Cheekbones and Demeanour
I tend to read the news rather than watch it on television and I hadn't seen much of the McCanns, parents of missing Madeleine for those who have been in the vicinity of Alpha Centauri recently. I knew Gerry McCann was from Scotland and had heard his accent described as "harsh".
When I switched on the television earlier today, I caught just the last thirty seconds of an interview with the McCanns and sure enough Gerry had a Scottish accent. It sounded fine to me so perhaps whoever wrote the article that I read which said his accent was "harsh" was just trying by the use of "harsh" to suggest "and he murdered his daughter".
But I was genuinely surprised to hear Kate McCann's strong Liverpool accent. I only heard about one sentence of it during which she pronounced "back" as "bach" as in "loch".
And that shows my prejudice and pre-supposition, doesn't it? Because she's a doctor - and I work with medical students, don't forget, and most, though not all, of them have middle-class accents - I expected her to sound, well, a bit posher than she does. Oh, all right then, a lot posher.
Now why did I think that? It's not just the fact that she's a doctor. It's the cheekbones, the groomed elegance. She just looks - - well - - a bit posh. A bit as if she'd be "very bay window, very cut glass" as my friend Connie would say. If I met her and didn't know who she was, I wouldn't think that she'd be friendly. How unfair, to judge her like that - and yet, we do, don't we?
It's her looks that have put people off her: and the combination of those looks and that accent is very strange. I expect Liverpudlians to be warm and friendly, because that's always been my experience in Liverpool - and yet why should they be? That's as prejudiced as thinking they're all crooks.
It's strange, the impression that we give out without meaning to. I know I give out Respectability, I've no idea why - though I do tend to be quite good at taking responsibility for things, so maybe it's that. And - I confess - because I went to a girls' grammar school, I do sound a bit - er - posh. When I was a supply teacher, years ago, the students called me "'Er wi't posh voice".
But I don't think I look standoffish - in fact, I think I must look friendly, because when I meet people they generally soon strike up a conversation with me. And actually, I am friendly, or so I like to think.
So my approachable demeanour tends to override my posh accent. Thank goodness for that. But Kate McCann gives out mixed messages: we don't know where we are with her, and we don't like it.
When I switched on the television earlier today, I caught just the last thirty seconds of an interview with the McCanns and sure enough Gerry had a Scottish accent. It sounded fine to me so perhaps whoever wrote the article that I read which said his accent was "harsh" was just trying by the use of "harsh" to suggest "and he murdered his daughter".
But I was genuinely surprised to hear Kate McCann's strong Liverpool accent. I only heard about one sentence of it during which she pronounced "back" as "bach" as in "loch".
And that shows my prejudice and pre-supposition, doesn't it? Because she's a doctor - and I work with medical students, don't forget, and most, though not all, of them have middle-class accents - I expected her to sound, well, a bit posher than she does. Oh, all right then, a lot posher.
Now why did I think that? It's not just the fact that she's a doctor. It's the cheekbones, the groomed elegance. She just looks - - well - - a bit posh. A bit as if she'd be "very bay window, very cut glass" as my friend Connie would say. If I met her and didn't know who she was, I wouldn't think that she'd be friendly. How unfair, to judge her like that - and yet, we do, don't we?
It's her looks that have put people off her: and the combination of those looks and that accent is very strange. I expect Liverpudlians to be warm and friendly, because that's always been my experience in Liverpool - and yet why should they be? That's as prejudiced as thinking they're all crooks.
It's strange, the impression that we give out without meaning to. I know I give out Respectability, I've no idea why - though I do tend to be quite good at taking responsibility for things, so maybe it's that. And - I confess - because I went to a girls' grammar school, I do sound a bit - er - posh. When I was a supply teacher, years ago, the students called me "'Er wi't posh voice".
But I don't think I look standoffish - in fact, I think I must look friendly, because when I meet people they generally soon strike up a conversation with me. And actually, I am friendly, or so I like to think.
So my approachable demeanour tends to override my posh accent. Thank goodness for that. But Kate McCann gives out mixed messages: we don't know where we are with her, and we don't like it.
posted by Daphne at 8:27 pm
7 Comments:
Apparently I give out "scary" which is pretty scary in itself but doesn't explain why lots of complete strangers talk to me on trains etc.
Some candidates on a recent roleplay job apparently described me as "scarily real" in the role I was playing as Chief Exec of a PCT... not sure whether that reinforces being scary in itself.
In general, although I agree we all give out an impression without meaning to, I think how that impression is interpreted entirely depends on the experiences of the person receiving it. And no two people's experiences will be the same.
I haven't seen or heard the McCann's [thanks goodness, the media saturation coverage hasn't quite overwhelmed Australia], but I would guess her accent might be from the Wirral or North Wales.
Like you said, outsiders tend to associate the Merseyside accent with working class Liverpool, when it actually covers a much wider area. And as with Yorkshire {hello Harrogate and Richmond etc] there are surprising pockets of affluence around Merseyside.
Parts of Cheshire and North Wales are very refeened. After all wasn't Hyacinth Bucket suppposed to be from round that way?
I studied at the med school at Liverpool Uni and there were plenty of "scouse" doctors.
I don't know what I give out, really - that's bad, isn't it! I would hope for friendly and nonthreatening, though as soon as I open my mouth it all becomes 'foreign' and people get distracted...
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My northern Ulster accent (not the harsh Belfast one) goes down a storm over here in the US and combined with my cheeky attitude, I get away with murder at times.
Which brings me nicely to the McCanns.
Ohhhhhh bad Ian.
I can't even escape news about them over here but their almost global media domination backfired with me long ago as my brain initiated a defensive McCann spam filter after a few days and nothing gets through anymore.
I suggested donating my brain to Microsoft to help with their Hotmail filter issues but they said only if it was still 'alive'.
I'm not playing THAT game !!
Yes!
Exactly the same thing happened with me. I heard a tiny clip of her and thought 'blimey, she's proper scouse, I never imagined that.'
I'd assumed she would be 'posh'.
Thanks to you all for your interesting comments.
Ruth - I think you're right, that no two people's experiences are the same - - but years of experience teaches me that I do Respectable without any intention or effort!
Michael - no, that's what surprised me - the Wirral or Cheshire I would have expected - she sounds really Scouse, in contrast to her "posh" looks, and I think that's what Beth picked up on too.
Amy - I expect your accent does cause comment but your writing does very much give out "friendly" and I bet people realise that pretty soon.
Ian - most people like your accent, not just Americans, and it's classless too - well, I'd think so - very useful in this still-class-ridden society.
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