It is an almost universally recognized truth that anyone with a British English accent is considered very charming and extremely attractive. But outside Britain, most people aren't familiar with the varied and diverse accents of Britain's different regions, and they certainly can't tell you where their speakers come from. Have you ever heard of a co*ckney accent? Probably, but a Geordie accent? Unlikely. The most widely recognized accent that sticks with many is known as received pronunciation.
ConceptReceived Pronunciation(RP) was coined by the phonetician Daniel Jones. Jones mentioned the accent first"Public Schools Ruling"in the original 1917 edition ofEnglish pronunciation dictionarybased on the fact that it is taught to boys in upper and middle class boarding schools ("public schools") in southern England. In the second edition of the English Pronouncing Dictionary, Jones changed the name to "Received Pronunciationbased on the idea that the accent was accepted or approved. It was not until the late 19th century that the 'standard English' spoken in London began to resemble common pronunciation.
RP is usually associated with people of high social status as a symbol of prestige. It is also often called "The Queen's English", but some linguists argue that The Queen's English includes both dialect and accent. ThatBBCnews only allowed RP to be used through its programs because they believed the audio demonstrated sincerity and credibility. But the BBCreformedits standard to promote and ensure that the diversity of its audiences and their voices are represented.
RP is still widely used in various media, and can be heard in films and series such asPride and prejudice,Downton Abbey, InLife on Earth by Sir David Attenborough. It is used by many popular stars including Emma Watson, Judi Dench, Helen Mirren and Stephen Fry. However, the range of British accents heard in popular media is slowly expanding. WhileThe crownIf you usually use RP you will hear co*ckney coming inEastEnders, Brummie iPeaky-blindersand Manc inShamelessofKroningsgade. Here are a few introductions to some fun accents to listen to!
1. BRUMMIE
Have you ever heard Ozzy Osbourne speak? SetPeaky-blinders? Hey ho, you heard itBrummie! This dialect comes from – I mean Birmingham, the second largest city in Britain. Brummie uses onefalling intonationat the end of his sentence. The vowels are unevenly pronounced and the r's are rolled, but not overly rolled. The intensity ofThe Brummie accent variesfrom person to person in the Midlands region. Here are three Brummie examples to get you started!
- Pit = "peet”
- Here you are = "yes-daughter”
- House = “tude”
2. co*ckNEY
Dick Van Dyke is known for his terrible version of a co*ckney accent in Mary Poppins. Even Julie Andrews said he butchered it! If you want to hear a more accurate version,EastEndersis a much better bet as isLock Stock and two smoking barrelsfor a more mature audience or something with the main castMichael Caine. "co*ckney" was originally used as a derogatory term to describe city dwellers in East End London, but they embraced it and even developed their own dialect of rhyming slang. The accent involves a lot of th-fronting (dropping an initial "th" and making an "f" sound) and dropping the "h" starts all the way.
- Door = "frew”
- Hart = "art”
3. GEORDIE
Did you know that Little Mix's Jade Thirwall is a Geordie? It isFender himself, who likes to use Geordie slang!Oh yeah, mand!Geordieconsidered one of the strongest and most distinctive English accents. At the same time, the dialect is also known as one of the most beautiful because of its lilting sound. Full Facts: The accent takes its name directly from George, one of the most common names for miners in the North East of England.How (let's go)and practice what Geordie!
- Goes to = "gannen”
- Something = "sum up”
- I don't know = "he knew”
4. NORTHERN IRISH
Listen carefully as Jamie Dornan entersReduced. Mate, the accent is thereNorthern Irish! Northern Irish is a rhotic language/R/at the end of the sentence is usually emphasized. Northern Irish often sounds more like a question because of the rise in intonation at the end of the sentence. A quick note guys; the word 'woe' is used in Northern Irish to describe many things, not just small things. Try adding contraction before the following words!
- Flower = "flare up”
- Butter = "bu'er”
5. SCOUSE
Here comes the Scouse...I mean...'sun' yes. The people of Liverpool and the surrounding areas are known for their...Scouseaccent. As with most accents, Scouse has evolved over time and now varies from person to person and place to place. For example, the northern accent is typically described as a more nasal and faster sound. The southern accent has a relatively dark but soft and slower sound. Almost everyone knows at least one famous band from Liverpool: Paul, John, George and Ringo! Perhaps the parents of these great musicians spoke"Liver poodle", an older version of Scouse. Practice speaking like a Scousebeetlewith the following words!
- correct = "rightse" (with a soft "se" at the end)
- Wait a minute = "yours on one”
6. YORKSHIRE
Yorkshire pudding, yum. Yorkshire tea, yum. What do both have in common? Both are from Yorkshire! People from Yorkshire County, the largest county in the north of England, speak itYorkshireaccent. Yorkshire is also one of the most beautiful accents in Britain, with its roots in Old English, the language of the Germanic tribes, and Old Norse, the language of the Vikings. Two tips: the letter 'u' is pronounced as /Oh/ and 'it' is pronounced /that is it/. Yeah mate, ready for some Yorkshire sounds?
- Lav = "mek”
- I like the ball = "love the ball”
- Happy = "happens”
Good old Blighty is home to many picturesque locations, great food and an almost endless variety of British accents. While the fancy RP accent certainly willzig-a-zigah and appeals to some listeners, luckily not all British accents sound the same so we have a lot to offerTo discover! From music to TV, from news shows to sports stars, there are plenty of ways to listen to, understand and learn the English language. Cheers!
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