The other night I was watching some programme and an Irish person and someone from the North East were being interviewed. These peoples answers had subtittles. Is this not insulting and patronising?
2007-02-15 20:18:38 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Other - Society & Culture
I would say that it would depend on the strength of the accent and the amount of regional slang they use in their responses. Consider that, if the programme was produced for a world wide audience, many international viewers have only ever encountered the 'silver spoon' version of English. You only need to watch American actors playing English parts to get a good idea of what the world expects us all to sound like!
I'm English born and bred but, for my sins, a southerner. I moved to the Midlands to go to University and it took me a good few months to get used to Wolverhampton / Dudley / Brum / Cannock accents. I still stuggle with some broad Newcastle and Scottish accents - I'm not trying to be patronising, I just haven't spent a lot of time around people with these accents. Although I do feel rather ashamed of myself when I have to ask them to repeat themselves slowly for my benefit!
Actual language is different also - you only have to take the many different terms for a bread roll / bap / cob across the country. I drink coke out of a can but my midlands friends drink it out of a tin.
But, seeing as I can struggle a little, it's definitely going to be a whole lot worse for those whose first language is not English and kids who have only ever known the region they have grown up in.
Then again, if the accents in the programme were light and no specific regional terms were used then I would be inclined to think that the producer had been somewhat patronising and over proud of his/her RADA accent.
2007-02-15 20:53:31 · answer #1 · answered by theflamingred 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yeah, I've also noticed that. I don't think they are meaning to be insulting or condescending. Maybe in the past people have complained about not being able to understand these people. And we all know the media rests on public interest.
2007-02-15 20:24:35 · answer #2 · answered by Claire H 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Believe it or not, some people cannot understand persons of differing accents, just as an Irishman may not understand someone with my accent.
2007-02-15 20:21:49 · answer #3 · answered by DiggyK 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I find that funny when that happens. We get that sort of treatment up here in Scotland all the time due to our funny accents and to be honest sometimes its totally required!
2007-02-15 20:22:24 · answer #4 · answered by ian r 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
TV can get really patronizing that's nothing..
2007-02-15 20:23:14 · answer #5 · answered by XX 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if we all stopped watching they'd sit up and take notice
2007-02-15 20:21:06 · answer #6 · answered by Boofie 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
throw your tv on the curb.
2007-02-15 20:22:21 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋