[lit-ideas] What Can Be So Offensive About *My* Accent?

 
"I thought her  accent offensive"
                       Pygmalion, II, iv
 
McEvoy writes: 
 
>people do find [in general] their accents ugly 
>- hence elocution lessons and
>indeed being inhibited by  better-speaking persons. 
 
I was talking about Connecticut. In England there are still Victorian  
standards, and indeed Eliza Doolittle and her Father were always inhibited to  
speak 
their hearts out.
 
>Why would [the Genitor] have a thing about not making life  miserable 
>through accent-self-loathing but be happy enough if misery were  inflicted
>from other sources, like illness or poverty or loss of a loved  one? 
 
Good point, pup. I'll think about it. In the case of 'les miserables', they  
are indeed something that God alone cannot explain and if on top of it we add  
that they spoke a terrible French, which was self-perceived by them as rude 
(as  contrasted with the musicality of Marie Antoinette) I cannot think that 
this  ulterior miserability would add much to their previous miserabilities.
 
But I am a Utilitarian -- I believe in the good for the greatest number --  
the more pleasure for the masses. Hence, The French Revolution _was_ a good  
thing. 
 
So, adding misery to misery, pup, will not help your argument. I'm  providing 
a theological 'abstract' argument that lies on the premise that we are  
created equal, etc. In such an ideal (or idyllic) situation, an  
accent-self-loather would not be welcome, but then neither would an  
accent-other-loather.
 
Q. E. D. 

 
J. L.  Speranza, Esq. 

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