I do like cities like Manchester in reality

They could call it the Venice of the Midlands for its many canals - though i guess many of these are in very derelict states - shopping carts, etc.

But i will return to Manchester. Birmingham on the other hand never impressed me like Manchester.

Those aren't canals - they are the drains because it rains so much in Manchester. If the drains weren't there the Mancunian brains would be more addled than they are already.

Does anyone know how Salfordians (the people in Coronation St) pronounce Derby?

In Liverpool, it's Durby, and calling it Darby is really affected. I always assumed that was the case throughout South Lancashire. So if PalQ's spelling it Darby, does that mean the actors on Coronation St call it Darby too?

Well Blance definitely said 'Darbyshire'

and i heard the show twice - the second time explicitly looking for the exact quote (Corrie is repeated on Sundays after one show each week day)

she said Darby but only she was speaking and she could be from somewhere else originally

People round here (Stockport, 7 miles from Manchester) pronounce it DArby.

"They could call it the Venice of the Midlands..."

... except Manchester is not in the Midlands, it is the north west of England.

Yeah but Stockport's Cheshire. At least it was before they started messing round with proper counties.

And every fule kno they talk posh in Cheshire.

<except Manchester is not in the Midlands, it is the north west of England>

so little time, so much to learn

Flanner,

I too thought Stockport was in Cheshire as we drove through it this past May - is it now considered part of Manchester?

More on topic, although I have very little experience compared to the native brits here, we stayed in Derbyshire(just outside of Bakewell) earlier this year.

We really loved Bakewell, and the countryside was just fantastic - I've never been there, but others have said Buxton is also a pretty town...I never knew there were areas in Derbyshire that were considered ugly, but surely, that must be more directed toward the cty of Derby as opposed to the countryside?

Dukey - love your post, and I'm in full agreement!

My postal address is still Stockport, Cheshire - we do not condsider ourselves part of Greater Manchester. Cheshire does have some "posh" bits - especially places like Alderley Edge, Wilmslow and Bramhall - it also has some more grotty bits.

The Peak District, and Derbyshire Dales are in the neighbouring north and western part of Derbyshire and have some beautiful scenery. The town of Derby is further south in the county.

>>In Liverpool, it's Durby, and calling it Darby is really affected. I always assumed that was the case throughout South Lancashire. So if PalQ's spelling it Darby, does that mean the actors on Coronation St call it Darby too?<<

I'm sure audere's favourite politician would have something to say about Liverpool's insularity and self-obsession, etc., etc.

But it's more simple than that (or Boris). Coronation St needs to have nationwide appeal; so it limits the amount of genuinely local dialect or pronunciation to a more generic "vaguely Lancashire" sound, otherwise not too far from what most of its viewers would say.

My daughter (much to her annoyance) got called Tracey when we went on holiday to Kent when she was a teenager because of her accent, long hair and similar age. A lot of the accents are reasonable for this area. North of Manchester - Bolton, Bury, etc - the accent changes quite a lot. Of course there are a lot more regional characters now as well, scousers, cockneys, etc.

So - PB has been to the Pennines but didn't know it was (sic) Darbyshire.

And he seems to be proud of that.

Well, what can you expect.

Another example of Americans thinking they know more about Britain than the British do.

Do they own it? Not yet .. and not ever I hope.

PB is one of those people that I hope I never, ever have the misfortune to meet.

And that last post will get me banned, because, of course, this is an American site.

Everything must be seen thru American eyes.

Woe betide you if you ever question that. Because they can do no wrong - right?

And seeing as how I am going to get banned anyhow, let me say that PalenqueBob is one of the most unpleasant poeple on this forum.

You should check out his "guns are brilliant" statement on his website.

Not that the Fodors people will take that into account. PB will complain and I'll be banned.

But that's OK - because you Americans value his comments - that's what you want to hear, isn't it - comments from a fellow American.

Now let's see how long it takes Fodors to ban me. A day; two days?

What do you reckon?

Free speech - anyone?

Well chimani please refer my to my non-existent 'web site' where i say 'guns are brilliant'

i have no web site and don't remember saying 'guns are brilliant' unless taken way out of context.

Back to words

Public School in U.K. i think means private school

and public school in U.S. means government funded school for all in a certain boundary

But Public House in U.K. - is it the same as Public School - a private bar or does it mean public as in all comers

how can the word Public mean such a different connatation if the latter?

Public house is a pub.

It stems from the days when they were people houses and they served beer in the front rooms.

Chimani: i think you've got a case of mistaken identity. Bob may be as mad as a shithouse rat, but he's not a bad bloke.

And "public school" is so because it was the alternative to educating your children at home - for those that were schooled at all.