Speaking English with accents, dialects, dropping the 'h' and 't' all seem to be the norm these days - unfortunately.
I do not claim to speak with a plum in my mouth, far from it, but I do appreciate English spoken well. Poshly, some would say.
I was therefore amused to see the elocution lessons on this year's Big Brother. The housemates had to read lists of words, many of which are of French origin eg.
Chablis, dauphinois, croquet, canapés, rendez-vous, au pair, faux pas, cloche and some names which are not obvious eg Shrewsbury, Waldegrave, Fenwich, Chomlendely, Bicester, Leicester, St John, Cockburn and Featherstonhaugh.
They also had to practice their 'h's in:
"In Hertford, Hereford and Hampshire, hurricanes hardly happen" and the old favourite,
"The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plane".
It is not very PC to say so but I am all for it.
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