Fawlty Towers and a touch of class

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BBC comedy Fawlty Towers
Have you ever watched Fawlty Towers? This BBC sitcom was very popular in the 1970s. Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) is the eccentric proprietor and manager of  Fawlty Towers, a cheap hotel in Torquay, a seaside town in the south of England.
Manuel (Samuel Sachs), who is Spanish, works as a waiter in the hotel. Sibyl is Basil's wife and Polly works in the hotel.

Watch the clip and answer the following questions:
  • What is Basil looking for in the guest's handbag?
  • Who manages to find the animal and what does he do with it?
  • How does Basil react to the situation?

Watch the scene again and focus your attention on the way people speak.
  • Who is polite?
  • What kind of language do they use to show politeness?
  • What does Basil say to the guest who requested biscuits?
  • What variety of English do the actors speak?

After you watch
Read about Received Pronunciation (RP) and find out:
a) what it is
b) what other names RP is given
c) what percentage of the population speaks it
d) its history and usage


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