For the BBC-watchers and Regency readers

[kiki1982]

A new programme came on yesterday on BBC 4 at 9 o'clock GMT about the Regency. Elegance and Decadence, The Age of the Regency.

As she said, 'There is more to the Regency than Mr Darcy.'

Great idea actually, the Regency as the time that set up our modern world in terms of renewal, like the 1960s did in the 20ieth century. Modern dress, modern art and the museum, the man's suit...

But Taverner (?) makes excellent and fun documentaries like her series on the home.

[wessexgirl]

I saw it Kiki. I watched it as I saw her programme on the homes too. The presenter is historian Dr Lucy Worsley, and I like her programmes, they're good fun. I think she's the curator of the Royal Palaces, or something like that, but she doesn't come across as stuffy at all. I've got a few of her books on my wishlist to buy. I like the sound of Courtiers, which you may be interested in if you like history and her particular take on it.

[kiki1982]

Oh, my God, got the presenter wrong. How could I forget!! I was just looking on Google for it and found a satisfactory one without opening the website... I guess that's the last time I've done that. :blush:

She mentioned in the last programme that she's curator of Kew palace, so I suppose her function goes much further too.

I still haven't seen the whole of home programme, but a few episodes and they're great! Maybe I should invest in some books by her.

[LitNetIsGreat]

I've not seen the programme, though thanks for the heads-up, however the programme on BBC 4 tonight, The Romantics might also be of interest. It is about...The Romantics. (I've stumbled upon it after watching The Killing which is absolutely essential viewing, see the Scandinavian and Icelandic thread.)

It is nothing that you haven't heard already if you are familiar with all of that, (which has been done to death if you ever study any English at all) however it is still put together well and good viewing for anyone new to it or just interested anyway. Strange to think of Wordsworth with such a broad accent, but maybe he had one and spoke like that?

[kasie]

Dr Lucy Worsley carries her learning lightly and communicates her interest with such a sense of fun and enjoyment that her programmes are a joy to watch. I enjoyed her programmes about the functions of rooms in the home through the ages and was not surprised that the BBC has commissioned another series from her so quickly. I'm looking forward to watching more of her take on such an influental period in English history.

[kiki1982]

Oh, everyone reportedly had one before the real existence of schools like Eaton. As soon as they came about, they introduced their own accent, like it is still the case now. Before the existence of schools whre the higher classes were concentrated and could be taught an accent en groupe (and the people we of course associate with that nice sounding English like the Queen), children were educated at home by governesses and tutors and so they had local accents, because they never came in contact with any other accents apart from sporadically. So Wordsworth probably too, but also Bronte and Hardy in all likelihood (though he maybe went to school).

Darcy must also have had one. That's quite funny :lol:.

[kasie]

Wordsworth was born and educated in what was then Cumberland, the Bronte sisters went to school locally, retuned home and continued their education there for some years, then Charlotte went away to school again in Yorkshire but also spent some time in Brussels, while Hardy attended grammar school in Dorchester, so yes, they would in all probability have retained their local accents to some extent. But in the case of the men, their teachers could well have attended Oxford or Cambridge and acquired a 'standard' accent which they may have tried to pass on to their pupils and Patrick Bronte was an Irishman educated for the Church so no doubt had a measure of standardisation to his speech too.

If you want some idea about the dialect of Hardy's Dorset (for which I have a particular soft spot, having married a 'Darset' man) look at the poetry of William Barnes who tried to set down what he feared was a disappearing mode of speech.

[wessexgirl]

I've not seen the programme, though thanks for the heads-up, however the programme on BBC 4 tonight, The Romantics might also be of interest. It is about...The Romantics. (I've stumbled upon it after watching The Killing which is absolutely essential viewing, see the Scandinavian and Icelandic thread.)

It is nothing that you haven't heard already if you are familiar with all of that, (which has been done to death if you ever study any English at all) however it is still put together well and good viewing for anyone new to it or just interested anyway. Strange to think of Wordsworth with such a broad accent, but maybe he had one and spoke like that?

I saw that too Neely, although I have seen it before, as it was on a few years ago. I love Peter Ackroyd, although he may not be the most charismatic presenter! He writes so much about the greats of literature, apart from his own novels, and his books are well worth reading. It was quite funny recently though when he was on The Book Show, as he couldn't remember the title of one of his previous books when asked. It was the one about Frankenstein, (see my memory's gone now, but I didn't write it :biggrin5: ). And I agree that The Killing is excellent, really gripping stuff. I'm glad I waited for the repeat, and didn't start watching the remade American version, as I knew the Beeb would have to repeat it with the wonderful praise it garnered. I'm a bit concerned though, as I think there's some talk of losing BBC 4, which would be a travesty. There's an article in the Radio Times which I haven't read yet, but I would be manning the barricades if they try to get rid of it. Surely we could do without BBC 3 instead. No more of their trashy programmes aimed at "youth", please! I know I sound an old grouch, but if it would mean saving BBC 4, then it has to be done!

[kasie]

Have been thinking about Received Pronunctiation - it really only came into being with the development of broadcasting in the 20s. Before that 'educated pronunciation' would have been governed less by Eton and Harrow and other 'Public' schools and more by Oxford and Cambridge, the only two English Universities until the mid 19th century, which supplied all CoE clergymen and most of the teachers in grammar schools throughout the country.

Have never been a great admirer of Ackroyd having once attended a lecture by him. He's not a great public speaker and he was talking to an audience largely composed of historians on the subject of his recently published book about London: he put forward a very idiosyncratic view of the development of the City which was received with extreme doubt by his listeners, then wrapped up the talk very quickly, took no questions and beat a hasty retreat. I'd read some of his novels which I found equally bizarre and was disappointed to say the least that he would not stay to defend his views to a sceptical audience.