Have you noticed how Barbara Leigh-Hunt (Lady Cumnor) pronounces her R’s
Havviet instead of Harriet. Is that on purpose?? I don’t remember her doing it as Lady Cathrine in P&P.
Yeah I noticed that too. It really annoyed me, but I think it was just for her character because I've watched P&P a million times and I never noticed her prouncing her r's like that before.
shareIn the book, Lady Cumnor pronounced her double "r"s like that. So they remained true to Mrs. Gaskell's work.
Thank you. I didn't remember that. It's a long time since I read it. The ending was so disapointing that I don't feel like reading it again. But perhaps I should, it is a good book besides the lack of ending.
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I know Elisabeth Gaskell died before she could finish the book. But when I read it the first time, I had only seen the BBC version and I love the ending in that on. I didn't know she hadn´t finished it and was really looking forward to the ending, so it was a bit disapointing when it wasn't there. Just to make it clear, it wasn't the BBC ending I found disapointing but he books ending.
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You're right, we can tell from the editor's note that she had discussed the end. But it's just so much more satisfying to read it in the words of the author.
shareThis was a speech affectation of the period, adopted by some members of the aristocracy. (Replacing the "r" sound with the "w" sound.)
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Really? And all this time I thought it was a speech impediment - like having a short tongue.
I am more inclined myself to think it WAS something of an impediment peculiar to Lady Cumnor. Whilst it certainly is true that some people did indeed affect such a manner of speaking, if it was adopted particularly by the gentry, perhaps her ladyship, as a noblewoman and therefore higher in station, might not be quite persuaded to follow it herself?
shareDuring the 18th and 19th century (and perhaps longer, I don't know) the Cavendish family (Duke of Devonshire) had their own adopted speech affectation. One example: They always said "ooo" instead of "you" as in "I would like to speak to ooo about something." There were other words/sounds too, but I can't recall them at the moment.
After Georgiana Spencer married the duke, she adopted the affectation too. She didn't use it, though, when she was among her friends, only at Devonshire House, Chattsworth, and when she was within the Cavendish family circle. Other Cavendish family insiders that were not memebrs of the family also adopted the affectation when among the family.
the Cavendishes used this speech affectation to set themselves apart from everyone else.
If you listen closely to Barbara as Lady Catherine you will pick up some subtle similarities - espescially around "you will never play weally well unless you pwactice"
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A couple of them were; 'yellow' as 'yaller' and 'hope' was 'whop'.
Twelve times did the iron register of time beat on the sonorous bell metal
An earlier poster was correct - the pronunciation of "r"s like "w"s was an "upper class" affectation. It was known as the "Devonshire Drawl", having been introduced and popularized by Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire.
shareShe had a lisp.
shareBarbara Leigh-Hunt (Lady Catherine de Bourgh) spoke the same way in "Pride and Prejudice" (1995 mini series) too. That was how I recognized her.
shareI'm glad to see someone else had the same question. I don't remember Barbara Leigh-Hunt having a speech impediment in P&P as Lady Catherine. So it had me wondering if BL-H might have suffered with a stroke or some sort of illness or if the character, Lady Cumnor, was suppose to have a speech impediment. I know BL-H has a very distinctive voice. It is so recognizable.
I love these BBC period dramas. There are so many actors in them that have been in other great productions such as Cranford, Sense and Sensibility and Victoria and Albert. It was nagging me where I recognized the actress portraying Lady Hamley from. She played Victoria's mother in Victoria and Albert.
No, Barbara LH didn't have a speech impediment in P&P. She didn't speak that way in P&P. She used the speech affectation as characterization in the role of Lady Cumnor.
shareLady's Cumnor's pronunciations come directly from Gaskell's novel. From chapter two:
Miss Browning had gone in the chariot (or 'chawyot,' as Lady Cumnor called it;—it rhymed to her daughter, Lady Hawyot—or Harriet, as the name was spelt in the Peerage).share
http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/4274/pg4274.html.utf8
Just watched W&D for the first time--this 'w' thing with her Rs and Ls was absolutely cracking me up. Glad to hear discussion on it. : )
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"Well Jane? Are you overwhelmed?"
~Mr Rochester
Jane Eyre 2006
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