Nothing elitist about received pronunciation
SIR – Received pronunciation is not “posh”, as the presenter Amol Rajan claims (report, September 28).
It is precise, which means anyone can understand it. In making speech accessible to all, it is the very opposite of elitist. Mr Rajan is hard to understand not because of his accent, but because he gabbles, slurs and swallows his consonants. Cynthia Harrod-eagles
Northwood, Middlesex
SIR – When Amol Rajan calls broadcasters “posh”, he simply means that they speak properly.
He is right to complain that only 10 per cent of the population speak with received pronunciation. The tragedy, however, is that this figure is not higher. Broadcasters are in the communications business; if they employ people who use appalling grammar or have incomprehensible accents, they are doing viewers and listeners a great disservice.
This is not snobbery. Anyone can speak the English language as it should be spoken if they make the effort. Inverted snobbery on the part of broadcasters who encourage bad English is a national disgrace.
Nicholas Young
London W13