Fred Dibnah's accent

[nq:1]Anybody who didn't shed a tear during Fred's last programme, please leave the room.[/nq]
Will those of us who didn't see it be allowed to stay? Charles Riggs

[nq:2]Anybody who didn't shed a tear during Fred's last programme,please leave the room.[/nq]
[nq:1]Will those of us who didn't see it be allowed to stay? Charles Riggs [/nq]
I suppose so; but shed a tear for having missed it. A minor hero.

Mike.

[nq:1]Anybody who didn't shed a tear during Fred's last programme, please leave the room. I was familiar with the Notlob ... in N. Wales, "the finest Victorian wukshop in the wole of Great Britain". Is this "wole" typical of his place?[/nq]
Aye, it were grand. And yes, lots of Fred and Alf's **** and dialect reminded me of the four years I spent working in Mahdlo just down t'road from Notlob,

[nq:2]Anybody who didn't shed a tear during Fred's last programme, ... of Great Britain". Is this "wole" typical of his place?[/nq]
Wife and I sit entranced, waiting through each episode for him to say "wole".
Then there's shut (shirt) and dats (darts) - I used to work with some people from Bolton.
[nq:1]Aye, it were grand. And yes, lots of Fred and Alf's **** and dialect reminded me o

[nq:1]Wife and I sit entranced, waiting through each episode for him to say "wole". Then there's shut (shirt) and dats (darts) - I used to work with some people from Bolton.[/nq]
[nq:2]Aye, it were grand. And yes, lots of Fred and ... for 'until' - "I waited for him while seven o'clock".[/nq]
[nq:1]That's common across the north of England.[/nq]
I know, I know. I used to have to sit in

[nq:2]Wife and I sit entranced, waiting through each episode for ... people from Bolton. That's common across the north of England.[/nq]
[nq:1]I know, I know. I used to have to sit in morning meetingsworking for Social Services in Mahdlo, often just ... hear it. Older folk even claimed to be able to tell the street someone was born in from their speech.[/nq]That's the Henry Higgins trick from

[nq:1]I've no doubt someone who's spent time working in different parts of any large conurbation would say the same.[/nq]It can be a fascinating study, I think. I can easily pick out a North Dublin from a South Dublin accent, as can most people, but narrowing a South one down to Rathgar, whose residents tend to have a somewhat distinct accent, is more interesting. Padraig could probably localize a

[nq:1]when my job took me all over Lancashire, spending two or threeweeks in most major towns. Thus it was that ... the other. I've no doubt someone who's spent time working in different partsof any large conurbation would say the same.[/nq]
OK, what's the underlying thing with some Lancastrians being strongly rhotic and others not? I assume the reason's easily demonstrable for those who know.

[nq:2]I know, I know. I used to have to sit ... tell the street someone was born in from their speech.[/nq]
[nq:1]That's the Henry Higgins trick from Pygmalion. It may even have been true in the days when folk lived and died in the house they were born in, less true now that there is such mobility in pursuit of education, work and, yes, fun.[/nq]
Indeed, and 70 years ago was probably a com

[nq:1]Yes, when I lived in London I could easily distinguish North and South of the River, and Essex fringes from ... I'd be able to now. This has come up before, with Areff chipping in on whether this happens in NYC.[/nq]
I find it easiest to hear the difference between Brooklyn and Queens (the latter contains varying elements of 'Long Island Drawl', depending on neighborhood). Of course this