Do you have a skill or talent?

You're absolutely right about my daughter. Having been bilingual since birth, she's always had an awareness of other languages that monolingual kids don't. So when we sent her to a French school at the age of 7, she went from knowing a few basic words to fully conversational in three months flat.

That's very interesting about Welsh having regional dialects. I assumed that it would be pretty standard, considering the size of the country and the small number of native speakers.

Russian is extremely odd in this respect. Although there are regional differences, they are very minor compared with English. I can turn up anywhere in the country, from Moscow to Vladivostok and not remotely worry about understanding the locals. Even in the Russian speaking areas of Ukraine, where the accent is noticeable and the vernacular contains a lot of Ukrainian words, I was absolutely fine after 3 or 4 days. The same can't be said of my wife in Barnsley!

 

Ya know when you hear about famous singers go busking in disguise…well every so oft I like to slip into my primark jeans and jumper and mingle with commoners in the likes of Aldi or god forbid a market

 

Agree 100%. Been in the same industry for over 40 years since I left school. Almost without exception the best people have always been those with the experience and practical knowledge of the industry. The most valued assets now are a uni degree and the ability to talk bull***t and sound convincing. Not decrying education at all, times have moved on, but the traditional way of good people climbing to the top in a business is getting largely overlooked which is a great shame.

 

Sorry wrong thread

 

and my proudest moment.

i was Barnsley schools shot put champion at Dorothy Hyman stadium back in 1983.

Like a young Geoff Capes.

 

Well done. You have a talent of not paying attention.

 

Could he do that after downing 10 bottles of Henry Westons!?

 

You can't say bullsh1t no more along with pathetic and we'll rip your data to bits. Cost me a 2 week suspension (paid) and final written lol. I truly didn't give a **** no more. And the sack would have been a relief rather than punishment. The head of HR was a ctun after I'd reported him to his superiors for his incompetence. He left under a cloud (pushed for misdemeanors) shortly after I left. ( But i kept up the fight. even going to see the CEO and telling her the same .) Without the supposed accusation of misappropriate behaviour. That had been the norm in union/management meetings for the previous 27 yrs as a rep.

 

Not really when you think about it. Even in English, the South Welsh accent is different to the North Welsh - and again to Scouse Welsh (Flintshire/Chester). And there are different spelling - such as Cymru and Gymru - used in different places.

And our accent is different to those in Sheffield or Leeds - although either might not have evolved sufficiently to manage all the required syllables

 

Still funny though

 

I think that Russia really is the exception when it comes to standardisation (or lack of it) in the language. German, Spanish and French all have huge regional differences, both within the country and the versions that are spoken internationally. I was always curious about why the language is so standard and was told that it was a result of the communist education system being identical across the country, and the fact that workers, especially highly qualified folk like engineers, were often moved from European Russia to far-flung places in Siberia to work on big infrastructure projects. So the predominant accent in Magadan is Muscovite, even though it's a godforsaken gold mining and gulag town which is significantly closer to Tokyo than Moscow.

 

As I’ve got older I’ve developed a skill for turning alcohol to urine

 

Bloody hell. Sorry. Can I say that?

Warning Mr Hooky feller - don't look into 'micro-aggression.' It will do your head in.

 

Daft thing is mate that language was accepted across the table by both parties not offended by it in the previous meetings. (Over the last 27 yrs I attended) Both being able to openly comment without taking personal offence. It was the new head of HR who had it in for me cos I reported him for his vast incompetence in replying to emails and delaying tactics. Not one person in the meeting including managers who were used to such comments from either side and all used em, said anything to me . As would be the norm if someone overstepped the mark so to speak. If it was getting out of hand.
The thing that really annoyed me was not long after. 3 managers didn't realise a recording had been turned off after a meeting. And carried on talking. The video went viral at work. Them, slagging off the senior management and union reps. 1 left without a word. The other 2 carried on under investigation. Excuse being they were vital to operations. (My arse lol none of em could run a bath never mind a department) it wasn't disclosed what punishment they recieved.

 

Know what you mean. I worked in advertising. You were supposed to speak your mind and give as good as you got. None of what I took as normal working practise would be tolerated now. Today its HR, bullsh1t and kids following like timid sheep. And today the most important part of your job is ACTUALLY KEEPING YOUR JOB. That usually means stitching up everyone around you while sucking up to a management that doesn’t give a toss about anyone or anything other than the vast amounts of dosh they are raking in.

Productivity. My arse.

 

I did read recently - usual interweb caveats apply - that Arnold Schwarzenegger offered to do the German dubbing for one of his early films (might have be Terminator), but his Austrian accent was the equivalent of our West Country so he was rejected...

 

Oil be bark.

 

Nope, none whatsoever.

 

Your photographic memory of historical Barnsley matches definitely counts.