: cd...@sugar.NeoSoft.COM (C. Duff) wrote:
: > I am seeking to purchase books and/or tapes on Received Pronunciation in
: > particular and British English in general.

It would be helpful to know why you want this.

: > If anyone knows of a bookstore or a mail-order source from which I can make
: > my purchases, please share the information. Recommendations of specific
: > titles and authors are most welcome.

: I've never heard of a text on this; the only people who set out to learn RP
: as a systematic enterprise are drama students ....

There are lots of texts and tapes & if you try the British Council, or
write to a bookshop with educational books in UK (e.g. Dillons, Malet
Street, London WC1); Heffers, 20 Trinity Street, Cambridge, CB2 3NG,
England) you'll be able to get full up to date lists.  Unfortunately,
it's not only drama students who get RP foisted on them: it's still the
reference point where British English is taught as a foreign language.  I
hope C Duff isn't going to tell students that everyone in Britain speaks
RP if they're educated -- it's a minority accent, English (as opposed to
British) and class linked.

Books:  J C Wells. 1982. (there may be a new edition out).  ACCENTS OF
ENGLISH.  CUP: Cambridge.  [in 3 volumes.  Volume 2 is The British Isles].

Gimson, A C. [new editions come out regularly -- mine is 1980] An
Introduction to the Pronunciation of English.  Arnold: London. [Standard
Textbook.  An appendix discusses the status of RP.  There's a tape too I
think]

Hughes, Arthur & Peter Trudgill.  1979. [new edition maybe???].  English
Accents and Dialects.  Arnold: London. [Slim book, accompanying tape is
essential]

Hope this is some use.  WHY DO YOU WANT IT??????

PS You could also look at the Introduction to J C Wells's LONGMAN
PRONUNCIATION DICTIONARY. Longman: London. 1990.

Anthea (speaker on North of England English, by the way.  Definitely NOT
promoting RP)

--

_________________________________________________________________________
Anthea Fraser GUPTA

English Language & Literature
National University of Singapore
Kent Ridge                                 e-mail: ellgu...@leonis.nus.sg
Singapore 0511                                   telephone: (65) 772 3933
________________________________________________________________________