G'day all:

Bert: I agree entirely; that is why I carefully used the word "seem" - perhaps I should have said "Stage-Cockney". I know that the Cockney uses quite a lot of private language that has no resemblance to what we here in public or on TV shows.

Mayhew's 1850 books on the London Poor and Labouring classes give examples that are very interesting when examing early speech patterns in Australia's colonial era.

Alan of Australia: You're right: the Protestant / Catholic (or State School / Church School) split on "Haitch and "Aitch" was a fairly safe indicator in Australia in past years but is now being lost under the levelling effects of mass media.

All: Oddities are real but should never be regarded as carrying value judgements. It would be terribly bloody boring if we all sounded the same.

My comments on an American style of picking over words is only in contrast to a whole range of different ways other countries' population have of finicking over things. Different - not better or worse.

Regards,

Bob Bolton