Aktuelle Version vom 7. Dezember 2009, 11:26 Uhr

Class in Britain

• Britain has become less class-ridden

Class and Language

Language Samples

• RP Received Pronunciation, University education
• The Queen's English
• "The Prince's English"
• Estuary English
• East London Soundboard
• London Accent 1
• London Accent 2

• Lorraine Chase-Campari Advert 1976 (at 1:29)

RP or Oxford English

A pronunciation of British English, originally based on the speech of the upper class of southeastern England and characteristic of the English spoken at the public schools and at Oxford and Cambridge Universities. Until recently it was the standard form of English used in British broadcasting.

About two percent of Britons speak with the RP accent in its purest form. Researchers generally distinguish between three different forms of RP: Conservative, General, and Advanced. Conservative RP refers to a traditional accent associated with older speakers with certain social backgrounds; General RP is often considered neutral regarding age, occupation, or lifestyle of the speaker; and Advanced RP refers to speech of a younger generation of British speakers. - Received_Pronunciation

sound examples and spelling alternatives

Estuary English

• estuary:

- ger.: die Mündung, das Mündungsgebiet

• Def.:
• Estuary English is a name given to the dialect(s) of English widely spoken in South East England, especially along the River Thames and its estuary (around London). It's called "Standard English spoken with the accent of the southeast of England". The name comes from the area around the Thames Estuary, particularly London, Kent and Essex.
• middle-class speech

- may eventually replace received pronunciation

• special sounds

- Non-rhoticity

- T-dropping (Cockney-influence)

- Sometimes H-dropping

- Use of intrusive R.

- Use of confrontational question tags. For example, "We're going later, aren't we?", "I said that, didn't I?"

Source: WP: Estuary_English

• Listening Example

http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/text-only/received-pronunciation/london/

What influences on and changes to English spoken in Britain are there?

Solution 1:

Many people complain that English spoken in Britain changes. In the following the influences and changes shall be discussed^{(Dangerous ... you don't really discuss anything here-so don't promise it)}: First of all TV has a lot of influence on people, so as the English spoken on TV has changed the language of the people watching TV has changed too. ^Example ??? This might be because especially children and teenagers try to adopt their idols' way of talking. A second aspect is that even dictionaries now include the latest slang words ^Example ???. Thirdly Estuary English ^{short definition of what Estuary English is} is slowly replacing RP^{short definition of RP}. Besides people nowadays care less about the way other people speak ^{Is that an influence on English}. Language is fluid, so changes come and go. ^{Influence of American English is not mentioned!}

Solution 2

Language in Britain is influenced by several factors. Firstly children are adopting other pronounciations ^{short Example}to increase their coolness^{support for thesis that this increases coolness?}. A second strong influence is the American language from which many words are assimilated into British English. For example American words like "barf" or "vomit" are now fully integrated into British English. Furthermore words, which are slang are included in the dictionaries and become more acceptable and accepted. For instance while words like "bobbitt" are not mentioned anymore, new words like "dweeb" appear. The media also affect the British language. The employment of newsreaders that no longer have to speak Received Pronounciation ^{short definition?}like Anna Ford is an example of this development. In conclusion you can say if even the upper-class children have given up their Received Pronounciation it is a strong signal for the fast change in speaking culture. ^{Spreading of Estuary English is not mentioned}

Solution 3

There are some different influences on and changes to English spoken in Britain mentioned in the text. First of all the language is influenced by TV and cinema. When the first showmaster spoke Estuary English in a show people were horrified because they thought it was a sign of the end of civilisation. But today it`s quite normal to speak Estuary English even on TV.^{This rather answers question 2 - about the acceptance of non-RP English!} A second influence are popular slang words which are even mentioned in dictionaries. Anyone can create a new word like "downsizing" or "delayering".(Neologisms)^{What does this explain? The dictionaries are not "anyone", so it doesn't support your dictionary thesis!} Moreover the number of people who speak Estuary English, which has its origin in London and the Southeast is increasing and spreading up all over Britain. The fourth influence on English language are middle class pop-stars and even pupils at public schools, who speak classless Estuary English to hide their upper-class or upper middle class origins. The last influence mentioned in the text is the transatlantic influence. Many American slang words are now integrated into English. Upperclass white children adopt the accent of African-Americans to increase their coolness in the streets.^{But generally peopkle include "American English" in their speech, not only children ....} All in all there are many influences on the English language and it has has changed seriously over the past few years and this change will go on.

How has the attitude to using and broadcasting non-RP varieties of English developed?

Solution 1:

The attitude to using and broadcasting non RP-varieties of English has obviously changed. A few years ago someone had only a chance to work in broadcasting when he or she spoke RP and it was nearly a national disaster, when J. Street-Porter, who spoke another accent, appeared on TV. People were shocked and didn´t like the idea of having all British accents - not only RP - in the media. This attitude has recently altered to a more tolerant point of view. Nowadays everyone can work in broadcasting, no matter if he or she speaks RP, Estuary English or any other dialect. Of course, RP still sounds more educated, capable and credible to most people, but it is no longer the only correct "language". For instance, the BBC has decided to support regional accents and to offer those speaking them employment. In conclusion, the attitude to non-RP accents has developed to more tolerance and gives the words more importance than their pronunciation.

Being Middle Class isn't funny ...

When you are Middle Class

Social Exclusion - if you can't be middle-class

See David Batty. Social exclusion: the issue explained

Signs of/factors leading to social exclusion:

• unemployment, poor skills ==> low incomes
• poor housing
• high crime
• bad health, drug addiction
• lack of medical care in deprived areas
• family breakdown
• high teenage pregnancy rate
• homelessness
• high number of young people not in education/training or employment and truancy/school exclusion

Solutions: Government tries to establish institutions that

• analyse the causes and publish the results in reports.
• critically evaluate local governments' work to improve efforts to help socially excluded groups
• help to improve cooperation of departments / institutions to solve the multi-faceted problem
• initiate programmes to improve health of children, reduce teenage pregnancy and school exclusion and to counsel young people about education and employment
• coordinate efforts to encourage private investment in deprived communities.

Essay - Every child growing up in poverty is a ticking social timebomb

Collection of ideas

These children will often ...

Writing an introduction

Check if the introduction ...

• introduces the topic (+)
• gives readers an idea of what dirction the essay will take (+)
• provides an overview of the structure/line of argument (+)
• implies/poses a question and creates an expactation/interetst in the readers (+)
• states general truths/defines what needs no definition (-)
• asks questions/announces answers but does not give them (-)

Possible Introductions

• Question:

• Basic thesis/contrast ==> Definition:

• Surprising fact / statistic:

• Quotation: