hearing aid. Was I offended? I'm
laughing again even as I type!

There is of course one possible genuine anti-German British
comedian, and that's Spike Milligan. He hasn't appeared on
British television since the 70's as far as I know, and in
a recent documentary a television producer said that it was
his political attitude that keeps him out of work (even though
many would say it's rather borderline). The only stock-in-trade
German stereotype you're likely to hear about from British
comedians these days is the idea that Germans always get to
Spanish beaches to reserve a place before the British have
gotten out of bed - terribly frustrating for us, I'm sure!

Anyway, Ron, this is getting rather far from the original
point, where you gave comedy only as an example of what you
seem to perceive as a general problem with British attitudes.
In the interests of fostering cultural exchange and
understanding between Lowlandic cultures, I feel I should
say that anti-German sentiments are very unusual in Britain,
at least in my experience. If you want to know what the British
really think, it would surely make more sense to look at serious
programmes. Documentaries about the second world war are by no
means unusual and cover both Nazi war crimes and less well known
(until now) atrocities perpretrated by the British.

Sandy
http://scotstext.org
A dinna dout him, for he says that he
On nae accoont wad ever tell a lee.
                          - C.W.Wade,
                    'The Adventures o McNab'

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