One thing my students say which never fails to amuse me is, “The best English is spoken in London”. Once I’ve picked myself up off the floor and wiped my eyes, I tell them to look up “EastEnders” on YouTube and come back to me when their ears have stopped bleeding.
Ah, EastEnders – the most depressing show that has ever graced TV screens. For those of you who aren’t familiar with it, it’s a long-running soap opera set in London’s East End, with more ear-splitting, chavvy women and knuckle-dragging, beer-bellied men than you can shake a stick at. And I’ve just started watching it again.
Now, before you judge me, I’m not doing this for entertainment purposes; it’s purely for research reasons. You see, EastEnders has recently introduced its first Latvian character and I’ve been checking him out.
There are several things I find unconvincing about this character. First of all, his name is Aleks Shirovs. In a rare bid to be diplomatic, let’s just say that this is not a Latvian name. But then, maybe the writers thought that Jānis or Roberts would be too difficult for the other characters to say (or the British viewing public, for that matter).
The second thing that’s a bit off about Aleks is that he is, quite frankly, far too handsome. Well, too much diplomacy is boring, right? A quick Google search gave me the answer to this one – the actor is not Latvian at all. He’s German. (And I’m now even happier I’m moving there.) You’d think with the number of Latvians in England, they could find one struggling actor, but no. Still, I’m not complaining…
Swoon
I’ve only seen a few episodes that feature Aleks but another odd thing is that the ladies seem to love him. This is not something I’ve ever seen happen with a real-life Latvian man. English men come here and drool (rather pathetically) over Latvian women; I can’t say I’ve ever seen an English woman do the same over Latvian men. Therefore, I conclude that Aleks also wears deodorant, something that is a bonus rather than a given with a lot of Latvian guys.
The last thing that jars with me about this character is that he doesn’t like children. I’ve yet to meet a Latvian man that doesn’t like/want children. One of my male students even went so far as to tell me that if I didn’t have kids, I’d be “wasting my natural resources”. I almost wasted his “natural resources” for that one…
On the other hand, there are several things about Aleks that ring true. For one thing, he’s dodgy. As market inspector, he turns a blind eye to several nefarious goings-on – as long as he gets a cut of the profits. Less forgivably, he may also be responsible for bringing this particular trend to Walford…
Ak dievs…
Secondly, and even less shockingly, it’s been revealed that he has a wife and child back in Latvia – but, dun, dun, dun, he’s having an affair! Oh my god, a Latvian man cheating on his wife?! That’s only about as common as, well, potholes in Latvian roads.
But wait, there’s more. It seems that you can take the man out of Latvia, but you can’t quite take the Latvian out of the man – his taste in women is about as (Russian) Latvian as you can get…
Guess which one he’s sleeping with…
So, what do you think? Is Aleks representative of “Latvian” man? Is it a good thing to finally have a Latvian, who’s really a Russian Latvian, being played by a German, in one of the most popular British TV shows of all time? Bearing in mind that a lot of British people don’t have the foggiest idea about Latvia and this is the only “Latvian” they will ever “know”? Thoughts please!
Expat Eye on Latvia 
Just a quick note about the actor who plays Aleks Shirovs in “eastenders”. His father is german but his mother is actually latvian.
Oh OK, thanks!
Great post, by the way. So funny. I really enjoyed reading it. 🙂
Thank you! It was fun to write – I haven’t seen Eastenders in a few weeks now so I’ve no idea what he’s up to at the moment… must check back in! 🙂
I haven’t watched Eastenders for years and years. I was a keen viewer when it started, but after a few years I decided that I had had enough of them shouting at each other, being angry all the time and saying ‘we need to talk’, so I stopped watching it and never went back. However… Aleks is very easy on the eye and might persuade me to watch again – but with the sound down!
He sounds far better than all of the locals! You can turn it up and down! 🙂
The hair and the coat don’t ring typical Latvian to me. But he could pass. Who says they are going for the typical? Besides – the name doesn’t mean anything. There are very Latvian Latvians with very Russian names out there. Aleks-is is actually popular enough.
But the show… when I saw the clip, I thought “ugh – white trash”. And “OMG! I am such a snob!” after.
Yeah, to be honest, I hadn’t seen it in a while and I’d forgotten just how awful the people were 😉 Guess we’re both snobs 😉
Riiiiiiiiiicky!! What cha doooooooing. Get yer peelers off my bloke. Innit!!!!!
Hilarious post. Absolutely hilarious. You’re wasted over there in Latvia. Get yourself over here in Germany LOL!
I don’t know anything about Latvian men. In fact, I’ve never even met a Latvian person so if he’s actually German, it’s all good. As a British person living in Germany, I know what treaures we have and apart from my hubby, that is one of the most gorgeous German men that I’ve seen. They’re ours. Keep away!
Maybe I’ll bring a few Latvians with me so you can meet some – like the Pied Piper of Riga 😉
And yes, he is pretty dreamy, isn’t he?!
(Writing a post on my awful German skills later so stay tuned for that one) 😉
I think this new “Latvian” guy is going to require some investigation. It’s very important for you to be thorough and report your complete findings from Berlin. 😉
Hmm, I wonder if I’ll be able to get BBC Entertainment there! It’s a crap station. They’re still showing Keeping up Appearances and One Foot in the Grave. Sigh.
I would like to investigate him fully though – he used to live in Berlin before he got the EastEnders gig 😉 I’m too slow again!
Linda, never talk bad about Keeping up Appearances in Latvia, because we just love this show:)
Ha, I know! I’ll never understand the attraction of that or Mr Bean but foreigners just love them!
Hey, summer is back. Ventspils is still awaiting your visit.
Not sure I’m going to make it!
You have to! The most Western looking city. Neat, clean, quite wealthy. Many have told you legends about it. Do not miss it. When you’re in Berlin sea won’t be that close.
Ha, we’ll see – I’m trying to save every penny for my move. I’m not sure I want to spend €100+ going to see a ‘clean, Western city’ when I can just move to a clean Western city! 🙂
Haha, I have to participate in this conversation here and now. Back in the days I was completely and very much in love with a Latvian guy. After standing me up quite a few times and giving me shitloads of shit we finally ended up on a date and he told me that I look fine “for a Finn”. But still, I guess 😀 So, my warm greetings go to that Latvian gentleman who wrote that “Of course on the average situation is better (in UK) than with Finland, Sweden or Denmark”; he obviously has NOT visited Finland, Sweden OR Denmark. We Northern ladies, without any doubt, can look good, but you just have to have some perspective. And some sense of humour, I guess. And you, my lady, I know you are happy to move in Berlin but the rest of us will surely miss your sharp Latvian insights. You will keep on blogging, however?
I’ll keep on blogging – but I can only do as well as an Irish person 😉 It’s so sad…
Well, that is sad. 😀
I’m a walking tragedy 😉
You and me both, sister.
Is it too early to start drinking? 😉
In our case it’s never too early 🙂
Excellent 🙂 I feel another blog post coming on!
Uh-oh, we are nice racists, aren’t we? To cross-check, just replace „Latvian” with „Jewish” or „Black”, and yes… it is nothing more than blatant racism. But don’t worry dear, there will be no consequences. East Europeans are one group against which hate speech is legal and supported by (some) Western governments. Unfortunately, at home it has become difficult to find a real Jim Crow America environment. There are many Muslims and other people around, offending whom could be dangerous. Thus, for a real racist, „ex-pating” to Eastern Europe is the answer! You leave behind your bleak future at home, and in a day, find yourself among “the colonists”: respected, admired, and listened to. No longer the sad loser you were before. But the best part of it is: as an expat, you are allowed to be racist, at last! And the indigenous people, – they don’t mind, and their self-esteem is so low they pathetically try to look “modern”, cool, and distance themselves from those other dirty indigenous! Perfect! Expat society is indeed the last refuge for racists. Enjoy, dear, while it lasts!
Hmm, I guess I can’t say that you sound like a gobshite without sounding gobshite-ist, but what can you do?!
How’s your bullet prooof vest holding up? Is it starting to wear? Perhaps you should replace it while there’s a short break in the action. Not being one to say “I told you so.”, I’ll leave it at that. 😀
Ha, like that weirdo would ever say or do anything to me personally! Keyboard warriors are so brave 😉
Haha I’m surprised the Latvian mafia hasn’t come after you for the things you say about their kinsmen!
Me too 😉 Maybe I get a pass because I’m foreign 😉
“I almost wasted his “natural resources” for that one…”
OMG! Laughing my ass off.
Gonna ask the English GF about this show….
Great post. Loved the video too!
Just sing ‘dun dun dun dun-dun-dun-dun-dun’ to her and she’ll know immediately what you’re talking about 😉
🙂 Aleks might be a german but you have to give him a credit for his almost perfect Latvian in Eastenders , I was seriously surprised , good actor for sure ! I am watching right now and he said biezpienmaize absolutely perfect 🙂
Ha ha, made you watch 😉
Aleks Shirovs seems to be an explicit allusion to Alexei Shirov, a chess grandmaster and author who refused to represent Latvia because of its discriminatory citizenship law that revoked voting rights from the majority of Russian speaking people in this “democracy” and rising economic miracle dubbed Latvijas Republika 🙂
I guess it’s a theory!
No! Alexei Shirov is a real person from Latvia. There’s even a wikipedia article on him 🙂
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexei_Shirov
Just throw in some needless “s” and you get your average North-East Latvian! 🙂
Ha ha, your theory gained credibility!
“Even” wikipedia? 🙂
Wikipedia is written by regular people. I have some articles there as well. I can make 10 stories like that telling how awful is this country and how big mistake was done by those stupid Europeans and Americans who believed in their democracy by letting them in UN, EU, OSCE, WTO, NATO etc. And there was this guy Igors Petrovs who fought for the freedom of people who can’t (don’t want?) learn few things things to get the citizenship.
Using Eastenders as an example of how people speak in London is not really a very good idea have you ever actually been to the East End of London? You wouldn’t actually recognise it from Eastenders!
I just wanted to shock them a bit really 😉 There’s a common misconception that everyone in London (or even England) speaks BBC English 😉 They usually get a shock when they visit the UK and find out people don’t, so I thought I’d get it out of the way in the comfort of their own homes 😉
I agree , there is some parts where you can’t understand a word 🙂
Really! Even I struggle a bit every now and then!
And the thing about Latvian men and children – did you really get the impression, that all Latvian men were that fond of them? Because to me it seems more often, that it’s rather the opposite… Actually the only man, whom I have ever heard admitting to liking children, was German… And he was rather shocked, when I said, that I didn’t like them, except for my own child, of course:), but the others koennen mir gestohlen bleiben:)
Ha ha, harsh!! 🙂
And yes, I really have found that! The dads I know here are so into their kids – always doing stuff with them, and (boringly) telling me all about it in lessons 😉 The guys who don’t have kids are really keen to have them some day! Trying to think of one who isn’t keen and I really can’t!
thats pretty awesome. you never said this before but it definetely raised Latvain men in my eyes. since their looks are definetely my type( and yes during my very short stay in Latvia I did meet quite a few dudes that look like that german actor), I may be checking out the local stores for a leopard printed dresses…
You go girl 😉 But be aware that once you’ve had said baby, you probably won’t feature much any more!
Im joking Linda==))) I think the janises can have enough candidates withoput me)
but wait does the easenders janises wife wear leopard print too? in that case they must be reading your blog. it would have given them so many ideas
We haven’t seen her yet – he left her in LV! But I’m sure she’ll make an appearance at some point! Give Roxy a run for her money! 🙂
I have nothing to say about the looks of any human male. I am myself one. I find them all looking equally silly, specially when naked.
It’s not that I wanted to say this. But you are asking for it…
“English men come here and drool (rather pathetically) over Latvian women; I can’t say I’ve ever seen an English woman do the same over Latvian men.”
So easy to explain… No they don’t, because no one is interested about them (english women). In other words – latvian men think exactly the same about English women what you think about Latvian men. Isn’t it ironic? It is, but also very true. 😛
Ha ha! Touché 😉 Is that because they think they all look like Vicky Pollard??
And some men look rather good naked! 😉
Oh, yes! It’s true. Within two weeks in UK I saw only few women I liked. One of them was waitress from Holland, some 4- 5 were from Far East and some 5 or 6 looked like locals though I’m not sure if they were not immigrants either.
Of course on the average situation is better than with Finland, Sweden or Denmark. But far behind Germany, Norway or BeNeLux.
Sorry for telling exactly what I mean 🙂
Ha, no problem at all! I always do!
Please, don’t say that I need to start watching that rubbish…. but about Latvian in EastEnders- that is interesting. Could you please continue your research and inform us about this gay, because I really can’t stand this show at all. 🙂 I relay on you. 🙂 And you are right – he looks too hot for usual Latvian gay, but again – don’t forget, he doesn’t live in Latvia, and somehow here men become more handsome.
You know, it’s funny you say that – I’ve thought that a couple of times myself! I’ve met a couple of really hot Latvian guys – of course, they were just back for the weekend 😉
Ugh, don’t make me start watching EastEnders again! It’s so depressing!
This reminds me one thing about Guy Ritchie movies (Snatch, RocknRolla), that it would be cool if there were acting genuine russians and/or other nationality actors. Because, well, maybe english speaking viewers think, that this is true russian language. But for me it sounds like some retard mumbling with hot potato in his mouth. 😀
Therefore I just remembered one movie where this kind of concept is carried out. There are real latvian, russian, american, lithuanian, german, great britain, even french actors acting. Only chineese is faked by german actor, if I remember correctly. This movie is called Midsummer Madness. It is about Līgo celebration in Latvia.
And talking about EastEnders, in my opinion, Aleks is representative of “Latvian” man. Maybe not of true Latvian, but of “Latvian” he may be. 🙂
Ha ha! Yeah, I hate it when someone plays ‘Oirish’ in a movie – there are so many good Irish actors out there, there’s no need for it!
my point is not that many brits know a lot about latvia. its not a well known country such as france for instance. so when introducing the first ever latvian on british Tv they could have made him a little more stereotypical with a typical latvian name. now brits are gonna think that all Russian names ending with ov are latvian ugh…. at least his name is not Sasha Ivanov or smth and he actually speaks latvian not russian lithuanian or polish. if this show was american they would have him speak any given eastern european language make grunting noises, wear a russian ushanka hat (russia and latvia are the same country right?) and drink vodka. so eastenders did not do such a bad job after all.
Ha ha ha! Yes, you’re right – it could have been a lot worse!
i totally need to watch that midsummer madness movie. but it is true whaqt you say. in US they almost never can find a Russian actor to play Russian characters, instead they find some creepy looking american who may be sopeaking a mixture of polish and hebrew, and people think its the russian language. think about – quite a few hollywood actors actually came from russia! why not to hire them? very little consideration goes in developing foreign characters when it comes to US and British movies.
as for that one, instead o fmaking a not really latvian kind of russian character they would have rather created a true latvian character named janis with the real latvian accent. but that s just my opinion)=)
They’d probably have called him ‘Janice’ 🙂
If somebody actually makes a generalisation on a whole nation based on a fictional character in a, sorry, but maybe not the most cultivated programme in the world ;), then doesn’t it say a fair bit of the viewer?
But what kind of a Latvian character do you think would have been “better”?
I wouldn’t overestimate the English on this one. I once had an English woman as me if Dublin was ‘rural’ and an English guy tell me that he’d come and visit me when we got back from Oz – he’d just come over ‘the bridge’… 🙂
It might be time to bring back Girts Kesteris 😉 He’d be a better fit looks-wise – but then, I’m not objecting to the eye candy! 😉
LOL, what did you tell the woman about Dublin then? Those situations are soooo delicious to the little devil on my shoulder 😉 How convenient with a bridge, no more unnecessary travelling 😉
Coming from a country nobody knows you kind of get used to great questions but I just thought of a good one I got in your future home country; a librarian wouldn’t give me a library card because I couldn’t show him a visa that allowed me, the EU citizen, to stay in his country. Good thing Germans are typically law-abiding, so he called the police and the lovely policeman gave him permission to issue me a library card. I think he was still sceptical about my motives… 😉
You need to keep blogging even after you move!
Oh, I will! Ha ha, a librarian calling a policeman about a library card! I’ve heard it all now! 🙂
Funny thing was, we were in this tiny town in England and she was like ‘you must find this really urban in comparison to where you’re from’. I said ‘I’m from Dublin – it’s the capital city of Ireland. It’s about a million times bigger than this.’ She just looked a bit sorry for my clearly delirious self and starting explaining what TV was 😉
Hilarious!
She was being deadly serious too 😉
…and she would have been very hurt by my laughing reaction…
I doubt she’d have got it 😉
Look at it this way: in her ignorance she must be a very happy person 😉
Yeah, sometimes I think it would be a much easier life that way! 😉
Honestly, men are men anywhere in the world. If you are lucky enough to find a good one (meeeeeeeee) than it’s not really because he’s latvian or German or American, but it’s because of his own character. I HAVE found that European men (between the ages of 20-40) tend to be much more hard working and family oriented than American, but I agree about looks. You don’t find many attractive Russian/Latvian men. Except if they play soccer… (God those legs…mmm mmm mmm)…. 😉
Ha ha! Sounds like your hormones are kicking in 😉
Oh just notice a soccer players legs next time you watch a game. No matter what country they’re from, soccer players are sooooo hot! I think the Russian goal keeper was pretty attractive! And yes, my husband played soccer too! Heehee!!!
Yeah, soccer (sorry, FOOTBALL) players and tennis players do it for me! I’m not a fan of rugby dudes, etc. – thick necks and legs like tree trunks 😉
Great post. I don’t know though, Latvia life may be getting to you. Watching soaps? Slippery slope. Don’t get sucked in or we may find you in leopard skin before ya know it.
Ha, my mam watches it all the time so I used to have to sit through it in Ireland as well!
Oh man. I remember being hooked on one here, decades ago. It was terrible! Then I started going to a punk bar called “Berlin” (oddly enough) on Friday nights. They ran the whole weeks worth and we used to get hammered and laugh. I couldn’t get hammered that often, so it weaned me off of it. I never went back.
Ha ha! That sounds like the best way to watch soaps!
It was! Maybe you should start something. Get your students together for a soap night, the bar will love you for it. 😉
I don’t need any more encouragement to go to bars – and trying to get a bunch of Latvians together is no easy feat… 😉
Oops. My bad.
Maybe the Germans will go with me to watch it instead 😉
sounds like a plan…
Starting to feel a little sorry for the Germans 😉
NO way!
Not sorry enough not to go there, obviously 😉
I suspect you’ll have the time of your life!
I really hope so! 🙂
I have no doubt.
🙂
About the name – I know one 10 year old Aleksis (it’s also the name of the main character in the very popular play “Skroderdienas Silmačos”, that is usually running on TV on Jāņi), but Aleks sounds a bit strange… Although I can imagine some parents – fans of the late actor Alec Guiness (http://lv.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleks_Giness), who would want their child to have this beautiful name:)
I’ve seen Alekss on the Latvian calendar – maybe you need the extra ‘s’ so you can make the 793 different endings from it? 😉
Oh, don’t worry, we are still able to make these different endings with one ‘s’ only:)
Then why does it have two!? Gah!
Because it’s a different name, Alekss would be like Alex, but Aleks is like Alec – you do pronounce it a bit different, don’t you? And yes, the endings are a bit different in Latvian:) Aleks, Aleka, Alekam, Aleku, ar Aleku, Alekā, Alek vs Alekss, Aleksa, Aleksam, Aleksu, ar Aleksu, Aleksā, Aleks:) Enjoy!:)
You took far too much pleasure in that 😉
and not to forget the 3rd form — Alek_sis_ — 🙂
My head just exploded 😉
Yeah. Grammar. Pure pleasure:)))
Well, scaring foreigners with it must be fun 😉
Come on! We have only 7 cases for nouns (just one more than Italian and Spanish for pronouns). Estonian has 14, Finnish- 16.
Guess I won’t be learning Estonian or Finnish any time soon 😉
I found Scottish English and Southern American accents the most appealing.
I still prefer this to Eastenders – Baltish. Lithuanian made show on MTV about Eastern European accent and our Russian spoilt mentality. Can you appreciate it after spend years in Latvia?
Yeah, I don’t think it’s my kind of humour 😉
I recognise the music though – Mussorgsky, right?
Have you heard Irish English?
The band was made up for the show. I suppose the music too, but who knows. Can you give the Mussorgsky link, which you thought might be the one?
No, I haven’t met any Irish so far:(
I studied it for my music finals – I’ll never forget it! Saw an Irish pianist playing it last year; it was a much better experience than watching Sister Roisin bash it out on our school piano 😉
A German playing a Latvian who’s really a Russian Latvian? My brain hurts…
“Turns a blind eye to several nefarious goings-on”… that’s not Latvian, that’s just Eastenders!
Yeah, he’s in good company 😉 Now he just needs to murder someone, have a few more affairs, maybe steal a baby and he’s golden 😉
Haha! Sexy German has just finished in a soap here called “Verbotene Liebe” (“Forbidden loooo-oove goes straight to your heart…”) and his “forbidden” love was a fat seamstress, because who can love fat people?? Ewwwwww. Enjoy the opening credits! 😉
Ha ha ha! That is pure cheese! I can’t wait to watch it! 🙂
It is very definitely Käse! (Käse=cheese, but in German colloquial means sh.te 😉 )
Ha ha! More useful German! 🙂
A Germany playing a Latvian? How is HIS accent on the show? Funny…..well….anyway…back to hot German men….I have to say…for me they are the cutest in Europe. (of all the places I have been)….you will have a very nice time in Berlin 🙂
I think I will too 😉 And yes, they are very high up on my list of hot men!
Fair game; back in Soviet times Latvians were among most frequent actors to play Germans in Russian war movies 🙂
Ha ha, payback time then 😉
Ha, ha, ha….very cool piece of social history!
OMG. That video. Was it English?! 🙂 (I had such trouble understanding “regular” London accents when we were there last summer. Damn American ear of mine.)
Ha, and if it’s that hard for a native speaker, imagine what it’s like for a non-native! 😉
And again- I’m reading and wondering in which parallel universe do you live to got such a weird opinion about Latvian men? I know barely few Latvians cheating on their wives. I know few dozens Latvians as handsome as this German guy and about the same number of even more handsome.
P.S. Latvian may have name Alekss (though it might be shortened from Aleksejs but there are Latvians with this Russian name either, it might be shortened from Aleksandrs as well which is more common for Russians but there are enough Latvian Aleksadrs’s either). Širovs… yes, Russian but due to different historical reasons it doesn’t mean anything.
Today, I made a conscious effort to look for guys as good-looking as this one. I was out of my flat from 9 until 5, all over Riga. I spotted one potential – but he’s Danish 😉
Maybe I need to move to Marupe – fancy being neighbours?? 😉
Open balticcasting.com and browse through (you can use different filters as well)- those are all regular people, not professional actors. I’m sure you’ll find a dozen for your taste.
That’s my evening sorted then 😉
Pfffft. I can see his chipped teeth from here. The producers of the show probably didn’t want to alienate the male audience with a real Latvian male. 😉
Ha ha, yeah, it would just be too much man for them… 😉
Well hello!
He could be from Mars and still pretty to look at let’s just go with that.
Yeah, I can… (drool)… 😉
Oh my EE, you are a shit disturber, aren’t you? I thought you would have noticed that from the Mother’s Day post – perhaps that was too long ago to remember? ha! I await the machine guns and strafe bombers which should be appearing momentarily. Do you have your bullet proof vest and helmet on? ha!
Hoping they’re not necessary 😉 I blame EastEnders 😉
This guy actually looks like one Latvian guy from Liepaja whom I know. However, I must agree with you that German guys are very handsome. Actually the handsome Germans (who constitute majority in DE) look very similar to the nice-looking-Latvian-guy type (who are a minority in LV). That aside, I swapped my German boyfriend for a Latvian one long time ago and have never regretted that. There was simply too much Ordnung =) Kidding, Germans are cool =)
I think I’m going to welcome some Ordnung 😉 Well, for a while anyway – until I start causing chaos 😉
Tell that Latvian guy in Liepaja to call me 😉
=) Yeah, I can give yo his details, if you’re interested. But I am sure there will be plenty of his lookalikes in Germany 😉 I hope you’ll love your new city =)
Me too! 🙂
I’ve tried watching EastEnders once or twice but genuinely struggle to understand the dialogue. If they add subtitles I might give it a go again.
When I was in Toronto, I’d pop the TV on in the room once in a while – imagine my surprise when they said that Coronation Street was Canada’s favourite soap!
I heard Trainspotting also needed to be subtitled in the States 😉
Totally! Considering I’m surrounded by ESL all the time thru two immigrant families, I am lost when they speak in that rapid fire Cockney? I’m guessing it’s cockney. Maybe I’m wrong.
Yeah, mainly I think!
It takes me a little while to get back into it again, I must say! And it makes me cringe when they say things like ‘he don’t’, ‘I was sat there’, ‘innit’, etc. 😉
My former hairdresser sometimes dipped into that type of dialogue. I found it hilarious. Of course I only had to deal with it for 2 hours at a time. 🙂
EE is only twenty-something minutes long 😉
Angela’s is nowhere near as unintelligible as EE.
It is pretty bad – I’ll give you that 😉 Seemingly, Canadian English is the easiest for foreigners to understand – can’t remember where I read that though!
You know, I heard/read somewhere that US news broadcasters were given speech coaching using an Ontario ‘accent’ because it’s the cleanest and hardest to associate with a specific region. Don’t get me wrong, there are plenty of very strong accents in some parts of Canada. When I visited the Maritimes I felt like I needed a translator. And then the Prairies sounds a lot like the accent you’d hear in North Dakota or Minnesota with lots of “ya”s and “you betcha”s. I think Toronto is pretty middle of the road (unless it’s a Torontonian who was raised out in the farther-reaches, in which case there is a distinct “Canadiana”, the accent that American’s attribute to all Canadians.
I like the Newfoundland accent – it’s cute 😉 You betcha 😉
Once they start with rapid fire though, I honestly can’t make any of it out. 🙂
There was some crime show set there on TV here – Republic of Doyle maybe? It was kind of crap but I liked the accents 😉
It’s hilarious that you’ve watched a Canadian show that I’ve never seen a single episode of. 🙂
The lead guy was pretty easy on the eye too – very Irish-looking!
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1297754/
oooh…a little Colin Ferrellesque. I like!
Thought you might!
Ive never watched coronation street! I actually love a proper English accent but their slang is through the feckin roof, inniit! Also, mi eyes in mi face were bleeding from the fashion
Yeah, the fashion on EastEnders is eye-wateringly bad 😉
LOL, great post! The topic of kids is getting excess attention here in Latvia for sure. People leaving, people start think about kids not when they are 20 years old as it was during Soviet times & etc, etc, etc. My own ears are bleeding due to all these discussions which I am a target of.
Oh god, poor you! I hear you – I’m like a devil woman here, having no kids at 36! 🙂
just tell them that 1) “that guy” already has done enough to balance it out (you may show my picture, for example), aand 2) you keep trying like twice a day and keep visiting dr. kalnbērzs. no more questions – guaranteed.
Ha ha, no, I think I’m alright as I am 😉
Stenders!!!! I used to live round the corner from Phil (sadly, not Grant…) oh, those were the days…
People really believe that English is spoken in London…?! Strewth!
Oh, I used to love Grant! ‘Allo Mum’ 😉
And yes, sigh 😉
Awrh, that’s made me think of “Rickeeeeyyyyyy!” Eeeek.
Ha ha! I’m going to have that in my head now! Why do they keep bringing her back! Do you remember naked Frank Butcher with the spinning bow-tie?? 😉
Thank God – NO!
Lucky for you…
Pat’s face! 🙂
OMYGODOMYGODOMYGOD!!!! Why do you do this to me just before bedtime?!? I’ve already had two bad nights in a row…
I may need a clip of the “Latvian” with his kit off for recalibration purposes.
Ha ha ha! Yeah, I could do with that at any time;)
Sweet dreams 😉
Hrrmpf.
I’ll buy you a cake when I see you to make up for it 😉 Hope Anna watches that clip!!
She won’t be able to make head or tail of it… Arf.
It will still scar her 😉
My eyes! My eyes! Why did I watch that clip?
Ha ha! You loved it really!
*blushes* the spinning bow-tie did it for me.
I knew it! 🙂
If two minutes was already too much for you, just imagine the people who’ve been watching this for four decades!!
My mam is one of them! And Corrie, and Emmerdale 😉
I think we need to let them watch a Brookside clip, what’cha reckon…?
Do it 😉
Four decades?!? Are they just numb to the pain?
I think they might actually enjoy it 😉 The one good thing about EastEnders is that it makes your life look fabulous in comparison 😉
No, it’s quite a clever strategy, really… compared to their (fictional) lives, yours suddenly seems not so bad at all, no matter how shit it is. It’s all relative, which makes it a winner with the audience.
Yep, you haven’t murdered anyone, or been murdered, your lover (probably) isn’t cheating on you and you’re not cheating on them, your baby hasn’t been stolen, your sister isn’t your mother… it’s genius 😉
Totally. All I have to contend with are crooked toes. Yey!
I have a slight toe problem myself at the moment but not something to be shared in the comments!
Camel toe? From those tight Latvian garments…?
Worse 😉
Webbed feet. Common in East Anglia and rural Ireland. Cosmetic surgeon can sort that for you. I think they have a special package where they also remove your sixth finger…
It’d be a sixth toe in LV 😉
Surely, with tottering about in 11-inch heels all day, that one would just drop off naturally?
You would think 😉 I saw a mother in full-on cocktail dress the other day, walking around with her 3-year-old… why? 😉
Because father of said 3-yr old has gone off to bang her best friend.
At least he thinks he’s the father 😉
Maybe he doesn’t anymore. That’s why she’s swiftly drawing the attention to her other assets.
Which are? 😉
If the cocktail dress is doing its job: legs, arse, tits.
That’s how she hooks the next one 😉
At least she has a strategy.
They all do 😉
OMG MY EYES! I have seen EastEnders references before in entertainment press but had NO idea what it was. To me, a soap is like, General Hospital or something. Anyway, this is atrocious. But I would totally tune in for the hot German. Urr…I mean, Latvian.
It’s chav-tastic 😉 Everyone is rough or a murderer or a victim or having an affair… great stuff 😉
I miss Sherlock 🙂
No. 😉 He’s so weird-looking!
Oh, I meant the show (I am obsessed w Sherlock Holmes, I watch ALL the versions and read all 8 books). I dont have a Cumber-hard-on.
Thank god for that 😉 Did you watch the link I sent to Simone??
I did not… but now I will!
😉
OMGOMGOMGOMGOMG WHYYYYYY?
Though the ending is kind of sweet!
Ha ha! I had a feeling you’d enjoy that 😉
I much prefer the Rich People Having Problems of the Heart While in Gorgeous Period Clothing genre
Yeah, EE is definitely not for you! It’s more poor, fat, barely literate people struggling to get by… in tracksuits 😉
Loved this Linda. Though I’m sorry. I’m from London and I sound like Colin Firth. So I think your students are onto something…
You can be my Mr Darcy anytime… 😉
ohgeeohgeeoghee… this is the only thing i can say about it, and thank all gods known, that this “latvian” at least is not red-skinned or negro.
as for characteristics of said “latvian” character. you can find sleezy, slimey looking jackasses in every nation. it does not follow being russian, latvian, american, english, jewish or arab, or cherokee. as for “he does not love children” – i’ve seen plenty of those. like – “yes, probably i’d like a couple, but definately not now”, which, certainly, means never ever, if passible. as for two babes on picture, i guess, he’s sleeping with both, or at least has tried to roll his balls closer to them, and i doubt if not to both of them simultaniously. after all – his wife is left behind in that “far-far away” cracosia… oh, sorry, latvia. i guess, that’s a specific “line of character”. eau-de-cologne, looks and POV on how one should live goes well with that, too.
i’d rather say, that “average latvian” is not _that_ fond of kids, he just takes them as gods gift, yet still remembers, that not all gifts are of good use or good meaning/blessed. he’d rather take it stoically. ^_^
an average latvian guy definately loves his wife and kids (if any). however, he would not actively resist a good looking woman with specific interest. like, “your’e good lookin’, i’m also somewhat handsome, why not spend some time together and not tell everyone around about it ? i promise not to tell your husband, if you woun’t tell my wife”.
as for his name… okay, Aleksis might be derivative from Alec (like Alec Baldwin?), or Alexey or Alexander. still, not necessarily of russian origin or influence (okay, okay, russian influence – definately, still probably not now, but somewhere in 1880ies – around Tzar times). 🙂 and i do not think that any latvian artist (or any latvian at all) who is any good in acting will be just wandering around England looking for roles in UK-produced soap operas 🙂 at least they’ve managed to get a “nordic” type — white/yellow-haired light-eyed caucasian. or Arian ? ,-)
(and again, i can’t stop wundering how you have managed to meet such a collection of nonaverage/strange persons in person. in my 35+ years i’ve seen less of what you’ve collected in just 4 🙂 ).
I guess I’m just special 😉 Like I’ve said before though, the average local knows their own circle of family/friends/colleagues and doesn’t really mix outside of that – I do 😉
Ah but have you noticed he speaks English with an Irish accent?
I just noticed that he has purrfect English 😉
: ) and if you read the spoilers your Latvian on Telly May be about to become less contrasting to the Latvia you know and love.
Link?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/who-killed-lucy-beale-eastenders-3432502
Ooh, juicy 😉 I might have to watch for a bit longer 😉
Could make the Latvian angle more complex eh?
Drug-dealing murderer? For sure! 🙂
You bet!
🙂
Today’s post had you in my mind!
Ha, I’ll check it out now!
Ok, apparently the plot is thickening in the comments…
I’ll try and find a clip of him in action a bit later!
We must have updates! Bear in mind it’s more difficult to follow from some places. More difficult BUT NO LESS IMPORTANT.
Posted 😉 Enjoy!
Seems he’s not above prostituting himself either 😉
Ooh..!
😉