Sir, - William J. Hayes (August 13th) wonders if RTE puts applicant newsreaders through some form of coaching in order to achieve the "Montrose accent". While his point is well made, there are a couple of things that should be clarified.
Firstly, this is not so much an accent as an affectation. Accents take many years or even centuries to develop and affect the vast majority of people in a given district. This way of speaking has appeared relatively recently and seems to affect females almost exclusively. I may be wrong but I don't think that accents respect gender boundaries.
It is also suggested that "vowel-squeezing" marks the full extent of this affectation. This castration of "ou" and "ow" sounds is well known and the idea of travelling "syth-bind on a rind-a-bite" has become something of a national joke. However, broad sounds are not the only ones to suffer. As if in compensation, others are expanded beyond all recognition. Thus, on "AA Roadwatch" we hear of traffic congestion in such exotic locations as "Woaterfurd", "Coark" and "Goalway" - some so serious that they may require the intervention of the "Goardee".
It certainly seems that RTE is promoting this affectation (affliction?). Perhaps it's an attempt to mimic the glory days of the BBC, when its own version - theclipped English accent - was rampant. Thankfully, the BBC scrapped this policy some 40 years ago. Perhaps RTE will also see the light in 40 years or so. In the meantime, my advice to anyone who finds this irritating, as I do, is simple: switch to a British channel. - Yours, etc.,
N. Walsh,Tuam Road,Athenry,Co Galway.