It had to happen one day

[Chancer]

I just phoned Eurotunnel to book another of their €15 day returns and was speaking French as usual as I had phoned the French number, we had the usual long conversation regarding what dates, times etc, whether I had a roof rack, LPG etc etc etc, he spoke perfect French but with what I thought to be a regional accent.

He had taken my surname but when I gave him my first name he twigged and asked "are you English" when I said yes he said "so am I" neither of us had realised, we then continued in English and he laughed that I struggled to give my vehicle reg, post code and telephone number in English, he said he had the same problem as it had become imprinted.

Oh and I reckon that I can now pinpoint his regional accent - Barnsley [:-))]

[Judith]

So did he say "in 't'wattter|" then?  That was how 't' last lad I knew from Barnsley said "water".  Confused many a person in those days!

One of the ways you can tell where someone is from along the Lancashire-Yorkshire traverse is in the way they say "the".  In Lancashire it's "th", as you move across the Pennines it becomes increasingly "t", and gets less with a glottal stop, until in the East  it isn't ther at all.  I can always tell if actors have been correctly advised, especially when doing Priestley plays (eg We we were married) as they the often get the "the" pronunciation wrong.  (He was Bradford born if I remember correctly).

How do I know - I come from that same bit in the middle!!!

[bubbles]

That play - is it "When we are married" by any chance?

Does it end with the line: "All I can say my dear is that ...."

OMG I can't remember the rest - and I though it was imprinted on my brain for ever.

But.........I do remember I played the part of the middle aged "wife" (even though I was about 15 at the time) who discovered she had never been properly married at all.

Oh, yes, it's coming back to me......"I hope you'll be as happy as we've been these twenty five years"

(St, Monica's Players, London - circa 1962!!!!)

[Judith]

Bubbles, yes!  My sister played the maid, Ruby, (also in the 60's) and even today she can still remember the long list of food that they have eaten, which she says as she enters the stage to start the play!

Very popular in those days, not performed so much now.  I have a video of the BBC production in the late 80s / early 90s with Timothy West, Prunella Scales, Bernard Cribbins, and actors of such ilk.  Excellent, and <almost> got the accent right!!

[Northender]

[quote user="Judith"]  I have a video of the BBC production in the late 80s / early 90s with Timothy West, Prunella Scales, Bernard Cribbins, and actors of such ilk.  Excellent, and got the accent right!!
[/quote] Timothy West , brilliant as Bradley Hardiker in "Brass".

[PeterG]

[quote user="Judith"]  (He was Bratfod born if I remember correctly).

How do I know - I come from that same bit in the middle!!![/quote]

Come on, let's have it correct.............

[Judith]

Now then, Peter, are we spelling it or pronouncing it ....!!  And the "t" can be pronounced differently even when living very close to the aforementioned city....  I used to do a ballet class there .....

[Jay]

Last time I spoke French to the guy at the tunnel he knew exactly where I come from as I have a habit of saying "bonjour pet".

[nounours]

[quote user="Jay"]Last time I spoke French to the guy at the tunnel he knew exactly where I come from as I have a habit of saying "bonjour pet".
[/quote]

You ask them to fart????[:'(]