48 Paddington Street (1940 1949)

British Instructional Films Ltd presentation. Directed by Mary Field. Photographed by Frank Bundy. Recordist D. Howells. The Professor: A. Lloyd James Secretary to the Committee on Spoken English. British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC The Student: Dr M. D. Ratnasuriya B. A. A man in a flat cap and scarf sells a newspaper. A foreign student asks the paper seller directions to 48 Paddington Street. He does not understand the student s accent, saying: Eh When he is shown the address written on a piece of paper he understands. As the student walks off the paper seller says: Why didn t you say so Sign reads: University of London School of Oriental Studies. Office door with a sign which says: Phonetics. Student knocks and is invited inside. He asks why he is frequently misunderstood when he speaks English. He comes from Ceylon and the Professor notices a difference in the way his jaw moves when he speaks Sinhalese. The Professor taps out the rhythms of the two languages