Hello my angels,
I am enmeshed in things bookish. But, our beloved Lanier (SCENTS MEMORY | There is nothing like the smell of a man.) pointed out a treasure of a weblog and an enchanting tale…
A Cary Grant Story
This story was told by Ann Walker, the mother of a dear friend of ours named Alyson Daniels, whom we are fortunate to live near to in the country. This retelling is a tribute to Ann, a wonderful and dear lady, and a person I became fond of in the too-short time that I was privileged to know her before she died, almost a decade ago.
Ann Walker was one of the most attractive women I have known. Although in her early seventies when I met her, she still had a marvelous, gamine figure, with legs for days, and an innate sense of classic American style, updated for contemporary life. She had a terrific sense of humor and was quite amusing, and her throaty laugh–which she did frequently–was infectious. And she was a bit kooky, which only added to her charm. Ann’s combination of looks, style, and humor meant that she had no shortage of admirers, myself among them. She was, in short, a true American babe.
“Too Marvellous!” I agree, I do so adore Mr Smith’s lovely story of charming old Cary (“How Old Cary Grant?” “OLD CARY GRANT FINE. HOW YOU?” 😉 ) and Ann – who sounds a fantastic lady, too – it’s so perfect. Everyone *should* read it. 🙂
Oops, and of course it’d be remiss of me not to thank the true chronicler, Reggie Darling for the tale and his weblog! (amusingly, Reggie’s name brings to mind Mr Grant talking to Audrey Hepburn’s Reggie Lampert in Charade, tho it’s *Audrey* who could say the word “darling” in the way that otherwise only a person’s dearest love could!)
I think the elegant and elfin Audrey could have murmured *peanut butter* and it would have had the same effect 😉
Sigh. True. 🙂
And, Oh, her *voice*!
[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3OkXi5osfU&w=420&h=315%5D
🙂 Hilarious!
Well congratulations are due to Reggie Darling for sharing that very funny and amusing story.Its the telling of stories like those that hopefully preserves them forever.If that were not the case they would be lost and alone in our own minds and pass with our passing.
I have at the moment a Cary Grant film to watch that I have not seen for years.The last time I watched it i enjoyed it hugely.Will I still now?I will find out later.The film-Charade-slylish in a sixties way I recall.
Vickie,I liked the Singing in the Rain diction Coach sketch{is that the right term}.I am so often tempted to correct peoples diction and grammer,but thankfully for my popularity never do, as I realise that it would really antagonise people.
It may lightly amuse to share the following with you.
One morning I was asked the time.I replied quite normally for me-That it is ten minutes to the hour of nine.Now that may be a somewhat archaic way of speaking,but I was actually asked throughout the rest of the day what the time was as people found it so hilarious.I did not mind joining in the hilarity in a good natured way, although the humour entirely escaped me.
On the other hand in the part of South Wales I live,the twisted grammer and with it sense simply amazes me.
My first introduction to it was when I heard peope saying that they would -do it now later.My confusion was of course in relation to the question now or later?Translated it means later.
A neighbour might say that -They will come by here{my house} now later.
Another confusion arises from mistaking the distinction between lender and borrower.Hence such as this.Can you borrow me it?She/he borrowed me it.
This naturally can be built into.If I come by here now later can you borrow me it?
The best I am saving to last and they are questions.Whose boots are these shoes?Whose jacket is this coat?
Add the accent and you will know why it took me many months to understand exactly what people were saying to me.
You might have a filled day Vickie Voice Coach.Hope you smiled a bit.
More than a smile, a grin! I can never grasp the distinction between colloquialism and dialect – but I have one burning question, to find your bearings do you orient yourself, or orientate?
Oh, orient, please. I absolutely despise “orientate” – it belongs in the department of redundancy department.
Dear Edward
If I might interject, which part of South Wales might you be in?
‘Byhere’ in most parts of the area is a single word and simply a redundant extension of ‘here’ – though lest we get to uppity about this, it is perhaps worth considering the endless use of -self at the end of pronouns when it is largely unwarranted. Myself, ourselves and so on litter the language even in papers of report and literary fiction.
‘Now, later’ seems to be a transposition of an idiomatic usage commonplace in the Welsh language. Welsh having a much smaller lexicon than English, ‘nawr’ (literally ‘now’) also approximates to ‘presently’ in translation hence ‘I will attend to the matter presently, in a few moments or little while’, which though inelegant is not strictly speaking incorrect.
Likewise, the interchangeability of partially synonymous words from a larger vocabulary is common to bilingual people all around the world. It’s noticeable I believe in Spanish speaking communities in the US and native peoples using Portuguese as an additional language in Brazil. So the ‘coat’ and ‘jacket’ play off is quite a common feature.
Finally, as for the incomprehensibility of the accent, South Wales English accents are generally considered to be highly legible by people who study such things. The tendency towards ‘sing song’ in modulation of tone and pronunciation of whole words (a lack of glottal stops and swallowed consonants generally) usually ensures that meaning is conveyed effectively.
It might also so some way towards indicating why there is such a significant over representation of the Welsh in broadcasting and acting, though there are other cultural factors at work.
If you really want to here incomprehensible English I suggest you try parts of rural Northumberland, Gwynedd and North Cornwall.
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
That really should have been ‘hear’ rather than ‘here’…
You can use both 😉 However, orientate derives I believe *from* orient so maybe the simpler “orient” is better!
– George’s Dictionary Corner
Orientate has inched into the lexicon recently and I always assumed the person saying it had spent a lot of time in the UK… But, it drives me MAD 😉
🙂 Ha! I know what you mean, and I’m *from* the UK! It’s “orient” all the way for me, baby!
So I made you grin did I.Then you may laugh at another local bit of strangeness.It goes something like this.There is a knock on the door and there stands a friend or neighbour you have known for may years.They dont say Hello or Hi or anything prosaic like that.Instead they announce who they are by saying-Its me it is.I know its them so why are they telling me?
In my head I have often thought what would they think if I responded by saying-Well you do look like so and so ,but do you have any paperwork to prove it?A passport or drivers licence would do.More wildly again-Hmmm you have a strong resemblance to so and so,but wait you could still be an emissary from Ming the Merciless ,who has penetrated my disguise and wants to lure my entire family into a life of slavery in the mines of the Twin Blue Moons of Zod.
Well I think its just strange anyway,but there again so would be my replies if I ever made them.
Brilliant!
I have a friend who didn’t like religious groups knocking on his door and proselytizing – so to their opening query he would always say, “I’m a Druid and I believe in human sacrifice.” He said it was 100% effective on sending people scampering, but I’ve never had the heart to try it 😉
Dearest V
I do love how this conversation has gone so wildly off topic – though I loved the story – my mother insists that simply telling any evangelist that you are a devout Roman Catholic has mush the same effect!!
Yours ever
The Perfumed Dandy
That’s what I love about this community, limitless conversation – and of such interest!
xox,
V
Dear Perfumed Dandy,you are of course quite right in your analysis of the foundations of -the strangeness-of the English being in Welsh.I am at a disadvantage as I am not a Welsh speaker.Part of Wales Rhondda.Good reply as I would expect from you.
I assume you have seen the little book on Wenglish.
Yes I bet your friend drove them away quickly.I have no wish however to drive friends and neighbours away.
A liitle off topic never hurt anyone.I should perhaps restrain my self a little.
Now, what fun would that be? I love these far reaching chats!
Hear, hear! And feel free to go ahead with anything you like Edward!
I’ve found that inviting proselytizers in to see “the Basement” while staring and smiling manically gets rid of them… Okay, I’ve never done that, but it’d be worth a try… 😉
Geoge a very good idea.Norman Bates style.Come in I would not hurt a fly.You will have to excuse Mother she is a bit listless at the moment.
I really should get to sleep now, but I had to reply! The scary thing is that some of them would want to come in and meet Mrs Bates… “Why, I wouldn’t even hurt a *fly*” Heh heh heh.
Regarding dialect and accents, I’ve lived in NW England all my life but even before I made an effort to alter my speech to my liking in my mid-teens the dialect seemed alien and uncomfortable for me, and I didn’t speak like my parents. And it wasn’t snobbery either! Strange.
Best! Cary! Grant! Story! Ever!
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