LL-L "Language diversity" 2009.02.23 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

===========================================
L O W L A N D S - L - 23 February 2009 - Volume 06
===========================================


From: James Wilson <jawi2300 at gmail.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language diversity" 2009.02.23 (02) [E]

Hi Tom & Paul,

>From Paul:

'A former colleague had a very strong Northeast accent, but I never heard
him use a single dialectial expression.  He'd pronounce "our" something like
"oor", but never said "wor"; "go" had the long dipthongised vowel of
Northumberland, but he never said "gan".  He speaks Standard English...'

'But it's our choice in the end, nobody's forcing us, not anymore.'

Yes there is, you!  And many others of a similar attitude.  As long you you
emphasise the speaking of Standard English (and consequently teaching)
regional dialects/languages will suffer; as they have suffered.

'For many years, certain English dialects have been viewed more positively
than others. Many of us make assumptions based on the way people speak —
judging certain dialects or accents as too posh, harsh, aggressive,
unfriendly, 'unintelligent' or 'common'. Unfortunately many individuals have
suffered as a result of this irrational prejudice. No one dialect is better
at communicating meaning than another. The fact some dialects and accents
are seen to be more prestigious than others is more a reflection of
judgements based on social, rather than linguistic, criteria. We live in an
increasingly homogeneous society and so the vocabulary, structure and sounds
that define the speech of a particular region, should be and indeed are for
many speakers, a source of great pride and an important expression of *cultural
identity*.'
Sounds Familiar? homepage from British Library Board at
www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/ (Emphasis is BL).

I love this website (as I do www.bbc.co.uk/voices/) as there is no emphasis
on Standard English but on the equality of *British *dialects/languages.  *

*Regarding Standard English, listen to part 6 of series 3 of Melvyn Braggs
show "The Routes of English"  at
www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/routesofenglish/storysofar/series3.shtml.

Also from the same website under series 2 part 3 the following may be read:
'Many companies with telephone call centres base their offices in the North
East because they've found that customers respond well to a Geordie accent.'

I hope it's not envy that drives you Paul ;)

Tom, do people ask you whether you are Scots when you are in Edinburgh?

Regards
James
Copenhagen

•

==============================END===================================

 * Please submit postings to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.

 * Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.

 * Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.

 * Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l")

   are to be sent to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or at

   http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.

*********************************************************************
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lowlands-l/attachments/20090223/3c0a8ea3/attachment.htm>