BBC Voices

Conversation in Cowley about accent, dialect and attitudes to language.

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  • Type

    sound

  • Duration

    01:00:01

  • Shelf mark

    C1190/27/02

  • Recording date

    2005-03-08

  • Is part of (Collection)

    BBC Voices Recordings

  • Recording locations

    Cowley, Oxfordshire

  • Interviewees

    Reid, Pamela, 1954 May 24- (speaker, female, care worker), Smith, Gary, 1966 Sept. 03- (speaker, male, chef), Smith, Icolyn, 1905 March 08- (speaker, female)

  • Interviewers

    Paskin, Judith, 1969 Aug. 19- (speaker, female)

  • Producers

    Radio Oxford

  • Abstract

    [00:00:00] Speakers introduce themselves. Discussion of words used to describe EMOTIONS. Mention use of prison slang. Discussion about language used in Jamaica, changing speech when talking to family on telephone, how her speech changed after moving to England as a child.[00:09:06] Discussion of words used to describe ACTIONS.[00:14:41] Discussion of words used to describe PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES. Mention attitudes towards drinking alcohol in Jamaica, changing speech in different situations/when talking to different people, their use of slang.[00:30:17] Discussion of words used to describe WEATHER AND SURROUNDINGS. Mention family home in Jamaica, comment that Jamaica is her home even after 39 years living in Oxford.[00:36:16] Discussion of words used to describe PEOPLE AND THINGS.[00:50:50] Discussion of words used to describe CLOTHING. Mention words used to mean running water smaller than a river.[00:54:47] Discussion about living in Oxford, feeling local, how her speech has changed since moving there from Jamaica. Discussion about what influences their speech, influence of music, biblical language learnt in church. Speakers re-introduce themselves.

  • Description

    Recording made for BBC Voices project of a conversation guided by a BBC interviewer. The conversation follows a loose structure based on eliciting opinions about accents, dialects, the words we use and people's attitude to language. The three interviewees are all members of the same family with roots in Jamaica.

  • Metadata record:

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Conversation in Cowley about accent, dialect and attitudes to language.

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