Why is everyone referring to "Santa"

[WinWinnieTheWay]

DH and I (from different UK countries and different social class) were both brought up with Father Christmas. Why are so many people calling FC "Santa" these days? Is it just the impact of American culture? Each to their own, but I don't like it.

Scottish. The man in the red suit has always been Santa to me. I think the Scots were some of the immigrants who took that word to America. That and guising AKA trick or treating...

You seem to have trouble accepting that many people do speak with no açcent

Everyone speaks with an accent. Just because someone speaks the same way that you do, or the same way that I do, or the same way that someone else does doesn't mean they have no accent. They have the accent of the area where they live/the area where they learned to speak/the area their primary carer as a child came from.

@Goldenbear

Why do you keep referring to people that have 'upper class' accents. If you mean London RP, many of these people will just be middle class and not have any upper class heritage. You seem to have trouble accepting that many people do speak with no açcent particularly in the south and it really isn't an affectation, it is just the way they speak and they are probably more likely to refer to 'Father Christmas' in this region. It is purely coincidental.

Everyone has an accent. The people you are referring to have an accent.

Santa, Santy or Daidí na Nollag. Never, ever, "Father Christmas".

Or to put it differently, I have difficulty accepting that some people speak with no accent because it's blatantly untrue.

You seem to have trouble accepting that many people do speak with no açcent particularly in the south

Of course thats a fucking accent!

That comment has weirdly pissed me off. The arrogance of thinking that one accent is the default, to the extent of being no accent at all, whilst other accents are quaint regional quirks. How rude.

Meh, it says more about that poster than it does about anyone else tbh, so wouldn't worry about it .

@wellthatsunusual

Or to put it differently, I have difficulty accepting that some people speak with no accent because it's blatantly untrue.

😂😂 I am really enjoying this thread.

Everyone has an accent. Astonishing that anyone does not believe this.

People with no accent? That must mean the way they pronounce things changes all the time and is unpredictable.

@wellthatsunusual

That comment has weirdly pissed me off. The arrogance of thinking that one accent is the default, to the extent of being no accent at all, whilst other accents are quaint regional quirks. How rude.

Arrogance and ignorance, a wonderful combination, eh?

Father Christmas and I used to feel relatively strongly about that.

Now I have a 1 YO DS it's easier for him to say Santa!

From the South East 😊

Accents will vary everywhere. Nobody has no accent what a bizarre thing to say. Differences might not sound so obvious to an outsider though. Same with Scottish accents. Most English people will just hear a Scottish accent but most Scots will be able to identify what area they are from and even often what town within an area they are from. It won't be any different anywhere in the UK. Or are you suggesting no accent is because it's the proper one for the English language? Meaning everyone else's is wrong.

@Chemenger

Everyone has an accent. Astonishing that anyone does not believe this.

I point this out all the time on here. You need a serious degree of obliviousness to think that you are magically accentless.

Oh and there will often absolutely be class differences within accents. The school I work at at the heart of an extremely deprived council estate the dc and parents have totally different accents and language use compared my dc's middle class school 2 miles up the road.

Or are you suggesting no accent is because it's the proper one for the English language? Meaning everyone else's is wrong.

I'm sure that I read somewhere that the original "Queen's English" accent, used in the time of Elizabeth I, actually sounded more like a modern day Bristol accent than the modern "RP" accent. Probably not all that relevant, but I found it interesting .

Also reminded of a bit in QI about Maggie Smith inadvertently offending a naice lady from Morningside, when MS asked her if she could help her prepare for her role as Miss Jean Brodie. The Morningside lady, it was thought, had the perfect accent for it. The lady was mortally offended, as "I am told that I have NO accent WHATSOEVER"!

You seem to have trouble accepting that many people do speak with no açcent particularly in the south

Classic! Everyone has an accent. A neutral RP south of England accent is still an accent! What that poster really means is "people who don't speak like I do".

I'm sure that I read somewhere that the original "Queen's English" accent, used in the time of Elizabeth I, actually sounded more like a modern day Bristol accent than the modern "RP" accent. Probably not all that relevant, but I found it interesting

Alright my lover (apologies to any West Country mumsnetters)

I think you have shown excessive pride in referring to him as 'Santa' not your heritage. I have offered an explanation as to why I think people refer to Father Christmas, IME of being a child in 80's/90's there was a backlash from my parents generation and probably grandparents against Americanisation. Like you and your desire to preserve your heritage by referring to Santa, Some English people want to preserve their heritage which is different to American and Celtic culture. I am unsure why you would take offence from someone having the same mindset over culture. In all honesty, it was much more important to my parents generation and it wasn't about being a snob.

My children have a variety of heritage as my husband is Jewish. My MIL does have a 'neutral' RP London accent as do most of her cousins etc they don't have a high regard for many 'upper class' people due to historical anti-semitism. My children have an Irish surname so I am not really 'limited' in my mindset to not comprehending a world outside of London! If you knew me IRL you'd know how ridiculous that suggestion is!

My mum's been complaining about Santa Claus replacing Father Christmas for over 40 years, s I don't think either of them are going down without a fight! Father Christmas is more interesting if you're into British history but Santa Claus seems kinder.

My MIL does have a 'neutral' RP London accent

So you agree that your previous comment about having no accent is untrue?

And what do you mean by 'neutral' in terms of an accent?

@lakesideadvent

Yup, we speak English in Ireland because of all that English popular culture we consumed. True story.

Same in our part of Scotland. It wasn't because our native language was banned, people where fined for speaking it and dc where hit at school if they spoke it.
Nope.

Are you sure it wasn't to do with all those English movies the Scots watched in the late 18th and early 19th centuries?

You know movies depicting the decimation of Scottish culture as the wonderful people of England of that time came to rescue the savage Scots from their savage ways?

I think you have shown excessive pride in referring to him as 'Santa' not your heritage

Hmmmm I think you said heritage. And IF YOU HAD ACTUALLY READ MY POSTS. Ahem, sorry, but really. You would have seen that I sometimes say FC, when my dd does . So no, I have not got any excessive pride in saying Santa.