Strange Goings-on in Scotland Street

[callmemadam]

I treated myself to The World According to Bertie now it’s in paperback. Goodness, it’s been on my wish list long enough. Of course I’m loving it as I can’t get enough of Bertie, Cyril and sad Matthew. But something odd has happened to the denizens of Scotland Street. I think they must have been reading the novels of Alexander McCall Smith because they are adopting the speech patterns of Gabarone. Take this: ‘Fathers don’t want their daughters to get hurt. And yet they know that there are plenty of men only too ready to treat them badly. They know that.’ Mr J L B Matekoni? Nope, Dr Macgregor, Edinburgh psychiatrist. Really? And here’s Angus Lordie: ‘If one wrote a note to such a hostess one would have to say: ”To one who stayed away.” Yes! That’s what one would have to write.’ See what I mean?

Comments

[sloopjonb.livejournal.com]

C. has just bought this. The Gaborone English in Ladies Detective Agency annoyed me after a while ... perhaps they might speak in that stiff, formal manner in English, but surely not when they were speaking Tswane? And yet all the African characters speak like that all the time.

[callmemadam.livejournal.com]

I don't find the African language irritating because, together with the leisurely pace of the books, it helps create the feeling of the slower pace of life.