frequencies

Dominik Wujastyk ucgadkw at UCL.AC.UK
Thu Feb 19 05:21:52 UTC 2009


> Moreover, standard dialects exist everywhere. The BBC does not allow 
> Cockney in speeches delivered through it. Does it? And does that make 
> Standard British English an artificial language?

Um, yes, the BBC does include what is referred to more neutrally as 
"Estuary English" in radio broadcasts, all the time.  The BBC long ago 
ceased to cast itself as an arbiter of linguistic performance.  Being 
judgemental about dialect in England is still such a minefield that the 
institutions can't possibly take hard positions.  Like the OED, the BBC 
sees its job in this area as representative rather than didactic.  It 
remains true, though, that there are more Received Pronunciation speakers 
at peak times and in critical slots like the evening news.  Interestingly, 
a slight Scottish accent is widely perceived in S. England as attractive, 
authoritative, and correct.

D





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