Do you miss polished, well spoken English diction?

Question

Nick - yes John Le Mesurier was a beautiful speaker as well.

Answer 1

I can entirely sympathize with what you're saying. Here in America, while understanding that the "melting pot effect" will cause some changes to words used and things like sentence structure, it never the less pains me to hear the american version of english so often butchered and abused. As someone who participates in theatre, I understand the need for clarity of speech, the pleasure of having well written phrases rolling off the tongue in a manner that makes it easily understood to the audience. Then I go out exploring city streets or strolling through the local shopping mall and my hearing is assailed with rapid mumbling, horrific turns of phrase, and young people trying to sound "ghetto". What happened to taking pride in the ability to speak well?!

Answer 2

Yes, I do. An example of this: in the 50s, the speeches of the presidents were, on average, College-level reading material. Now, we've dropped to about 7-9th grade. Humanity: Getting Dumber and Dumber since 3000 B.C.

Answer 3

no

Answer 4

You have rightly identified a prejudice within the liberal media establishment to anything which sounds privileged, refined or educated because of its sub-Marxist preoccupation with egalitarianism,

Undoubtedly, many people have been unfairly discriminated against because of their accent, class and place of birth. Yet the belief that "Everything is equal, nothing is better" has surely denied millions the chance to be influenced by the best, the brightest and most beautiful.

May those who brought the education system to its knees in the latter quarter of the twentieth century be slaughtered in their beds.  

Answer 5

dnoi

Answer 6

Yes.  I wish I spoke better myself and I hate the whiny estuary English of Jamie Oliver, etc.

Answer 7

Yes, I do; proper English is a lost art, gone the way of decent penmanship (there's word you don't hear today) spelling grammar and speech. My personal favorite was Ronald Colman. Also liked George Sanders. When I was in school we had an entire class for penmanship...

Answer 8

yous dos whats yous wants toos

Answer 9

I find that Arthur Lowe's co-star in Dad's Army John Le Mesurier, has much clearer and a more polished diction. I once heard Le Mesurier narrate a children's cartoon about apples.

[addition]

On a side not: as a clutterer I have to concentrate quite hard to enunciate clearly and form coherent sentences; without going back mid-phrase to make an addition, sometimes I go back to make an addition mid-word. Some of us do try hard to communicate clearly and effectively!

Answer 10

I agree with you.  It is difficult in some conversations to know what other people are trying to say because of their lack of diction.  Also the written word is getting horrible.  Point of fact, look at a lot of the Yahoo! Answers and questions.

Answer 11

I quite agree and you could almost be forgiven for thinking there was an agenda within the media to employ only people withstrong regional accents but really it doesnt matter were you hail from you can still speak beutiful english as a welsh person you must have hered richard burtan who had a marvelous voice ,oh and thanks for the trip down memory lane, id forgoten all about the mister men and the dulcet tones of the leta Arthur lowe

Answer 12

Thats why i avoid family members.

Answer 13

I am so glad you have the same thoughts as I have.  I have said this a number of times on here and have been abused and had some terrible e mails sent to me.  I agree wholeheartedly with you.  I love the English language and I groan inwardly when I hear it badly spoken on the radio and tv.  The BBC made an enormous mistake by dropping its standards.  Surely there aren't truer words than those spoken in "My Fair Lady."...'Why can't the English teach their children how to speak...'

Answer 14

Right on ......arthur lowe was so good .....

Answer 15

I don't think there's anything wrong with a slight accent as long as it's understandable  , I'm 13 and I have a " plummy  "( well  spoken )  accent , I don't put it on , I just feel stupid if I try and accommodate a northern accent so I don't . I get teased alot about it in school because I sound weird .  

Answer 16

I agree with you. I also hate it when you see signs in shops that are grammatically incorrect, there is no need for it.