South-East English Working Class Speech in Film

Examensarbeit , 2008 , 56 Seiten , Note: 2,3

Anglistik - Kultur und Landeskunde

This work will try to refute this claim, persisting that class is an indefinable and merely personal criterion of post-war British movie. It will be spotted that especially the working-class is, by using typical speech patterns, a major marker when a film deals with the British class system.

To enlighten in which surrounding the British post-war movie is set, a brief introduction of the cinema history will be given. This will not only look at the development in British cinema, but also relate to the country’s historical and economical changes from the post-war to modern time. As cinema is always of international concern, relations to other developments in other countries will be given a short insight when necessary.
As already stated in the quotation above, class and class markers are not easy to confine. An overview will be given about the British class system and its importance throughout the history. As this is a characteristic of British culture and the way of life, some examples of how this self-assurance marks life will be given by quoting a native sociologist. The focus will lie on the working class, as this work deals with specific dialects that derive out of the same. This includes an overview over the history of London’s working class and special criteria it has to fulfil.

When operating with working class speech, the main dialects for south-east England will be described, as well as the fundamental idea of the term dialect. This will be included in the historical and sociological development of both examples being given – Cockney English as main emphasis and Estuary English.

Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)

• Introduction
• History and Features of Post-War British Cinema
• South-East English Working Class Speech
  • Cockney English
    • Social Aspects
    • Linguistic Aspects
      • Rhyming Slang
      • Phonological Aspects
  • Estuary English
• Appearance of Working Class Speech in Films
  • Hue and Cry
  • Quadrophenia
  • Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels
  • Chicken Run
• Cockney as Dramatic Instrument

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)

This work aims to analyze the role of South-East English working class speech in post-war British cinema, demonstrating its significance as a marker of social class. It will explore the historical and sociological context of British cinema, examining the development of working class dialects, specifically Cockney and Estuary English. The analysis will focus on the use of these dialects as a dramatic instrument in selected films, showcasing their effectiveness in conveying meaning and character.

• The importance of class as a defining feature of British cinema.
• The historical and sociological development of Cockney and Estuary English.
• The use of working class speech as a dramatic instrument in film.
• The evolution of British cinema from early post-war to modern times.
• The role of language in conveying meaning and character in film.

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)

The introduction provides a brief overview of the work's objectives and the importance of class in British cinema. The second chapter explores the historical and social context of post-war British cinema, highlighting the influence of the documentary movement and American Hollywood. The third chapter delves into the specific features of Cockney and Estuary English, examining their social and linguistic aspects. The fourth chapter analyzes the appearance of working class speech in four selected films: Hue and Cry, Quadrophenia, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Chicken Run. The fifth chapter examines the use of Cockney as a dramatic instrument in film, highlighting its effectiveness in conveying meaning and character.

Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)

This work focuses on the intersection of language, class, and cinema, exploring the use of South-East English working class speech, particularly Cockney and Estuary English, as a marker of social class and a dramatic instrument in post-war British cinema. Key themes include: class, language, dialect, British cinema, Cockney English, Estuary English, dramatic instrument, and social markers.

• Hochschule: Europa-Universität Flensburg (ehem. Universität Flensburg)
• Note: 2,3
• Autor: Simone Staake (Autor:in)
• Erscheinungsjahr: 2008
• Seiten: 56
• Katalognummer: V117478
• ISBN (eBook): 9783640199808
• ISBN (Buch): 9783640205608
• Sprache: Englisch
• Schlagworte: South-East, English, Working, Class, Speech, Film