[lit-ideas] What Can Be So Offensive About *My* Accent?
- From: Jlsperanza@xxxxxxx
- To: lit-ideas@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 31 Oct 2007 15:44:35 EDT
"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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La Plata B1900 BPY
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jls@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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