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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To expect dd's teacher to pronounce her 't's

151 replies

paolosgirl · 29/08/2007 21:49

DD (8) has a newly qualified teacher this year (who looks about 12, LOL). She is in love with her, but came home shocked that Miss X says swee'har', le'er, bu'er etc (I'm forever telling DD and DS to say t when it's in a word)

Would it bug you too, or am I turning into my mother?

OP posts:
binkleandflip · 29/08/2007 21:50

turning into your mother a bit but yes, you would expect a teacher to have correct diction

LyraBelacqua · 29/08/2007 21:50

It would bug me. YANBU.

binkleandflip · 29/08/2007 21:51

hey Lyra!!! are you back from your holiday? how was it?

LyraBelacqua · 29/08/2007 21:51

Binkle, how are you?

LyraBelacqua · 29/08/2007 21:52

x-post. It was great. I've posted a very long message on The Other Thread.

startouchedtrinity · 29/08/2007 21:53

Would it bug you if she had a Geordie accent? Or a Scouse one? Estuary English is just a regional accent, that's all.

Blossomhill · 29/08/2007 21:54

I think you are being unreasonable yes.

McEdam · 29/08/2007 21:57

I don't think you are being unreasonable. Teachers who are teaching small children how to read and write should make the effort to speak standard English at work in the presence of said small children.

Original poster
paolosgirl · 29/08/2007 21:57

It's not a regional accent - certainly not an english one, anyway! She just doesn't pronounce her t's...
Since when does a regional accent mean you don't have to have good diction, though?

OP posts:
startouchedtrinity · 29/08/2007 22:04

It's a regional accent where I come from. Regional accents are characterised by variations in diction and grammar. Sorry, but this sounds like snobbery. As much as I despise her racism I found the insults hurled at Jade Goody's accent pretty distasteful - plenty of people talk in the same manner and share neither her attitudes nor her brain capacity.

McEdam · 29/08/2007 22:05

Um, Paolo is the one who has actually heard this teacher, presumably she can tell if the woman concerned has a regional accent or not?

startouchedtrinity · 29/08/2007 22:08

Sorry, Paolo, do you mean that she isn't speaking Estuary English? Or that Estuary isn't an English regional accent? Maybe I misunderstood.

Original poster
paolosgirl · 29/08/2007 22:08

Thank you, mcedam!

If asking a teacher who is teaching young, impressionable children to pronounce her words properly makes me a snob , then so be it...

OP posts:
Original poster
paolosgirl · 29/08/2007 22:09

I know estuary english is a regional accent - I used to have one when we lived down there many years ago! No - I meant she doesn't have one, as we live in Scotland.

OP posts:
LyraBelacqua · 29/08/2007 22:10

Regional accents don't stop people from pronouncing words properly.

startouchedtrinity · 29/08/2007 22:13

Sorry, still lost. You live in Scotland, so does she have an English or Scottish accent? I mean, even my mum's grammar school english is an accent.

My dh drops his 'ts' and even uses double negatives, and what it does to our poor dcs' impressionable young minds doesn't bear thinking about.

Original poster
paolosgirl · 29/08/2007 22:14

Agree - even with my estuary accent my mum still expected us to speak properly (and that included pronouncing all 26 letters of the alphabet). My neighbour is a great, stonking Geordie - he still manages to speak properly - man

OP posts:
professorplum · 29/08/2007 22:15

I think accent is influenced more by peers than parents or teachers. As far as I can remember all my teachers had good diction but I have a geordie accent and don't pronounce t as well as I should. You don't have to like it but there's nothing you can do about it.

Original poster
paolosgirl · 29/08/2007 22:15

She has a Scottish accent.

OP posts:
babyblue2 · 29/08/2007 22:16

Our local teachers don't pronouce H's at the beginning of words that begin with h. So annoying. YANBU

wheresthehamster · 29/08/2007 22:16

Have you actually heard her yourself paolosgirl? Maybe she has the occasional lapse that your dd has picked up on?

Presumably the head is ok with it.

zippitippitoes · 29/08/2007 22:18

isn't it what she says rather than how she speaks that's important?

Spidermama · 29/08/2007 22:19

I think people speak how they speak and it doesn't make her any less good a teacher so YABU.

That said, my ds came home once to say his teacher told him off for saying, 'what?' because she said it was rude and he ought to say, 'pardon?'
We all say, 'what?'. I don't what others say but I was taught to say 'what' and that 'pardon' was a bit common. (I know, I know my mum's a bit snobby) So whilst I wouldn't mind at all if the teacher chose to say, 'pardon', I really resent her telling my ds that saying 'what' is rude.

startouchedtrinity · 29/08/2007 22:19

Ah. My knowledge of Scottish accents is limited so I have no idea if dropping ts is regional or not. Don't think it is for the Geordie accent.

Sorry, but your dcs aren't going to start dropping their t's - there are far worse things out there for the young and impressionable. Wait til their in their teens and they come over all Ali G.

Original poster
paolosgirl · 29/08/2007 22:19

No, I haven't heard it, but DD is very aware of it. I haven't spoken to the Head about it - doubt that I will go to that extreme! It was just something that was bugging me...I'll just keep reinforcing good diction at home.

OP posts:
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