American researchers have found human brains imitate the speech patterns of other people, even complete strangers, without meaning to.They say a humans want to “bond” with others, even when a voice cannot be heard or, somewhat embarrassingly, even if another person is a foreigner.Scientists from the University of California, Riverside, found the subconscious copying of an accent comes from an inbuilt urge of the brain to “empathise and affiliate”.
Well, we all knew that didn’t we? Look at George Galloway with that hilarious
Scots/Paki-ese that comes forth whenever he’s addressing his core voters.
Well. I don’t think many of us will be able to stomach the whole of Ed’s cringe-making chat with Russell Brand, but according to the clip that’s been bandied about all over the BBC this morning, Ed’s been doin’ a lo’, lo’ of empafising. You go’’a do it, aincha? Let’s be clear.
How old do we have to be to tolerate the BBC’s output? About thirteen and three quarters? Last night’s election-themed Newsbeat showed that young people have confused the government with Mum and Dad - bank of. Turn the bankers into food-bankers! Interest? Not interested.
Russell Brand has a YouTube channel for some reason, I imagine for his activism and some sour, un-fun comedy.
The clips of the MiliBrand interview remind me of Ali G and Tony Benn, but without Sacha Baron Cohen. No irony, just pure humourless Ali G, and Ed as the sucker.
Or, for pantomime dameness, Edna Everage, but without the backstage support of a Barry Humphries, Ed still as the sucker.
Someone said Ed believes if it gains him a few votes, it will be worth it. If not it will provide endless mockery for evermore, like Neil Kinnock slowly falling into the sea backwards.
It's called 'accommodation': a linguist called Howard Giles introduced the term about 40 years ago. Miliband is demonstrating what Giles categorised as 'downward convergence': moving away from a 'posh' accent (technically, Received Pronunciation) and towards a less prestigious one. We all accommodate generally without being aware that this is so.
ReplyDeleteQuite right, but I think Miliband's 'convergence' is always cynically planned, although that doesn't stop him getting it hilariously wrong: remember his first Commons speech as leader? - he tried to prove his working class credentials by replacing the 't' in 'it' with a glottal stop but he didn't know how to do one, so all we heard was 'i'. He might have got away with it but for the fact that 'i' was the first, heavily-emphasized
Deleteword in a long succession of clauses. Expect his minders have been making him watch 'East Enders' to get the hang this Mockney stuff - perhaps he's been punished enough!
Jeremy
Sue,
ReplyDeleteIndeedy. There’s no sign of reciprocal ‘upward convergence’ though, is there, apart from the ‘swallowed a dictionary’ pretentiousness excreted by the bearded ladyman. ;-)
Sometimes, though, it's conscious pandering or posing (Tim Westwood, Tony Blair, Hillary Clinton). Miliband was pandering, of course. Why his handlers convinced him this was a good idea, I can't imagine. Probably some Beeboid friends told him he would clean up the yoof vote if he did.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, here's hoping Russel Brand encourages lots of Labour and other extreme-Left voters to stay 'ome next week.
What is so pathetic about posh lefties like Blair and Miliband, or should I say Tony and Ed, is that they think lower class people are so stupid that they will fall for it. It is insulting and patronising.
ReplyDeleteWhat's funny is that it's mostly not working class kids who are influenced by Brand's pseudo-revolutionary drivel. It's more the angsty and ignorant middle class (whether they admit it to themselves or not) and upper class young people. Too many people proudly wear the "I'm working class, me" badge who are actually middle class.
DeleteNone of this contradicts your point, of course. Although it is a sign that Labour fears a loss of the youth vote.
The Guardian (it's as well to know what the enemy is up to) tells us that Brand has just endorsed Caroline Lucas as candidate for Brighton Pavilion. Oh dear, what a waste of all that Miligrovelling!
ReplyDeleteJeremy
I guess somebody told the idiot that he was only encouraging potential far-Left youth voters to stay home, so he's changed his tune.
DeleteSue: I'm sure you're right (you generally are), but since I invariably refuse to watch the ghastly Brand person, I'll have to take it your comment on trust!
ReplyDelete