ever been to my downstairs (audio)

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suprunp

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View attachment Downstairs.mp3

- And what does Her Majesty make of that placement?
- [...] ever been to my downstairs loo.
(BBC Radio 4; Desert Island Discs with Kirsty Young; Margaret Rhodes, former MI6 secretary & cousin to the Queen, picks her Desert Island Discs)

Would you be so kind to tell me what is being said during [...]?

Thanks.
 

bhaisahab

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View attachment 1337

- And what does Her Majesty make of that placement?
- [...] ever been to my downstairs loo.
(BBC Radio 4; Desert Island Discs with Kirsty Young; Margaret Rhodes, former MI6 secretary & cousin to the Queen, picks her Desert Island Discs)

Would you be so kind to tell me what is being said during [...]?

Thanks.

It's very unclear but I think she says "I don't think she's ever been to my downstairs loo".
 

Tdol

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BobK

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Me three. But it's really unclear. I wonder whether there's something wrong with the recording; I heard that programme live, and don't remember finding that extract as indecipherable as the MP3 was.

b
 

BobK

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I've been trying again (many times!). There's little doubt about "I,,, ever been to my downstairs loo.' As we said, it could be '... don't think she's ...', but it doesn't sound to me like three syllables - more like two. The /d/ is right, at the beginning of the verb. Maybe 'I doubt she's ever been....':-? But I'm not convinced. As I said, it sounds to me like a corrupted recording.

b
 

BobK

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Afterthough: I've just been analyzing it a bit more minutely with some audio software, and there's a click after 'I don't'. So either the MP3 is damaged or the BBC's editor made a mistake. If I remember, I'll listen to the scheduled repeat tomorrow to check which,,,

b
 
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charliedeut

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Afterthough :lol:: I've just been analyzing it a bit more minutely with some audio software, and there's a click after 'I don't'. So either the MP3 is damaged or the BBC's editor made a mistake. If I remember, I'll listen to the scheduled repeat tomorrow to check which,,,

b
BobK, After 'what' though? After a though-nut? Mine with chocolate on top, then, please :loling:!

Greetings,

charliedeut
 

charliedeut

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AfterthoughT - I should just have put 'PS' ;-)

b

You're probably right, as most of the times. Although I find AfterthoughTPS :shock: even harder to pronounce! :p
 

tzfujimino

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You're probably right, as most of the times. Although I find AfterthoughTPS :shock: even harder to pronounce! :p

Hi!:-D
Instead of 'afterthought', of course.:-D:-D
 

BobK

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Back at the recording, I heard it live and it's just as unclear. So the problem is either a technical one (the BBC's fault) or just the way she talks. The speaker is 87, and has a distinctly upper-class accent. Also, she may be embarrassed by discussion of the Queen in the context of 'her downstairs loo', and when people are embarrassed their speech can speed up - to get over the 'obstacle'. (This was found in a study that ended up with the title The First Five Minutes - which set out to analyse a discussion but found there was so much to say that... (you can work out the rest ;-).)

b
 
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