Q: How would a man properly escort a lady to/from a location?
A: It seems the most proper way would be for the man to hold four fingers (pointer, middle, ring, and pinky) of a lady’s outreached hand.
The question: “In the original production of Pygmalion, Eliza and Higgins have a romantic relationship. Why was this relationship de-emphasized in the adaptation to My Fair Lady?”
I was asked how one would pronounce the word “hurricane” with a standard RP accent, so I turned to our Assistant Dialect Coach, Marion Hill, for this one.
Her response:
“Hurricane,” you’re right, has a different pronunciation for RP. It would be HUH-ri-kun” with the last syllable pronounced not as “cane” but like “kun” with a very soft, open “u” or you can also think of it as “k’n”.
Let her know, at marionhill2016@u.northwestern.edu if you’ve any further questions on this.
Looking at the script, it seems that the INTERNATIONAL PHONETIC ALPHABET is what Henry Higgins would be most likely to use.
It has been used since 1888, when it was devised by the International Phonetic Association as a standardized representation of the sounds of oral language.
In addition to being used by linguists and Speech-Language Pathologists, it is also used by singers and actors.
These are some key characteristics of Edwardian Architecture:
Sunshine, simplicity, air = three main characteristics.
Less clutter than in the Victorian era.
When there was ornamentation, it was grounded, as opposed to being everywhere. Further, these decorative patterns were less complex, wallpapers and curtain designs being plainer, too.
As gas and electric light were becoming more prevalent, the colors could be lighter, as they would look better in brighter light.
Houses had wider frontages, so there was often more room for a hall.
A desire for cleanliness in the designs.
There would likely be a vase of flowers on a table complementing the fabrics wallpaper.
Wooden porches with turned spindles were prevalent.
The windows tended to be smaller and leaded, creating a picturesque effect.
Jacobean details–gargoyles, heraldic devices, mullioned windows, studded doors, Dutch gables
Rustic bricks
Rough cast walls
No dado rails
Stained glasses and door furniture