The Interrogation on R4

[MrsArthurShappey]

I quite enjoy these dramas - very simply staged, realistic, nice 'more to everyone than meets the eye' messages and well acted.

BUT the language is weird. Everyone says 'I did not' 'she can not' etc, never didn't, can't etc. Once you start noticing it it gets very annoying.

Am I the only one? It just doesn't sound natural? Or do people talk like that in that there London?

Apologies for posting on a Zombie Thread. I have just searched this for this reason alone! Does anyone know why this might be? Is there some desired dramatic effect? As you said, once you notice, it really jars and has almost ruined them for me after previously really looking forward to them

I noticed that, too - I came to the conclusion that it is a particular tic of Kenneth Cranham's which has been picked up by some of the rest of the cast. Really, really annoying - every single time I hear it, it makes me lose the thread for a second. The emphasis is all wrong and it spoils the natural rhythm of the dialogue. As a Londoner, I can assure you, @MrsArthurShappey, that's not the way we normal folk talk in usual conversation!