Okay. Last night I watched the final episode of the three-part followup of Upstairs Downstairs on PBS Masterpiece Theater. I missed a lot of what was said because: (1.) I am loosing my hearing a little already, and (2.) my speech has the soft southern accent of southern U.S.A. which makes it very difficult to understand the British voices and speech even when I hang on to every word.
Therefore, I understood probably a bit over half of the story. Some of it went right over my head. I don't know: Who was the man near the end who was crying, and, why was he crying? Can anyone enlighten me?
Weather Update
The U.S. continues to be battered by storms, tornadoes, and record breaking rain causing flooding. We are doing okay here at Crocker Croft. However, a few nights ago we watched the local weather TV channel as they tracked a wicked storm and funnel cloud traveling into our area, then into our neighborhood, and then went right over us and continued on. I'm sure many people were watching the same channel and sought shelter. If the funnel cloud had dropped it would have been on the ground and would have been a tornado. We are grateful for our basement level family room where we spend a lot of time and where we watch TV and use computers. It was a rollicking storm. Twice when lightening struck there was a loud snap sound in the furnace and water heater area just the other side of a shutter screen. Something was being grounded.
In today's paper was a report that this month broke the local record for rainfall in April. So far we have had over 10 inches with more on the way. Gardeners in many sections of the country are having a really difficult time getting their gardens worked and planted.
Hope someone can tell me about the Upstairs Downstairs puzzle. I looked at several hits on the Internet, but couldn't find anything about that minor character.
Addendum: Later after publishing this post, I remembered an amusing incident. My one and only trip to England I went into a hotel in Cambridge to check us in on our reservation while husband parked the car. I went to the front desk and introduced myself to the young woman working there. Her eyes got big and she fled to the back rooms somewhere. In a moment an older woman came from the back regions to the desk smiling as she came. Apparently, I was the first person from the southern U.S. that the young girl had ever heard talk... she couldn't understand what I was saying, and her supervisor had to come deal with me. It was a lovely hotel, in a lovely town, and we enjoyed our visit very much.
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16 comments:
Hello Barbee.
I wish I could help with the episode riddle - but I haven't seen any of the programmes.
I enjoy your discussion of accents. It's something I often think of when reading blogs. I have no idea what the writers sound like in real life but the 'voice' of each one comes through the words on the screen, and in my head, each blogger sounds different.
But, of course, as I have no knowledge at all of accents, my imagination provides all bloggers with English accents (except for Scots because I used to live in Scotland so I can imagine closer to what might be reality).
If ever I were to meet you (which would be wonderful!) I expect I would be quite startled to hear your real voice and . . . and . . . what if I couldn't understand you and you couldn't understand me? We'd have to pass notes to each other!
Lucy
What a delightful comment and thought: Passing notes! I suppose that would be rather like the cell phone "texting" that people (especially young people like our grandchildren) do these days. The practice is rampant here in the states. I do not participate in it. Is it so popular in England?
Accents (unlike tornados) can be lots of fun Sorry I can't help you with that program - I have not watched it. I still remember visits to South Carolina where we were always being asked if we from England. Seemed strange at the time, we were from Quebec - Montreal area. Even back home I was asked on more than one occasion where and when I had lived in the States. It seems that to some french speaking people I had an American accent. Lots of fun...
Hi Rusty, I guess so many people move around to the extent that our accents can become a bit "off". After I married and left my home state of Tennessee, then 17 years later eventually arrived to live in Kentucky which is only one state to the north, I could see in my mother's expression that she detected changes in my speech. She never said anything, but she looked at me funny. I have trouble understanding the people in the Boston, Mass. area. It was predicted that TV would make us all begin to sound alike, but I see no signs of that happening.
A fun post - gets me thinking about blogger's accents. I hadn't thought of them, previously. But, like you, I'm starting to get a little hard of hearing, and I have to listen very closely to anyone with an accent. I'm always amazed that people in New York City must be able to understand anyone since there seems to be so many different cultures, and thus accents, there. Sorry, can't help you with the movie.
Holley Garden, that is an interesting observation about the New Yorkers being in tune with multiple speech sounds. Several years ago I decided that I would make American Sign Language (ASL) my second language. After two semesters of classes I finally learned that there are "accents" in sign language! What!! The teacher said: Yes. That found in Louisville (80 miles away) is some different from what we find here in Fayette County. There are differences in other parts of the country and world."
All I can remember of crying was when King Edward abdicated the throne for Mrs. Simpson, his brother called Eaton Place and cried over the phone while talking to Sir Hallam Holland about forgiving his brother. He would now be King George.
You can re-watch the episode on the computer until May 24 by going to
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/watch/upstairsdownstairs_ep3.html
I have always wondered why there are different languages and accents.
I don't have TV right now, but if I did, I would have watched the program. So I can't help you there and I have no TV news about the storms. It seems I am getting the news from my blogger friends and that it is a horrible time for a large part of the country. I'm so sorry about the loss of life and the frightening experiences. Take good care and I am glad you are back to blogging.--Inger
Bingo! gld, you nailed it! That is exactly what I was needing to know. So... that was his brother who became king. Wow! I really got lost in all the characters, other than the main ones, I even couldn't tell which man the young sister was with, the chauffer or the German diplomat; they almost lost me on that, too. I thought they were both the same person, the chauffer. I finally figured it out before the end. Thank you so much for straightening it out for me. Now that I know, I may click on that link you provided and watch it again. Thank You!
Canyon Girl, you are probably better off not knowing all that is going on across the country. When there is nothing we can do about such events it just makes us (me at least) very stressed. I guess it's that "fight or flight" reaction kicking in. Oh dear... no TV means you won't get to watch the royal wedding. Well, I'm undecided about that still myself.
Everyone I have enjoyed your comments so much, and greatly appreciate them - and you.
We are in severe drought here,I wish some of that rain would come to us! I have a terrible hillbilly accent! My husband works all over the world and with all sorts of people that often can not understand what I am saying!Once we went and ate with one of his coworkers and the next day the coworker told him he must have went deep in the woods to find that woman,lol!
Hi Barbee...Glad you found out your answer about Upstairs Downstairs. I wish that I had known that it was on again. I always mean to watch it.
I've been watching the weather in the south and thankful that we are only having cold and rain. The weather has been so crazy this year.Right now there is a tornado in Alabama...it looks like a whopper on the TV.
Have a nice evening...Balisha
Yes, you Southerners need to be dealt with in a special way. ha-ha! That was a hilarious story. Everyone understands what I mean when I ask them to please direct me to a bubbler. LOL (water fountain)
Glad you were safe from the terrible storms, but I'm so very sorry about the devastation in other places.
Love the color your tulips add to the photo in your header. Just perfect!
donna
I love these type of stories too, and because I will admit to #2 (and MAYBE #1) I close caption movies with accents. Really helps. I pray for your area, stay safe, and God Bless. (watch the show again, with the caption on, you will be amazed:)
I have never thought about bloggers accents, but I will now. :) Thanks Lucy and Barbee!
Hopefully your garden is free from storms!
Hello Barbee,
I'm glad your puzzle over the program was solved. I have the same problem - can't hear the TV very well, so I hardly ever watch it these days. Accents are a challenge when hearing is a problem.
Here in the US some people still detect and enjoy my 'leftover' Australian accent. When visiting Australia (my last trip was in 2003) my family and friends love my 'American' accent :)
I'm glad to know that funnel cloud didn't touch down in your area. Those tornadoes were dreadful. My heart aches for the people affected by them.
We've had lots of rain as well, and my husband has just managed to mow the lawn for the first time this spring. Sunshine is promised for the next couple of days. What a welcome forecast! :)
I do hope you're able to get outside and enjoy your garden at least a little before the hot weather arrives.
Happy spring!
Melodie, no wonder Texas was having wildfire storms! I can't remember where you were from originally. I'm from western Tennessee, and I know we sound different from people living in east Tenn. Interesting.
Balisha, Yes! It was a 'whopper'. I'll write a bit about it next time. Thank you.
Donna, Thank you; those tulips are 'Queen of Sheba'. I have never heard of a water fountain being called a bubbler - that is perfect description! I read of an Italian mamma newly in the states who asked for help at her grocery store: She was looking for a "spaghetti stop, water go". The employee assisting her immediately knew what she wanted and led her to the aisle where colanders were displayed. I thought that was a charming description.
Well, Carla, dumb me... I never thought of that! Thank you.
Hello quu, so happy to see you here. Funny how this post discussion veered off to accents. I love it! Thank you.
Thank you, Kerri! I know you and yours must be head over heels in work there on the farm and in your farm-wide flower garden of beauties. Hope everyone is well now and back in the swing of normal life. I have de-conditioned so badly over the winter, now that spring is finally here I am really struggling, but I have some help which is just wonderful! That is funny about your 'two' accents!
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