Talking Proper

A brisk, curious look at how the way we speak shapes how we're judged, by turns wry and quietly pointed.

Directed by

Judi Connor

Genres

Documentary

Starring

Peter Bowles, John Germon, A.C. Gimson

Overview

Accents and dialects provoke strong prejudices and reactions. In a film that examines why this should be, broadcaster Janet Street -Porter, Scottish announcer Susan Rae and actor Peter Bowles are among those who have suffered because of the way they speak. Meet the Queen's English Society, which keeps a candle burning for the purity of the spoken word, and the Devon Dialect Society, which has very different ideas about how vowels should sound. Eavesdrop on an elocution class, hear from Scottish schoolchildren whose accents might affect their job prospects, and go behind the scenes at the BBC Pronunciation Unit and the northern auditions for the Speaking Clock. See how fashions have changed over the years, and how trends are likely to develop in the future as we enter a world of talking robots and computers....

How it feels

Satirical, earnest, warm and cynical. Brisk and needs your attention.

About

Identity, class, power, media

Content

Mild language. No violence, gore or sexual content.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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