Torch and Bonfire

[Brenda]

My husband and I are both Brummies but we speak somewhat differently.
For instance I pronounce Bonfire as Bonfire whereas he calls it a BUNfire as did his work partners over 20 years ago.

These partners all had to go to work as Electrical Contactors in Pakistan where they got talking to the "locals" who had hysterical laughter when they heard them call it a BUNfire and "torch" was pronounced like "tauch"

When I went to live in Cornwall, at the age of seven, no-one could understand me so the headmistress wanted me to go elocution lessons which I refused to do. I couldn't understnad them either! We only stayed for 2 years and were glad to get back to the Midlands.

When we moved to Tamworth in 1978 we were known as the 121s (the phone code for Birmingham at the time) as were all others from Birmingham who moved out here.

 

[Paul Higgins]

Yes, Brenda, I’ve often been described as an ‘021’er’. Can’t say it now, though, can they? The expression seems to have dropped out of favour since the extra ‘1’ was put in. ‘’0121’er’ doesn’t have the same ring, does it? Brummies rule again!!​

 

[mw0njm.]

i have never been called a 021,but when i went on a 2 week training course in nottingham,the other patrols would call me car 67.they said i sounded like the man on the song car 67 were are you,

 

[Graham]

i have never been called a 021,but when i went on a 2 week training course in nottingham,the other patrols would call me car 67.they said i sounded like the man on the song car 67 were are you,

That was a great 45 with great dynamics. As DJ I used to play it all the time on Belgian local radio!

[ame="https://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=8fVFQjK5HGQ"]YouTube - car 67 driver 67[/ame]
​

Graham.​