On 07 Jan 2004 13:18:24 +0900, Ian J Cottee <ian@cottee.org> wrote:

>JJD <jefdrab@newsguy.com> writes:
>
>> >>And scones.  Don't forget the scones.
>> >
>> >Would you provide a pronounciation guide for the foreign johnnies,
>> >Jeff? There's a good chap.
>> 
>> What, and provide them with one of the ultimate clues to Britishness?
>> I should jolly well think not.  Foreign johnnies must learn their
>> place.
>
>It's not a guide to Britishness - it's a guide to sort out those that
>come from the south and those that come from the other bit with the good
>football teams (with apologies to Spitting Image). Which reminds me
>(getting back to the merkins) of an incident related to me by my friend's
>wife back in the UK.
>
>She was a professional flutist and decent pianist and was playing
>accompanying music at some auditions for a West End musical. An American
>girl came on stage and sang the Gershwins' "Let's call the whole thing
>off" (You like potato and I like potahto, you like tomato and I like
>tomahto etc). She sang the song flawlessly with one small exception -
>she used the American pronounciations everytime, rather missing the
>point of the whole song. She was somewhat confused as to why everyone
>burst into laughter at the end.
>
>Not in touch any longer so no way to gain more info on the
>incident. However, it made me smile when I heard it. 

Flautist.

JJD