Wednesday 17 November 2010

The Two Ronnies - four candles (7)

B: Pumps.
C: Pumps?
B: Pumps.
C: ‘and {= hand} pumps, foot pumps, c’mon?
B: Foot pumps.
C. Foot pumps. Foot pumps. Tries to find a foot pump. See a foot pump. Got to tidy up in here. Puts the pump on the counter. Here we are.
B: No, pumps [fəjə] {= for your} feet. Brown pumps size nine.
C: You [ɑːrævɪn] {= are having} me on. You are …
B: I’m not! I’m not!
C: … definitely 'avin' me on.
B: No.
C: Slams a pair of pumps on the counter.
B: Washers.
C: [wɒʔ] {= what}? Windscreen washers, car washers, dishwashers, floor washers, back scrubbers, lavatory cleaners, floor washers?
B: Half-inch washers.
C: Oh, tap washers, tap washers.
B: Yeah.
C: Snatches Ronnie B.’s shopping list. Look, I’ve had [əbaʊʔ] {= about} enough of this. Give us that list. Get it all [mɪself] {=myself} down here. What’s this? He tries to read the list.

[wɒsæt]  {=what’s that}? Oh, that does it. That does … (gropes for words) … it. I’ve had just about enough o’ this. Mr. Jones! Please come out and serve this customer, please. Mr. Jones {= J} enters. I’ve just had about enough of this. Look what he’s got on there. Ronnie C. leaves the shop.
J: Right. How many would do you like? One or two? Mr. J. removes a towel hanging over the label of a drawer. The label reads: “Bill hooks”. 


To understand the pun on the label, recall that h-dropping is a typical feature of this accent. D'you need an additional hint?

4 comments:

  1. just brillllllll

    ReplyDelete
  2. As a non native english speaker - yes I need anothe hint or better the solution

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. four candles = fork handles. In quite a few accents of English people drop the h-sounds.

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