What vowel did speakers of the old fashioned RP use for words like last?

[LordJenkins]

Hi guys, I have just been reading Daniel Jones's (Outline of English Phonetics' Ninth Ed), and he mentions that the london/SE vowel [ɑː] wasnt used in old RP for words like last, ask, path, class etc... but instead a vowel mix between [ae] and [ɑ]. I looked up some speakers of the old fashioned RP, and found a David Niven interview.

Listen to the word 'last' at 0.33.

‪David Niven interviewed by David Frost 1972 - repeated on "David Frost End Of Year" Show 1983‬‏ - YouTube

He uses this vowel mix. Watch this interview, and look out for the words where the cockney [ɑː] would normally be used in modern RP.

What do you think of this? Do you prefer it? It doesnt sound like the (R) sound like in Car does it?



Also, what do you guys think of [ae]? Do you use it? Or do you use something simular to cardinal 4 [a]? I actually really like the proper [ae] vowel used by david niven in the interview I posted. Making words like mad, have a diphthong quality like mA-ed.

[Tdol]

It does sound good and you don't often hear off pronounced like that either.