Quote from: ian on 31 December, 2020, 08:09:53 pmOddly, I was the peculiar child who liked Shakespeare at school (we did Twelfth Night). I liked the twisty-turny language.We also did Shaw's Pygmalion. I'm not sure whether that was on the curriculum or expressed our English teacher's wish that we'd all learn to talk proper. We'd already destroyed a number of French teachers.It always makes me laugh that every DH Lawrence adaption has people sounding like they're from Yorkshire.Ian, are you old enough to have seen the Python sketch in which Lawrence's father (Graham Chapman, I think), dressed working-class-wise, berates DH (Palin) along the lines of "You could've been a writer or a painter, or musician, like everyone else, but no, you had to ponce about down the pit....."? I'm doing it from memory, but I think I've got the essence!Ah think that were Yorkshire, rather than the East Midlands cockney of Nottamunshire, too, but it was very funny.
Oddly, I was the peculiar child who liked Shakespeare at school (we did Twelfth Night). I liked the twisty-turny language.We also did Shaw's Pygmalion. I'm not sure whether that was on the curriculum or expressed our English teacher's wish that we'd all learn to talk proper. We'd already destroyed a number of French teachers.It always makes me laugh that every DH Lawrence adaption has people sounding like they're from Yorkshire.
I think I might have and yes, I believe it was Yorkshire. It always is. You will never hear a proper Erewashian accent and if you did, you'd wish you hadn't. It's not an accent that travels.I've told the story of when I brought my American girlfriend back to the UK to meet my family. As we toiled back to Heathrow she looked at me and said 'I didn't understand a thing. For the entire weekend." To be fair, she'd trained by watching Four Weddings and Funeral and I've elocuted myself into a stupid semi-posho accent that's probably even worse than I think it sounds. Every time I speak to my family, I have to do that cognitive adjustment*. To be fair, when people yell eh oop me duck at you, you do have to wonder if you're about to be Clockwork Oranged or somesuch.*this the same one Americans always have to do when they deal with a British accent that isn't Hugh Grant-ish. As a plus, any kind of British accent is mesmerizing for some American women, a power which I, of course, used responsibly.
Also the use of the word “squaw” is Strongly Deprecated these days.
Quote from: Mr Larrington on 26 January, 2021, 10:54:47 amAlso the use of the word “squaw” is Strongly Deprecated these days.AN Wilson strikes me as the sort of person who would reply "PC gone mad" if you levelled that one at him.I think it's OK in the context though, given that it's historical fiction. The Cherokee are also referred to as Indians, Redskins and Savages by various characters. And the African slaves are referred to as... well, I'm sure you can guess. I would place outdated language low on the list of problems with this book.
I saw that^^ but the headline alone put my off. The idea of even reading about Trumpian erotica was too sickening, let lone reading the actual books (are they books?).
Kim, you are very bad!
Anything by Nina Bawden, also favoured of school English teachers. Blarg.
Chuck Tingle seems to be something of a literary sensation.
Quote from: ian on 29 January, 2021, 10:00:30 amChuck Tingle seems to be something of a literary sensation.Chuck Tingle sounds like the kind of sensation you would go to see your GP about.
Quote from: barakta on 24 December, 2020, 11:58:50 pmAnything by Nina Bawden, also favoured of school English teachers. Blarg. Oh goodness, yes. Miserable teenagers Finding Themselves. Grim.(On the other hand I was a JRRT addict; I think you either really like or totally dislike that kind of thing.)
Quote from: fimm on 29 January, 2021, 01:53:42 pmQuote from: barakta on 24 December, 2020, 11:58:50 pmAnything by Nina Bawden, also favoured of school English teachers. Blarg. Oh goodness, yes. Miserable teenagers Finding Themselves. Grim.(On the other hand I was a JRRT addict; I think you either really like or totally dislike that kind of thing.)I was going to say I enjoyed her books as a kid, but on checking, it turns out I've never read a single one. I must have been confusing her with Enid Nesbit or someone with a similar Edwardian-sounding name.
