The BBC's Guide to Pronunciation

There was a particular way that people had to talk on the BBC many years ago. And you wouldn't get any work if you talked like a normal person, a normal human being. It's called received pronunciation or RP. That's the classic sort of BBC voice. Basically the way total biscuit tries to speak. People who really speak that way are very posh people in England these days. One exhibit is the BBC's guide to pronunciation from 1928. Respite is pronounced as if there were no E. Combat is what you do when you fight with someone. If you're engaged in banking you would be in finance. You would be for the breadful. House wife is pronounced Hus