Double speech impediment

[Kamila M]

Please explain to me the expressions in bold.

From the tortuous plot twists to the ludicrous double speech impediment, Bhardwaj treads the tightrope between comedy and camp—keeping it just straight enough for the audience to suspend disbelief.

 

[emsr2d2]

Please explain to me the expressions in bold.

From the tortuous plot twists to the ludicrous double speech impediment, Bhardwaj treads the tightrope between comedy and camp—keeping it just straight enough for the audience to suspend disbelief.

A speech impediment is a physical problem that some people have when speaking. One of the most common (in the UK, at least), is a "lisp". This means that a person cannot pronounce a sibilant "s" - the sound comes out like "th". A "roticism" is another - this is a problem with pronouncing the letter "r" where it sounds like a "w", or a very over-exaggerated "r" where the lower jaw extends forward.

I assume that the character in the film/play in the quote has been given two speech impediments.

Camp - a somewhat derogatory adjective which is sometimes used to describe the characteristics of male homosexuals (a limp wrist, a particular way of walking, even a way of speaking). However, it is also used to describe types of theatre etc when they are over-theatrical.

 

[Kamila M]

Thank you so much, but could I replace this word camp with a synonym?

 

[emsr2d2]

Thank you so much, but could I replace this word camp with a synonym?

Synonyms (from the net) are: affected, flamboyant, effeminate (and more). You can Google for synonyms.

However, I would say that in BrE at least, camp has a very specific meaning and suggests a certain manner. I don't think any of the words above work well as replacements.

 

[Jaskin]

hi,
Please note I'm not a teacher nor a native speaker,

Would "mannerism" work ?

Cheers

 

[Barb_D]

Hi Jaskin,
No, "campy" is an overall feeling, where mannerisms are a part of the whole.

Male homosexually influenced flamboyance and silliness -- that's about as close as I can come to describing "camp." If you rent Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (a fabulous movie, in my opinion) or To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, you'll see a lot of camp.

 

[Kamila M]

Thanks, I was sure that 'camp' in this context was a noun, not an adjective.

 

[Jaskin]

hi,

Please note I'm not a teacher nor a native speaker,
[STRIKE]6. camp - something that is considered amusing not because of its originality but because of its unoriginality; "the living room was pure camp"
syn: staleness, triteness - unoriginality as a result of being dull and hackneyed


I think that definition more fits in the context of that text, especially considering further part of the text : [/STRIKE]
link
Am I right that it is the article that the OP's quote comes from ?

It takes classic Bollywood tropes—estranged brothers, a case of mistaken identity, high drama approaching slapstick comedy—and pre-sents them with Hollywood-style realism instead of Bollywood's wink-nudge mix of melodrama and posturing.

Cheers

 

[Kamila M]

Yes, this is the article my quoation comes from.

 

[Barb_D]

Thanks, I was sure that 'camp' in this context was a noun, not an adjective.

It is.

It shows it with humor. (Humor is a noun.)
The show was full of silliness. (Silliness is a noun.)
It was pure camp. (Camp is a noun.)

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks, I was sure that 'camp' in this context was a noun, not an adjective.

Apologies, I re-read the quote and in this context, it is indeed a noun. My synonyms were for the adjective.