Eyed Park.

The Brits (specially those from the lower-class in London) tend to drop their h when speaking English. They may speak like the Queen with a proper accent, but it kills me when some of them simply do not say their h in words like have, handy, behave, etc.

There's a very big and gorgeous park called Hyde Park (check out the "More London pics and friends" album on facebook). I took Sylvia, one of the service users with learning disabilities, to Hyde Park to go for a stroll, a cup of coffee and to visit Princess Diana's Memorial Fountain. Sylvia kept saying "Eyed Park" instead of "Hyde Park". She kept dropping the h until I had it. We were walking so I stopped in the middle of the walkway and asked her to repeat after me.

Me: "It's not Eyed, it's Hyde" (I aspirated my H a bit harder for her to hear it)
Sylvia: "Eyed"
Me: "No. Listen to me. (I took a deep breath and made my H a bit harder and longer) Hyde"
Sylvia: "Eyed"
Me: "Take your time, Sylvia. Listen carefully, 'Hyde'"
Sylvia: (Taking a deep breath) "H-H-H-Hyde"
Me: Yes!
Sylvia: "Hyde Park".
Me: "Yes, you got it! Now say, 'We are at Hyde Park'"
Sylvia: "We are at Hyde Park!"

Don't you love that feeling of accomplishment and fulfillment? That feeling of pride that is born in your chest and radiates to every cell of your being? That deep breath and the following relieving sigh that makes you fill like you're the best? That is exactly what I felt when I accomplished my goal. But it was short-lived. 10 seconds later, Sylvia says, pointing at the sky:

"Look! An elicopter!"

So much for my little English pronunciation session.