A rude englishman in the US

I thought the concept of Mary Poppins (a Disney product) was to blur the lines between cartoon and reality, in which case I would think that Dick Van Dyke's accent was part of the plan of the atmospherics.

sr71plt said:

I thought the concept of Mary Poppins (a Disney product) was to blur the lines between cartoon and reality, in which case I would think that Dick Van Dyke's accent was part of the plan of the atmospherics.

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I doubt it was thought that way over here.

Handley_Page said:

I doubt it was thought that way over here.

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Probably not. Probably had little experience with the Disney touch. But what do Brit's make of Julie Andrews overly precise diction whether or not in Mary Poppins?

sr71plt said:

Probably not. Probably had little experience with the Disney touch. But what do Brit's make of Julie Andrews overly precise diction whether or not in Mary Poppins?

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Well, most of us regarded it as 'normal'; ie., good English that all of us should speak, but don't. It's not an accented or dialectic diction; just pure English.
Until comparatively recently, the BBC still used "perceived" English, which is instantly understood, even if over-laid with a regional accent.

Handley_Page said:

Now there's a real tangle of dialectic writing; and from the Devon/Cornwall end, too.

Now might be a good time to mention that the North regards the South, particularly the Home Counties in the South-East, as populated a load of ignorant sissies who seem to imagine that anywhere north of Luton/Watford is a foreign country and therefore not worth any effort.
Politely, it is often known as a "North-South" divide, which provides Politicians with hours of fun in the House.

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Yeah, I've been told by those of my friends and family that've left the civilised sanctuary of the south that northerners are great for telling you how superior they are on account of their friendliness. I know my friends love it when I comment on their perceived failings.

Also, being from Sussex I'd put the north-south divide round about Crawley, although I wouldn't wish the pit that is London on the north, France can have it.

Having said that, I hate the southeast, which is part of the reason I emigrated. If I had to live in the UK is choose Scotland or the west country, and campaign for independence.

MrFoxwood said:

Yeah, I've been told by those of my friends and family that've left the civilised sanctuary of the south that northerners are great for telling you how superior they are on account of their friendliness. I know my friends love it when I comment on their perceived failings.

Also, being from Sussex I'd put the north-south divide round about Crawley, although I wouldn't wish the pit that is London on the north, France can have it.

Having said that, I hate the southeast, which is part of the reason I emigrated. If I had to live in the UK is choose Scotland or the west country, and campaign for independence.

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Well, I do not think I have much of an accent (my family moved round the country in my youth, than I joined the RAF), but i can say that I once had to find myself in Bolton (*) one lunchtime. Feeling slightly peckish but anxious to get elsewhere in good time for my next appointment, I called into a Sandwich Shop and was greeted by the friendliest "Hello; what can I get you?": With a big smile.

Now, I can usually tell when the greeting is sincere or not; it's a rhythm and intonation that yells in my ear. And this was the real thing (either that or I'd lost my marbles). I did the same thing in London a month or two later and it was a very different matter; hard-edged, uncaring; I could hear it with good clarity.

Wishing London on the French isn't very kind, is it?. Come to think of it, though . . .


(*) For the benefit of any reader not knowing where Bolton is, it's up on the left, slightly north of Manchester on the other side of the M62 motorway.

Handley_Page said:

I think any husband cringes at Bridget Jones. . .

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Many women do too; gets right on my tits.

PayDay said:

Word. I knew they weren't British.

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They are British, they just ain't English.

redzinger said:

Many women do too; gets right on my tits.

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In that case, can I volunteer to be Bridget?

DeYaKen said:

In that case, can I volunteer to be Bridget?

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Only if you look like Rene Z