Thursday 11 June 2009

Because it was amusing

I ran into the dialectizer today and just had to see what it would do to my book reviews. I give you David Copperfield in:

Cockney

First off, right, I just 'ave ter mention that I listened ter David Copperfield ravver than read it, init? I 'ave the version narrated by Martin Jarvis (published by BBC WW) and 'is narration were nuffink short of brilliant. He right made the characters come ter life and coloured in the bloody story. It were like seein' a black and wite film in colour for the first time. I'm workin' me way frough all of Dickens books and am right glad I got this particular audio version. I'll certainly be 'ave a lookin' forward ter hearin' more of Jarvis. 'e made even the slower bits entertainin', alffough I fink I could 'ave done wivout copping ter know Guvnor Micorber quite as well as I did fough 'is narration (tongue in cheek). Sometimes Dickens does go just a bit over the top wiv 'is characters sometimes.

Even fough this is one of the most well known of Dickens works, right, it’s not one I would recommend ter some bloke as their first Dickens novel, init?It’s quoted in Wikipedia as bein' the bloody most autobiographical of Dickens’ works, right, wich I suspect is largely due ter it’s first geezer narration. David Copperfield 'imself tells yer about 'is life from the time 'e were a wee lad at The Rookery. The first 'alf of the book can be a bit slow in events at times, right, so if yer don’t care for Dickens or 'aven’t read any of 'is works yet, I could spot that it might be a bit tedious. The second 'alf more than makes up for this fough. I right found meself enjoyin' it once Copperfield reached an age where 'e were able ter control 'is own life somewot.

This butcher's hook, or peraps the fact that I listened ter it ravver than read it, made me realize that one fin' yer must 'ave ter enjoy Dickens’ works is a good imagination. Yer can’t just read about wot the characters are doin', yer 'ave ter picture their actions ter make it interestin', right? Once yer start ter do that, yer can begin ter appreciate 'is use of descriptive 'am sandwich ravver than just findin' it tediously long and circumspect. I suspect that’s always wot I’ve ravver liked about Dickens, but just 'adn’t realized it so concretely. The bloomin' scene where 'e mentions the bloomin' cell window bein' six or seven deep in men’s 'eads as the jostle for a better position takes on much more of a comic atmosphere wen yer picture it 'appenin' instead of just readin' about it.

If yer like Dickens, yer’ll luv this one, if yer don’t, yer may want ter try the audio butcher's hook (wich I can recommend eever way). I luvd it and will certainly read it again sometime.

Redneck

Fust off, ah jest hafta menshun thet ah lissened t'Abner Copperfield rather than read it. ah have th' vahshun narrated by Martin Jarvis (published by BBC WW) an' his narrashun was nothin' sho't of brilliant. He pow'ful made th' chareeckers come t'life an' coloured in th' sto'y. It was like seein' a black an' white film in colour fo' th' fust time. ah's wawkin' mah way through all of Dickens books an' is pow'ful glad ah got this hyar particular audio vahshun. I'll sartinly be lookin' fo'ward t'hearin' mo'e of Jarvis. He made even th' slower bits intertainin', although ah reckon ah c'd haf done wifout gittin' t'knows Mr. Micawber quite as fine as ah did though his narrashun (tongue in cheek). Sometimes Dickens does hoof it jest a bit on over th' top wif his chareeckers sometimes.

Even though this hyar is one of the dawgoned-est fine known of Dickens wawks, it’s not one ah w'd recommend t'someone as their fust Dickens novel, ah reckon. It’s quoted in Wikipedia as bein' the dawgoned-est autybiographical of Dickens’ wawks, which ah suspeck is largely due t'it’s fust varmint narrashun. Abner Copperfield hisse'f tells yo' about his life fum th' time he was a li'l lad at Th' Rookery. Th' fust ha'f of th' book kin be a bit slow in events at times, so eff'n yo' don’t care fo' Dickens o' haven’t read enny of his wawks yet, ah c'd see thet it might be a bit tedious. Th' second ha'f mo'e than makes up fo' this hyar though. ah pow'ful foun' mahse'f injoyin' it once Copperfield retched an age whar he was able t'control his own life somewhut.

This hyar book, o' perhaps th' fack thet ah lissened t'it rather than read it, made me reckanize thet one thin' yo' muss hafta injoy Dickens’ wawks is a fine imaginashun. Yo' kin’t jest read about whut th' chareeckers is doin', yo' hafta pitcher their ackshuns t'make it interestin'. Once yo' start t'do thet, yo' kin begin t'appreesheeate his use of dexcrippive language rather than jest findin' it tediously long an' circumspeck. ah suspeck thet’s allus whut I’ve rather liked about Dickens, but jest hadn’t reckanized it so corncretely. Th' scene whar he menshuns th' cell window bein' six o' seven deep in men’s haids as th' jostle fo' a better posishun takes on much mo'e of a comic atmosphar when yo' pitcher it happenin' instead of jest readin' about it.

Eff'n yo' like Dickens, yo'’ll love this hyar one, eff'n yo' don’t, yo' may be hankerin' t'try th' audio book (which ah can recommend eifer way). ah loved it an' will sartinly read it agin sometime.
Posted by TheBlackHoun'dog

Elmer Fudd
Fiwst off, I just have to mention that I wistened to David Coppewfiewd wathew than wead it. I have the vewsion nawwated by Mawtin Jawvis (pubwished by BBC WW) and his nawwation was nothing showt of bwiwwiant. He weawwy made the chawactews come to wife and cowouwed in the stowy. It was wike seeing a bwack and white fiwm in cowouw fow the fiwst time. I'm wowking my way thwough aww of Dickens books and am weawwy gwad I got this pawticuwaw audio vewsion, uh-hah-hah-hah. I'ww cewtainwy be wooking fowwawd to heawing mowe of Jawvis. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! He made even the swowew bits entewtaining, awthough I think I couwd have done without getting to know Mw. Micawbew qwite as weww as I did though his nawwation (tongue in cheek). Sometimes Dickens does go just a bit ovew the top wif his chawactews sometimes. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit!

Even though this is one of the most weww known of Dickens wowks, it’s not one I wouwd wecommend to someone as theiw fiwst Dickens novew. It’s qwoted in Wikipedia as being the most autobiogwaphicaw of Dickens’ wowks, which I suspect is wawgewy due to it’s fiwst pewson nawwation, uh-hah-hah-hah. David Coppewfiewd himsewf tewws you about his wife fwom the time he was a wittwe wad at De Wookewy. De fiwst hawf of the book can be a bit swow in events at times, so if you don’t cawe fow Dickens ow haven’t wead any of his wowks yet, I couwd see that it might be a bit tedious. Oh, dat scwewy wabbit! De second hawf mowe than makes up fow this though. I weawwy found mysewf enjoying it once Coppewfiewd weached an age whewe he was abwe to contwow his own wife somewhat.

Dis book, ow pewhaps the fact that I wistened to it wathew than wead it, made me weawize that one thing you must have to enjoy Dickens’ wowks is a good imagination, uh-hah-hah-hah. You can’t just wead about what the chawactews awe doing, you have to pictuwe theiw actions to make it intewesting. Once you stawt to do that, you can begin to appweciate his use of descwiptive wanguage wathew than just finding it tediouswy wong and ciwcumspect. I suspect that’s awways what I’ve wathew wiked about Dickens, but just hadn’t weawized it so concwetewy. De scene whewe he mentions the ceww window being six ow seven deep in men’s heads as the jostwe fow a bettew position takes on much mowe of a comic atmosphewe when you pictuwe it happening instead of just weading about it.

If you wike Dickens, you’ww wove this one, if you don’t, you may want to twy the audio book (which I can wecommend eithew way). I woved it and wiww cewtainwy wead it again sometime.
Posted by DeBwackSheep


I'm easily amused, can you tell?

2 comments:

Scrabblequeen said...

Blimey! That were sure'nough a real rib cracker.

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

Hmmm, well I wish I had a witty response like Scrabblequeen, but I don't. I did however think your post was great! I've never heard of this before, but I'm definitely going to play around with it this afternoon.