Brummie accent

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by amber

that is so wrong. Christine is waaaaaaay deserving to be at the top with a pic!

I would say so. Hmmph.

Did anyone notice they actally show a photo of the house Ozzy Osbourne was born in/lived at? http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/images/aston/14lodge2.jpg


Would've liked to have seen someone else's old house....

-Lis

[WelshWitchPMD]

Well, I also love Christine's accent. I guess I am going to have to get out an old DVD and listen to the different accents.

My friend has a fiance from Birmingham and he sounds fine to me. I have seen some pics of Birmingham and it looked pretty good. I will see if my friend can email me a few and then maybe I can post a few if she doesn't mind.


It could be worse. She could have a Rhode Island accent. But it's funny because when I travel the USA people always tell me that they love my accent.

By the way Lindsey also has an accent (Northern California?). I like his too.

[macfan 57]

Well, Chris certainly deserved to have a little bio & a picture on that web page. Her friend, Steve Winwood had one. Does anyone know what Handsworth is? It says Christine Perfect from Handsworth.

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by macfan 57

Well, Chris certainly deserved to have a little bio & a picture on that web page. Her friend, Steve Winwood had one. Does anyone know what Handsworth is? It says Christine Perfect from Handsworth.

Yeah, If Winwood and Ozzy got pics/paragraphs, she most certainly also deserved one too.

I guess Handsworth was the actual town she was from? here's a bit about the town, probably more than you wish to know LOL.

--Lis

*********************
http://www.birminghamuk.com/handsworth.htm

ooo here's a good one-- http://www.virtualbrum.co.uk/soho.htm

also:

In the Domesday Book, Handsworth was listed as a holding of William Fitz-Ansculf, the Lord of Dudley. It was part of Staffordshire until 1911 when it was incorporated into Birmingham.

The name Handsworth is of Saxon origin, from its Saxon owner Hondes and the Anglo-Saxon word weorthing meaning farm or estate. From the 13th century through to the 18th century, it remained a small village until Matthew Boulton (who lived at the nearby Soho House) set up the Soho Manufactory in 1764 on Handsworth Heath. Accommodation was built for the factory workers, the village quickly grew, and in 1851, there were over six thousand people living in the township. Forty years later over thirty-two thousand were counted at the census of 1881, and by 1911, this had more than doubled to 68,610.

The development of Handsworth was rather sporadic. The result is that many of the roads and streets have a mixture of types and periods of buildings.

*************
Almost half of Handsworth Wood Ward, in the North Western part of the City, is undeveloped, including Hilltop Golf Course and Handsworth Cemetery. The RSPB's Sandwell Valley reserve is adjacent. The River Tame flows through the ward.

Handsworth Wood Ward, formerly known as Sandwell Ward, is part of the Parliamentary Constituency of Perry Barr.

Handsworth Wood Ward comprises part of Handsworth and nearly all of Handsworth Wood. The Ward is made up of two distinct communities:

Inner City Handsworth (B21) which consists of mostly Victorian terrace properties, where Urban Renewal work has been carried out. Handsworth Wood (B20) which is mostly pre-war semi- and detached- properties.

********************

[macfan 57]

"Handsworth is well known for its riots and history of violence in the mid 1980's. The riots were caused by heavy handed policing and drug related problems in this inner city suburb. It is arguable that they really arose from poor social conditions, racial discrimination, poverty, unemployment, and dilapidated housing. Since then much has been done to improve the local amenities and housing conditions. Handsworth is now reputed to be one of the safest areas in Birmingham.

Handsworth is just 2 miles from the centre of Birmingham. Handsworth still has many high rise blocks that date from the 1960's but many of these are now disapearing in favour of more habitable and secure housing. There are still many pre-1919 properties that are a mixture of home owners and privately rented accommodation. Over half the residents of Handsworth comprise Black, Asian and other ethnic minorities."




That probably explains the poor public image at one time & why John McVie noticed that it was much improved when he was there over a year ago.

[Gailh]

Some people consider that the Brummie accent is NOT the most attractive in the world (I quite like it myself)

Just as well then that Christine doesn't have a Brummie accent.

She was born in the Lake District which is a fair distance away (to us Brits anyway) from Birmingham. I don't know when the family moved to the Midlands and maybe when she was younger she may have picked up the accent but I don't hear it now.

You can hear traces of a Northern English accent in the way she speaks. For instance the word laugh - people from the north (like me) pronounce it "laff" people from the south (where I now live) pronounce it "larf" same with bath - I pronounce it correctly with a short vowel sound - southern softies pronounce it "barth".

Gail

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by Gailh

Some people consider that the Brummie accent is NOT the most attractive in the world (I quite like myself)

Just as well then that Christine doesn't have a Brummie accent.

She was born in the Lake District which is a fair distance away (to us Brits anyway) from Birmingham. I don't know when the family moved to the Midlands and maybe when she was younger she may have picked up the accent but I don't hear it now.

You can hear traces of a Northern English accent in the way she speaks. For instance the word laugh - people from the north (like me) pronounce it "laff" people from the south (where I now live) pronounce it "larf" same with bath - I pronounce it correctly with a short vowel sound - southern softies pronounce it "barth".

Gail

Interesting to get a British perspective!! Thank you!!

Chris did once say her father hated his accent, and that she hates to hear herself talk because "I hate me Birmingham accent" --so I think she thinks she's got one?? Or maybe over the years she's sort of lost it...

Gail-- do you think her 'downward lilt' is a Brummie thing or not really?


And also on this topic- what accents do Mick and John have? I think both of them have pronounced the word path so it ryhmes with the southern pronunciation you described of 'barth' . I'm so curious about this nonsense!

All this makes me think of a time when I met up w a British friend of mine, when he was in NY. We went to lunch and one of the Brits in the group for some reason began to emulate a cockney accent, which had Marty and I captivated. So I think we got on the topic of accents, and I launched into something of a 'Texas drawl' and they were just as captivated LOL, the British girl said, "aahh, that's so cool!" anyway... just saying how accents are interesting conversation LOL.... to me at least!

-Lis

[NicksIllume]

Originally Posted by Gailh

Some people consider that the Brummie accent is NOT the most attractive in the world (I quite like myself)

Just as well then that Christine doesn't have a Brummie accent.

She was born in the Lake District which is a fair distance away (to us Brits anyway) from Birmingham. I don't know when the family moved to the Midlands and maybe when she was younger she may have picked up the accent but I don't hear it now.

You can hear traces of a Northern English accent in the way she speaks. For instance the word laugh - people from the north (like me) pronounce it "laff" people from the south (where I now live) pronounce it "larf" same with bath - I pronounce it correctly with a short vowel sound - southern softies pronounce it "barth".

Gail

A Brit perspective...interesting!

[Gypsy-Rhiannon]

Originally Posted by Gailh

Some people consider that the Brummie accent is NOT the most attractive in the world (I quite like myself)

Just as well then that Christine doesn't have a Brummie accent.

She was born in the Lake District which is a fair distance away (to us Brits anyway) from Birmingham. I don't know when the family moved to the Midlands and maybe when she was younger she may have picked up the accent but I don't hear it now.

You can hear traces of a Northern English accent in the way she speaks. For instance the word laugh - people from the north (like me) pronounce it "laff" people from the south (where I now live) pronounce it "larf" same with bath - I pronounce it correctly with a short vowel sound - southern softies pronounce it "barth".

Gail

I was just about to post that she doesn't sound Brummie to me but you pipped me!

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by Gypsy-Rhiannon

I was just about to post that she doesn't sound Brummie to me but you pipped me!

Am I the only person who has heard her say that she hates her Birmingham accent?!

Shame that she hates it when the rest of the British world doesn't seem to think she has it.

-Lis

[NicksIllume]

Originally Posted by ThePenguin

Am I the only person who has heard her say that she hates her Birmingham accent?!

Shame that she hates it when the rest of the British world doesn't seem to think she has it.

-Lis

I've never heard her say it. When did she say it?

We should send her a gigantic card saying we love her accent, sign it, draw little glasses and bottles of wine on it, and I'm getting carried away.

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by NicksIllume

I've never heard her say it. When did she say it?

We should send her a gigantic card saying we love her accent, sign it, draw little glasses and bottles of wine on it, and I'm getting carried away.

I think it was at the beginning of the interview w/ Bob Coburn, was that his name? maybe an older Rockline? it was right at the beginning, and they guy said jokingly, "Oh, so that's not a speech impediment?" and then she made the comment about how her father said it was. Macfan, you've heard that, right??

--Lis

[wali1]

As I live in Birmingham UK, I find this conversation most amusing !

Christine doesn't sound like a Brummie to me at all, but I know she lived here for a while when she was a child. I actually drive up the road where she lived on my way back from work.

Although I didn't grow up here, I have lived here for 7 years off and on and find it a great place with lovely people. It's changed a lot in this time, they've completely reworked the city centre, and like any big city it has it's problems but there are far worse city's in the UK. Culturally, it's a great place because there's such a mixture of people.

I think a lot of people confuse the Birmingham accent with the Black Country accent which is an area about ten miles to the west of the city and is very, very strong.

Ali.

[macfan 57]

Originally Posted by ThePenguin

I think it was at the beginning of the interview w/ Bob Coburn, was that his name? maybe an older Rockline? it was right at the beginning, and they guy said jokingly, "Oh, so that's not a speech impediment?" and then she made the comment about how her father said it was. Macfan, you've heard that, right??

--Lis

Yes, I heard it. You didn't imagine it. She mentioned about her father saying it was a speech impediment. Maybe everyone from Birmingham has some sort of inferiority complex. It's actually kind of funny that none of the Brits that have posted on this board think she still has a Birmingham accent even though she obviously thinks she does.

[ThePenguin]

Originally Posted by wali1

As I live in Birmingham UK, I find this conversation most amusing !

Christine doesn't sound like a Brummie to me at all, but I know she lived here for a while when she was a child. I actually drive up the road where she lived on my way back from work.
Ali.

Well this bit of info woke me right up this morning. How do you know she lived there? Is there a plaque on the road or something LOL? That is too cool.

Thanks for the info about Birmingham BTW!

-Lis