In 'Life is Toff' on BBC 3 Does anyone know what created that upper class speech impediment?

[Noellefielding]

Do people like Francis Fulford actually have a speech impediment which makes him say 'wabbits' for 'rabbits' and 'Vair' for 'There:?

Is that an actual impediment or is it a historical affectation that turned into an impediment? It seems to be so common among that class of person.

[Noellefielding]

Sorry, AIBU to find that seemingly affected speech impediment really irritating. I mean, if you can afford to go to a 30 grand a year school, why not spend some money on speech therapy?
I don't even notice other impairments of speech but this snobby speech sounds so grating to me as I bet it was originally an affectation. I may be wrong though!

[ssd]

nah you're spot on

[Babycham1979]

Centuries of inbreeding.

[Wantsunshine]

Is speaking with a Brummy or Cornwall accent considered an impediment now and should require therapy?

[Noellefielding]

No I like lots of different posh accents! I like loads of accents! I just think Fulford's accent is the pinnacle of that impaired speech which I have always thought was probably an affectation in its history. I mean if you have so much money, why would the quality of the way you speak be so unimportant? I mean it's fine to have a genuine speech impediment, but to affect one or perpetuate an affectation for the purposes of identifying yourself as gentry or some senior class, it just really irritates me.
I don't make light of speech impairment either. But I do have friends whose kids can't say 'th' and 'r' and they do nothing to get it addressed by speech therapy, also schools don't seem to be able to afford speech therapy either.
I also don't like the Queen's accent, it's too clipped for me. But many people in the establishment speak clearly and their voices sound very attractive.
I don't mind strong regional accents either. I just smell a rat with those poshos, that way of speaking sounds like it's an enhanced tradition.
But I would like to know what a historian of accents says or a speech therapist.

[SunnyBaudelaire]

it is not a speech impediment it is an accent.
if you were to hear someone describing eg a Geordie accent as a 'speech impediment' I bet you would be howling with rage.
nothing like a bit of inverted snobbery on a Thursday morning.
They are utterly ghastly but that is not the point.

[ReggieJones]

I think that Francis Fulford does have a speech impediment as well as an accent. There is a difference between the way in which he and his children talk. They also have the accent but only he has the speech impediment.

[Noellefielding]

I specifically love Cornish, Brummie, Welsh, Lincolnshire, some Scottish, particularly Northern and Southern Irish, many London accents. I love regional accents, I think they are part of the rich tapestry of the glorious UK!
But I can't bear the way Fulford talks, I just hate his sense of superiority and sneering and my hatred clearly fixes on his inability to speak at all clearly.
But he doesn't care about anyone or anything but himself and his dogs and kids so it shouldn't surprise one.
Most people have an accent they find irritating don't they? I love Liverpool accents but they grate on my dh. I find English spoken with a German accent less attractive than English spoken with a French or Italian accent. I mean some things sound nicer than others don't they?

[hellsandwich]

Pronouncing 'there' as 'vair' is either a speech impairment or an affectation - not an accent. I know what you mean OP, but YABABU.

A bloke went to the doctors:

Bloke: Doctor, doctor - I keep mixing up my 'fs' and 'ths'.
Doctor: Well, you can't say fairer than that.

Hithangyew. xx

[fluffyraggies]

An accent and an impediment are two totally different things obviously. OP is taking about the way a super 'posh' accent seems almost to enhance the impediment for effect.

What, what?

[SunnyBaudelaire]

you know when that was first shown, I thought it was a mockumentary in the style of 'People Just do Nothing' (hilarious!
but having settled down to watch it, it slowly dawned on me that is wasnt that funny, and that these people were actually real.
OM fucking G.

[Greyhound]

I have a speech impediment and also talk with a "posh" accent. It's not an affectation.

[SunnyBaudelaire]

there is that upper class thing of talking with your mouth shut that probably doesnt help.
Set your features into a stiff grin and say 'dry white wine' in a posh voice.

[SunnyBaudelaire]

without moving ur lips

[Noellefielding]

SunnyB I am trying to find out if Fulford's speech is impeded or a historical affectation.
Of course regional accents are not speech impediments!
this is AIBU ok? I am inviting you to say I am being unreasonable! I am implying that I may be being unreasonable! This is not a complex idea.
I do find that way of speaking irritating for political and historical reasons and I am very interested to know the connection between impeded speech here or simple historical imitation of the way his peer group speak.
But thank Reggie he does sound like he has more going on perhaps than just being too posh to speak clearly. I don't hold a speech impediment against anyone, that would be ridiculous.

[SanityClause]

Apparently, the "upper class" accent started in the days of George I. He and his family were German, so the Aristocracy mimicked their accent.

"Vair" rhymes with he German word "sere", which has the same meaning, for example.

Of course, it has evolved from that, as well.

[Noellefielding]

Sorry to snap Sunny! I became unaccountable defensive.

fluffy
hells very funny!

[SunnyBaudelaire]

sanity that is really interesting thank you

[Faez]

I'm sure he didn't have it in "The Fucking Fulfords", I thought maybe he'd had a stroke since then which has affected his speech.

[SanityClause]

Evolved on, I mean - as mentioned upthread, Francis Fulford's accent is different to his childrens'.

[SunnyBaudelaire]

because there is a definite 'posh' accent quite separate from being well spoken.
For example back in the nineties my bro hung about with girls who liked doing 'cake' and had a brother called 'Hegay'

[Noellefielding]

thanks Sanityclaus, I thought there was some Hapsburg speech tradition going on. That was an aristocratic imitated lisp wasn't it?

[UriGeller]

I think it's more to do with dentistry in his case.

Am rally enjoying the programme, Vair good. Love those kids. Is the mummy still "up in London visiting friends"?