I am still working on my next Sydney post.
Ray arrived in Australia in 1970, just at an age when he would not be called up for war service in Australia. He made the acquaintance of one Jock McGregor, whose Scottish accent was so broad and thick, he was unintelligible to me, and almost everyone else.
Ray also met Agnes Peaston when he arrived Melbourne, and Agnes went on to be our friend. She lived in Punt Road, Richmond and when we helped her move to her first Australian property she owned in Anzac Street, Murrumbeena, we realised she was a terrible hoarder, with trees of books stacked next to her toilet. Agnes, older than us, had certainly lived an interesting life, which I might expand on in the future, but Agnes was very well educated and spoke with what I describe as a posh Scottish accent. Her diction and voice were perfect, in spite of being a heavy smoker. Yet she still had strong Scottish accent. Is there such a thing as a posh Scottish accent? A genuine question.
That would be my favourite accent in the world. What is yours?
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Edinburgh is considered a posh Scots accent. Aberdeen is considered purest. Glasgow the hardest to follow. Not for me after decades with a Glaswegian husband.
ReplyDeleteBoud, I quite like the Glaswegian accent, if not too strong. Agnes came from Aberdeen, so perhaps you've explained something.
DeleteI think my favourite is the Kiwi accent. It makes me smile.
ReplyDeleteP's first wife's family were from Glasgow so he became familiar with their accent. He had to help me with translating when we watched episodes of Taggart on TV.
JayCee, that's a strange choice. Taggart was a long time ago and I can't remember if I struggled with the accent.
DeleteEdinburgh 'Morningside' is refined and easily mocked.
ReplyDeleteJB, Morningside appears to be a rather 'nice' suburb, so I am not surprised.
DeleteScottish detective dramas and the way they pronounce murder
ReplyDeleteI can't recall which show but there was a female detective and I clearly remember the way she pronounce murder, and I can't even imitate her pronunciation.
DeleteI guess I am not sure how to answer that. I guess perhaps I haven't had a lot of experience with accents to say for sure.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many accents in your country Debby. I quite like the southern drawl and the Bronx accent.
DeleteI love hearing Irish accent
ReplyDeleteAn Irish guy served me last week, and everytime he said something, I had to pause before I answered as my brain translated what he said. But I do like the accent too.
DeleteMaggie Smith in Prime of Miss Jean Brodie?
ReplyDeleteI just watched a clip of the film Lynn Marie, and Maggie has always had perfect diction, but there didn't seem anything remarkable about her accent.
DeleteSpouse and I lived with South Africans when we first lived overseas in 1971-2, so I tried to copy the accent but failed. Even now I can detect a South African accent in a coffee shop after just "hello my name is".. Love it still!
ReplyDeleteI am aghast Hels. Of all the accents, that's the last one I would have thought you would choose. I do not like it at all (sorry to any South African readers).
DeleteI'm not sure I have a favourite accent, I haven't heard very many, only those who live in my city whichever city that might have been at the time, but always in Australia. Scottish is nice if I am able to understand what thye are saying. Like hels says South African is nice, though I have only heard it on TV, and I'm quite fond of Jamaican-Caribbean accents, also heard on TV and from the Jamaicans who lived upstairs across the driveway when I first moved in here.
ReplyDeleteRiver, I only know that accent from he tv show Death in Paradise. I quite like it.
DeleteMy favourite is the French accent...from France 🇫🇷
ReplyDeleteAh, Linda, not the locally spoken French. I assume you speak the local French.
DeleteThe Cary Grant accent!
ReplyDeleteI can just remember it Kirk, but it didn't strike me at the time.
DeleteI quite like a Scottish accent but I couldn't tell you which one!
ReplyDeleteKylie, one that can be understood by English speakers, I should think.
DeleteOh I love a good Scottish accent, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteMargaret, it seems to come with some promise.
DeleteWhen I was in Scotland of course I heard Scottish, but I didn't understand a word or only a few, so I don't know what is posh and what not.
ReplyDeleteIngrid, it does take time to tune into.
DeleteI always enjoy hearing an Irish accent, Andrew.
ReplyDeleteAnother vote for the Irish, Pat.
DeleteI adore your tales about Ray and yourself. And now I would like to know more about Agnes.
ReplyDeletelol
On a fun note about accents, years ago my husband worked from home with folks all over the world. If on a conference call with Australian colleagues he would come to whatever room I was in so I could listen. The technical jargon meant nothing, of course, yet I enjoyed hearing the folks speak.
Best wishes!
Thanks Darla. That would have been interesting to listen to accents from around the world.
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