Do English teachers in England speak RP? Should they?

Frances   Mon Nov 07, 2005 9:48 pm GMT
I've never heard the c word ever be used against a woman, because as Candy said it probably would have a very bad connotation (not that it already does!) but also it just isn't socially right. Its like calling a woman, a "wanker", it just doesn't suit.

C word is the last frontier, the last taboo word. Its when a guy is that one bit up over an "arsehole"

'In Britain and Australia "cunt" is usually reserved as a term of abuse for men. I can't imagine saying it to a woman. In fact, polite men would only use the word when no women are present. I guess in America it's only a noun whereas in Britain it's also a very useful adjective. "

is that in reference to the versitile f word?
SFC   Tue Nov 08, 2005 2:41 am GMT
Oh shit! That's a fucking cunt of a thing to say!
Pete   Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:10 am GMT
I know about the origin of the F word (don't explain for me that Fornication Under Consent of the King stuff because my teachers told me that story long ago) I know it's a very ancient word. It's just that I hardly ever hear a Brit saying fuck or bullshit, that's it.

>><<Still, I would think that a foreigner would be expected to learn more of a "neutral" accent than a specific "regional" one, especially if he or she was learning English outside of an English-speaking country. I might be wrong, but I would consider RP to be "neutral" British accent, even if it's not actually spoken by a large percetage of people. >>

It's actually not, Uriel, whatever non-British people might think: to most of us, it sound a bit 'weird', not neutral at all. Personally I consider it to be a regional accent, as the vast majority of its speakers are in the South-East. I don't think that an accent where 'waistcoat' comes out as 'weskit' is neutral in any way! >>

Yes Uriel, foreigners (like me) like or prefer RP English, because it's like the easiest to understand, and it also sounds nice (at least to us), as we (I don't know why) relate it with the Royalty (yes, bullshit). So when someone speaks RP, foreigners like it. And love it, just because of the way it sounds. I've had lots of American, German and Dutch girls wanting to have sex with me just because of my accent. And even though I know it's not a real English accent, at least it's nice for communication. And it's quite convenient for my personal life. hahahaha.

Well, I didn't know that only 3% spoke RP. I knew it was quite a few peoplo. Almost nobody. So guys don't make so much trouble on nothing. saying "Nobody" is an aproximate to 3%, innit? Why in heaven's name you argue with me because of such a worthless number? Well if you mind 3% that's your own business, I'm not a fucking computer.
Uriel   Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:35 am GMT
Well, gosh. if it's improving the quality of your personal life, by all means stick to it, Pete! You can't beat that.

And I would tend to agree that for international communication, it may be one of the easier accents for non-British people to understand. Especially in Europe, where I assume you spend most of your time. I know that when my step-mother moved to the US, she complained that she could barely understand me or anyone else because of our accents (how she dealt with my dad, I don't know: maybe the language barrier helps! Plus he often uses a lot of German words to bridge the gaps, or to confirm what he just said in English). But she had learned British English, and the American variety just threw her off.
Deuce Bigalow   Tue Nov 08, 2005 5:02 am GMT
There's nothing quite like whoring the streets with a fake accent... You dirty slut, Pete!
Halle   Tue Nov 08, 2005 6:59 am GMT
how can i practict speaking english with you
Rick Johnson   Tue Nov 08, 2005 4:40 pm GMT
<< I hardly ever hear a Brit saying fuck>>

Get in a car with a British person driving in rush-hour traffic and you will hear little else!
Pete   Tue Nov 08, 2005 8:45 pm GMT
<<There's nothing quite like whoring the streets with a fake accent... You dirty slut, Pete! >>

Deuce, I think you didn't read what I wrote in former pages. I don't fake an accent. RP english is the English I learnt at the Language School, can you understand that? So if I learnt that English, and no other variety, you can't say I'm faking an accent. I would be faking an accent had I learnt American or another English, and then just to sound cool switch to RP.

As I said, and as Uriel agrees with, RP is the most understandable English all over the world (even if some crappy students find it heavy). It's clear, nice, and best of all (and I'm sorry Brits don't like this) it sounds very English!.

I don't use that accent, to sound cool, nor to make people think that I'm British or something. In fact, I don't give a damn if someone believes I've lived in Britain or so forth... Honestly. And I don't think people mind me speaking RP English, as long as I don't pretend to be someone I'm not.

If you still don't understand my point, Let's pretend you learn Spanish in Buenos Aires (Argentina). Let's say you are a very good student and you end up speaking excellent Spanish, with an Argentinan accent. (Argentinan accent is like a mixture between Italian and South American accent).

If you came to Peru, and start speaking like "Diego Maradona", can I blame you because of that? would it be fair to discriminate you or to label you a "dirty slut" just because of it?. To be honest, I think not. I would like it. I would think it required a lot of effort to have such a great level. Well I must admit that it wouldn't be so nice to see my friends wanting to cock up with you just because of your Argentinan accent, but anyway it's not your fault. Furthermore, the girls don't mind if you fake or not.

I hope you understnad now.
Kirk   Tue Nov 08, 2005 10:08 pm GMT
Speaking of Argentine Spanish, I studied abroad in Argentina and was immersed in Argentine Spanish all day (I lived with an Argentine host mom) and all my classes were in (Argentine) Spanish, so the accent my speech is modeled off became Argentine Spanish as spoken in Buenos Aires. The influence of living there and speaking in it all day really cemented in that accent in my mind and now I haven't changed my accent so when I speak Spanish with people here I sometimes get funny looks, as they're used to Mexican accents here in California.
Pete   Tue Nov 08, 2005 10:12 pm GMT
Strong Mexican accent suck! (Peruvian is also awful) The best Spanish accents are, Argentina, Colombia and North Spain Accent :)
Damian in Edinburgh   Tue Nov 08, 2005 10:17 pm GMT
** <<I hardly ever hear a Brit saying fuck>>**

F**!"**g hell...what kind of Brits have you hung out with??? Monks and nuns? And how do we know what they're in the habit of saying behind their closed walls?
Kirk   Wed Nov 09, 2005 12:39 am GMT
<<Strong Mexican accent suck! (Peruvian is also awful) The best Spanish accents are, Argentina, Colombia and North Spain Accent :)>>

Well, that's entirely subjective, but that's interesting you think so. However, I must say I am of course quite happy with my imitation of an Argentine accent (I won't claim I have an Argentine accent since I'm not native) :)
Deuce Bigalow   Wed Nov 09, 2005 5:15 am GMT
Yes I now understand how humorless some people can be, Pete!
Jim   Wed Nov 09, 2005 7:47 pm GMT
I find it interesting that if a popular London or Gen Am speaker "poshed up" his/her accent to RP he/she would be called a "fake" but if an RP speaker started using popular London or GenAm no one would condemn him/her (outside the UK, at least). Jane Seymour uses a perfect, flawless GAE accent in "Dr. Quinn, medicine woman". I'm sure that if she used the same accent on an American talk show (like Oprah), nobody in the audience would be offended or call her a fake (whether they be British or American). Of course, if she used that accent on a British talk show, well...

However, if Gwyneth Paltrow, who is purported to use a flawless RP accent in one of her movies, even though she is American, were to use RP on a British talk show, she would be called a fake (at least by American viewers who might be watching the show and perhaps also by some British viewers).

If an RP speaker were to come to America and speak GAE, he would be applauded on trying to fit in and following the American way. However, if an American speaker were to go to England and use RP and if it were to be known that he is American... Well... that would not be the case.
Rick Johnson   Wed Nov 09, 2005 9:58 pm GMT
<<If an RP speaker were to come to America and speak GAE, he would be applauded on trying to fit in and following the American way. However, if an American speaker were to go to England and use RP and if it were to be known that he is American... Well... that would not be the case.>>

Interestingly, I saw an interview with Gillian Anderson a couple of weeks ago (Scully off the X-files) I've only ever watched a couple of episodes of the X-files, but seem to remember her having a GA accent. In the interview in London, however, she spoke with an RP accent- very strange.