Just Thinking Back Over Many Years...

[Jackdaw33]

...did any of you go to elocution lessons, to learn how te taak proper, like? My mother wanted to send me but I wanted piano lessons. As two half crowns per lesson were too dear, and I showed that if necessary I could talk in RP, having listened to the Home Service, the piano won.

[ubasses]

Yes, and I was most put out as they were held in the lunch break. Fortunately 2 of my friends had to go as well. Won a couple of poetry reading prizes. Not sure if it did much good long term.

[eanceoil]

I went to elocution classes, I never liked it, I didn't understand why the tutor was so obsessed with the sea shell on the seashore and the brown cow, give me cockles and mussels and molly malone any day

[-SharonA-]

You're 'avin a bubble aren't ya?

[Jackdaw33]

I was thinking more of ladies who used to offer these lessons from their homes, be it piano or elocution.

[silliemillie]

Oh shut up! No need, everyone round here talks Essex dun they Babes.

[Mamyalynne]

Yes I did and it was an utter failure, I think the private teacher retired after taking me as a pupil.

[Prudie]

No but my mother had developed a BBC cut glass voice which my father referred to as 'pastries' and she referred to as 'cultured' which I naturally picked up. I was picked on a lot at school for having a posh voice. I did have piano and ballet lessons though.

[Jackdaw33]

My mother had two voices; one for everyday use and another for the telephone.

[-SharonA-]

I can tawk quite posh, I have you know! And instead of piano lessons, I had ballet lessons. Didn't work out as I had no style and grace.

[Everhelpful]

Nah,never had the need to,everybody a knew taaked the same,still dee.

[Jackdaw33]

I suppose that the local patois does have the benefit of brevity. After all, it's much quicker to say, 'Gizza tab' than 'May I trouble you for a cigarette'.

[Hopkirk]

Electrocution lessons?

Are they legal?

[mikey4444]

I can recall having to recite tongue-twisters like these during the 50's, at my Primary School in North London ::

"Red leather, Yellow Leather"

and

"Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers"

I am not sure if it was elocution lessons though ?

[tonyav]

Nah, never needed em ah kid, them BBC types doh arv spake funny.

[-SharonA-]

^^^ so do folks from the black country!

[tonyav]

Oi ya cockney g** ^^^^^^^