a reply to:
TrueBrit
My parents were relentless in correcting us. We were taught proper grammar (and table manners).....
I did that with my kids, too - so, I get what you're saying about how it is "received" by others as meaning something disparaging.
Matter of fact, Mr Wigs and I met at a rehearsal for the Renaissance Festival. He grew up on a very small ranch outside a tiny town. The grammar in
that area is "looked down upon" by 'townies' and pedantic folks (like me)....
does it mean the speakers are really ill-educated? Well, kinda, yeah - as a linguist, I am acutely aware of word usage and pronunciation....and as
the daughter of a 4th generation pedant, there was no escaping my upbringing to be precise, articulate, and to look things up......
still - the ill-education of 'proper' General English of small-town, rural kids I blame on the teachers. It isn't the kids' fault that their teachers
and parents speak that way.
*sigh* I miss my dad.
Anyway - yeah - so, part of the Ren Fest thing is 'academy', where lessons are given in "Renaissance" and "Received English" - including how to talk
like a peasant or a queen or a merchant, to fit character as much as possible. Mr Wigs says he had a very 'hillbilly' manner of speaking before that
which had crippled his status in the professional world (IT guy), and that when he learned 'RE' he began to realize how thick his accent had been.
Sometimes he still lapses into it (rarely), and that's fine....but I have a bad habit of correcting him on grammar and pronunciation even when he's
speaking General English very well
(newscaster-level!
) He hates it, but I can't help myself.
So......la la lalalal...Oh! Yes, why I came onto the thread - so, in BROADCHURCH, Tom was in court (a minor) to testify, and no one was wearing their
wigs. What's that all about????
Anyone?
edit on 1/8/2016 by BuzzyWigs because: (no reason given)