Episode fower frae th' story ay sassenach gi'es a specific explanation tae an accent: th' scottish accent. scottish was initially a leid ay its own; however, as scootlund began mergin' wi' englain, sae did their languages. scottish becam a kin' ay creole leid until it ceased bein' considered as a separate leid an' becam simply a type ay sassenach, as it continues tae be seen the-day.
Unfortunately, leid isnae only used as a way tae communicate, but also as a way tae determine a persons status in society. a person's accent can indicate elegance an' gear ur be used against him/her. Ah min' somebody ance commentin' 'at someone's fake british accent resembled 'at ay a relatively puir area in englain. Ah foond thes tae be a bit elitist, but noo Ah realize 'at linguistic class divisions ur common in stoatin britain. th' video mentions a body ay th' accents: "upper - class english" (2:57). Ah realize 'at it's nae mair than th' nam it was given, but still, it is quite an elitist nam.&
Ain fa ur amang those fa dinnae spick "upper - class sassenach?" weel, those wi' a scottish accent. in th' pest, people's fash yerse tae appear elegant was sae stoatin 'at some ay th' scottish - whose accent was considered tae be rustic - took "classes tae eliminate marks ay rusticity" (3:36). it's sad hoo society emits sic' pressure oan them, 'at they become ashamed ay their ain pronunciation, which is actually a part ay them.
However, it isnae only in sassenach 'at vocabulary ur accents reveal social status. Ah hadnae realized afair, but thes also happens in spanish. in colombia, it happens especially wi' vocabulary: th' "tacky" words. these ur sets ay words 'at, withit e'en realizin' sae, we automatically relate tae lower social statuses. it is sae common, thocht, 'at we nae longer notice fa we it is we're makin' fin ay. when a mukker uses it, we automatically repeat th' wuid jokingly. however, whit we dornt realize is 'at we arenae makin' fin ay th' bodie fa jist used it (by accident, probably): we ur makin' fin ay th' fowk fa use them aw th' time. we hae become th' elitists.
Accents are something that have always puzzled me. Why, if it's basically the same language, do people in different regions speak in dissimilar ways? This has enthralled me for so long. I used to believe that each language - let's use English as our example - started relatively the same in each place it was spoken in (England, Ireland, Scotland, and later the United States, etc.), and then each region developed its own twang. In other words, I thought English started as British everywhere, and then slowly changed. After realizing part of the truth, my former beliefs seem pretty childish and ignorant.
Episode four from The Story of English gives a specific explanation to an accent: the Scottish accent. Scottish was initially a language of its own; however, as Scotland began merging with England, so did their languages. Scottish became a kind of creole language until it ceased being considered as a separate language and became simply a type of English, as it continues to be seen today.
Unfortunately, language is not only used as a way to communicate, but also as a way to determine a persons status in society. A person's accent can indicate elegance and wealth or be used against him/her. I remember somebody once commenting that someone's fake British accent resembled that of a relatively poor area in England. I found this to be a bit elitist, but now I realize that linguistic class divisions are common in Great Britain. The video mentions one of the accents: "Upper - Class English" (2:57). I realize that it's no more than the name it was given, but still, it is quite an elitist name.
And who are among those who do not speak "Upper - Class English?" Well, those with a Scottish accent. In the past, people's worry to appear elegant was so great that some of the Scottish - whose accent was considered to be rustic - took "classes to eliminate marks of rusticity" (3:36). It's sad how society emits such pressure on them, that they become ashamed of their own pronunciation, which is actually a part of them.
However, it is not only in English that vocabulary or accents reveal social status. I hadn't realized before, but this also happens in Spanish. In Colombia, it happens especially with vocabulary: the "tacky" words. These are sets of words that, without even realizing so, we automatically relate to lower social statuses. It is so common, though, that we no longer notice who we it is we're making fun of. When a friend uses it, we automatically repeat the word jokingly. However, what we don't realize is that we are not making fun of the person who just used it (by accident, probably): we are making fun of the people who use them all the time. We have become the elitists.
The Story of English (Episode 4):
Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 4 - An English Speaking World - Part 1/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 15. Jan. 2013.
Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 4 - An English Speaking World - Part 2/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 15. Jan. 2013.
Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 4 - An English Speaking World - Part 3/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 15. Jan. 2013.
Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 4 - An English Speaking World - Part 4/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 15. Jan. 2013.
Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 4 - An English Speaking World - Part 5/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 15. Jan. 2013.
Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 4 - An English Speaking World - Part 6/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 15. Jan. 2013.
Armstrong, Edward. "The Story of English episode 4 - An English Speaking World - Part 7/7." Online video clip. YouTube. YouTube, 27, Aug. 2009. Web. 15. Jan. 2013.
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