ENGLISH ACCENT

Hokitika Guardian, 16 January 1936, Page 7

ENGLISH ACCENT

COMMENT ON THE TYPES. LONDON, January 11. , The English accent was discussed by Mr Harold Nicolson when he addressed the members of the English "Association. He: said that with such inventions as the microphone, ‘the gramophone, and “talkies,” the human voice was now of far greater importance than ever it had been before, its importance being equalled only by that of printing. . He was glad to say that he h"d an Oxford- accent, although lie placed it sixth on his list of 10 different types of English accents. The first on this list was th e best King’s Eng’ish, which was spoken by the King. This accent was that of an English country gentleman, and there , was a slight tang of the sea about it. It was the most English accent that one could possibly conceive.

Then there was the Fmpire accent, . which was spoken by the Prince of Wales, and which was a mixture ot Australian;. Canadian, South African and Piccadilly. The third best English accent was the American accent as spoken in New England and by President Roosevelt. Language died not because of its vulgarity, but because it became genteel, and the Scots accent was a reminder that English was becoming genteel. The best of all accents w*s t’’e Oxford accent, but it was a terrible intonation when spoken .bv people wlio bad been to Cambridge. There eCas an appalling spread of “g'mtee 1 ” English in whSh people spoke of “quate” instead of “quite,.”