Reply With QuoteThere's a big difference between the East and West of Scotland, an Edinburgh accent is far nicer on the ear, however you will have more fun at a Glasgow funeral than at a Edinburgh wedding.
I've been living darn sarf (London and the Home Counties) for 25 years, and pretty much across the board the accent is pretty uniform, with a bit of give and take on just how strong the level of estuary is, depending on which side of London you live on.
So, when I was recently back in my home town of Liverpool, and I took a trip to St. Helens, it struck me just how different the accents are given such a short distance.
Six geographical miles between the 'Pool and St Helens and the accents are the the polar opposite. I like this about the north, and the south seems bland by comparison.
Anywhere else around the country you have accents change so much by travelling a few miles?
Last edited by noTAGlove; 15th October 2016 at 20:39.
There's a big difference between the East and West of Scotland, an Edinburgh accent is far nicer on the ear, however you will have more fun at a Glasgow funeral than at a Edinburgh wedding.
It's the same in Yorkshire where quite a variety of accents can be heard, Barnsley being the stereotypical 'On Ilkley Moor...'
I'm from Leeds originally, but now live in Sheffield and am working in Barnsley for the next 10 months. The accent change as I drive north from home is quite marked!Originally Posted by Glamdring
You having a Turkish?
Hello fellow one time Scouser, Im in L19 and I've only got to travel up the Ford Rd to Widnes to hear a different and strange Widnesian twang !
Bizarre innit ?
As for your St. Helens example, don't ever go near Garswood or the far side of Ashton in Makerfield, you'll need a bloody translater with you haha
Lancashire again; Chorley and Coppull.
Next to each other, but separated by a common language.
I'm not sure what part of London you live/work in but I hear about 47 different accents every day in my little corner of the Old Smoke. But you can tell an East-ender from a West-ender – "Fackin' hell" and "Faarcking hell"
I'm from Aigburth and on more than one occasion in town I got called a Wooly Back. Go figure? But true, a few miles out of the L postcode and it's Deliverance country
I'm from Rawtenstall, now live north of Burnley, 12 miles yet different.
^^^^Yeah John but Aigburth's "well posh" compared to "under the bridge" haha
Off on a slight tangent - I find it interesting how some people's accents change over time when they move to another area whilst others either remain unchanged or actually becomes stronger.
Having been born in Northumberland and then moving South at the age of 16 (returning once for a brief period of 2 years since) most of my original accent is pretty much gone. My vowels remain a little flat and people know that I am from 'somewhere else' but its difficult for them to immediately pin point where. Ive had some interesting suggestions over the years ranging from Wales to Norway.
I know two people from the same part of the NE who have lived in the South East for as long as me. One now has no trace of a northern accent and people assume he is from the home counties - the other has retained most of his traditional accent and is easily identified by most people as being from the NE.
I recall working with a chap from Paisley a few years ago whos accent was so strong that most people had to keep asking him to repeat things so that they could fathom what he was saying. One day I was talking to a chap who happened to have gone to school with him - he told me that his original accent was no where near as strong and seemed to have become more Glaswegian since moving to Berkshire.
Last edited by Velorum; 15th October 2016 at 21:33.
Welsh Eastenders...............................
https://youtu.be/9pIEVVZJsFs
I think some people from The North want to lose their accent when they move to The South and try hard to do so. Same with some ex-pats who move to Aus and start sounding like Crocodile Dundee after a few weeks. It's the Steve McClaren effect.
Far enough North?
Are you saying the subtraction of a Glaswegian generates more celebration than the prospect of adding more Edinburghers?
Sticking with the north it's the same story on the East coast.
The towns and cities Tyneside and Teeside have the North East accent, a few miles south in North Yorkshire it's very different.
Lived in Manchester and the difference to a few miles away - a Bolton or Wigan accent is very noticeable
I grew up in norn iron it is arguably the most diverse in terms of easily identifiable accents within a relatively small geographical area.
towns beside each other 10 miles could speak totally diffferent
Great quote! Mentally noted, and will claim it as my own when I use it.
I find language and accents fascinating, it amazes me how different countries / regions evolved very different language yet were geographically close, I know mobility was very restricted way back when and some languages have some common origins but the diversity is pretty strong.
I live twixt these two sets of heathens, and there are marked differences even several miles from me. Hinny.
F.T.F.A.
Areas of Nottingham had distinct accents, certainly years ago. When I worked in the US in the 80s people thought we were from Oz.
Nowadays too long down sarf has made my accent a neutral mush of north/south/west country farmer but when the guard is down or the swearing starts it reverts to northern.
I lived in Bradford and worked in Morley ( 10 miles away). It took me a year to "catch on"!
I can certainly vouch for the differences in Yorkshire accents between areas that are quite close together. Travel 6-8 miles and the accent changes noticeably, but to outsiders I guess it all sounds the same! I grew up 4 miles west of Wakefield, and now live in Normanton (5 miles east of Wakefield).......the accent is very different to my ears!
Paul
The Black Country accent is a lot different from the Birmingham accent !
So, when I was recently back in my home town of Liverpool, and I took a trip to St. Helens, it struck me just how different the accents are given such a short distance.
Six geographical miles between the 'Pool and St Helens and the accents are the the polar opposite. I like this about the north, and the south seems bland by comparison.
I live in Wigan, we share a boundary with St Helens. I can spot a St Helens accent a mile away, it's half scouse to me !
M
This!
Are you having a laugh or larf?
Is anyone embarrassed by their accent?
Does anyone hide it?
Not me... me' duck...!
I have a very vague Leicester twang, which sounds really slovenly to my ears... only comes out in certain words... otherwise it's neutral (ish)... my kids accents are pretty much neutral too
It's strange how you can live in an area for most of your life and not really take on the accent as you might do in other regions... I'm not sure if I'm embarrassed by my twang, but, I don't try to cover it either...
How about you Tinker? Are you full on Lestah?
My missus is from the south but went Hull uni. Working in Pizza Hut in Hull she recounts (now with amusement) the first time she was asked for a fork.
And a phone call has nothing to do with a rolled up shade loving plant.
Last edited by noTAGlove; 17th October 2016 at 12:47.
I'm almost accentless, I think. Mind you, I don't say 'barth', so I don't sound southern, but someone from Essex would no doubt think I did.
On balance, however, I regret losing my Manchester accent, because some of my identity went with it.
Are you sure you have?I left Liverpool for London (via Bath) in 1987 and whereas my accent has softened a lot, I find most (if not all) people I meet can quickly tell where I grew up.
Aberdeen vs Inverness. OK, not exactly close by but neighbours in that there's not much inbetween.
'Proper' Aberdeen Loons are, well, Air-Burr-Dean. Invernetians by comparison have very little accent at all.
Livingston accent also very different to my ear.
Regional dialects are dying out so enjoy it while you can as you'll soon all be speaking like us.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...ialects-acros/
Cheers,
Neil.
I certainly speak slower than I used to. Not dozy slow, you understand, but not as quick or as sharp as a Mancunian who never left.
Some accents aren't just a matter of sound, but of speed, too, aren't they?
I'll paraphrase as this is G&D.
In his autobiography 'The moon's a balloon', David Niven mentions a regimental dinner whilst posted in Malta, where he was seated to the right of the colonel.
'His words words were few and his point was made with admirable clarity "I have rogered women of every nationality and most animals, but the one thing I cannot abide is a girl with a Glasgow accent. Now pass the port". He never spoke to me again'.
Last edited by grey; 17th October 2016 at 17:31.
He also probably rogered the Bishop of Norwich at some point; cassocks can be very confusing, particularly if the hemline is over the ankle.
I think I have a copy of the Niven book somewhere.
Hadaway man, nee way.Regional dialects are dying out so enjoy it while you can as you'll soon all be speaking like us.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technolog...ialects-acros/
I dont hide mine(Salford/Manchester) as such, it just appears to be softer than any of my brothers or friends from my youth.A lot of it was down to a former girlfriend and her Dad who was an ex Navy officer . I cringe when I hear people say "Me Mam" and suchlike.
Ive worked all over the country for years and I love accents. Im fairly good at picking the bones not of most conversations too.
As a Scot/German brought up in Doncaster I decided to adopt a neutral accent when I began teaching. Now most people think I come from further south, or am posh (ha). In private it's still 'me mam' (late, sadly) and other local idioms.
Great thread,
Being a Northern Monkey myself, from Todmorden but living in Burnley, I can fully appreciate the massive differences in regional accents in such short distances. Todmorden border is three miles from Burnley centre and the accent difference is incredible, you need a translator depending on which pub you're in.
I highly recommend the book 'pies and prejudice' Stuart Maconie to any fellow Monkey. As you'd expect it's your usual Northern dry sarcy humour, a good read.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pies-Prejud.../dp/0091910234
Just don't move to France.....
https://www.theguardian.com/football...h-accent-video
You can go in a straight line from estuary Essex up to the North Norfolk coast, and hear a hole spectrum of accents. There are quite notable changes in just a few miles, for example as you cross the Essex / Suffolk border.
Conversely, da yoof speak Multicultural London English from Croydon up to Nottinghamshire and beyond.
https://youtu.be/Fyd3VMoG3WM?t=34
Wiki has some theories about its origin, though to me it simply sounds like English kids trying to speak like US rappers. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multic...London_English
Last edited by hogthrob; 18th October 2016 at 11:26.
I find it very interesting as well. I'm sure accents developed when travel between towns was difficult- so 5/10 miles (which is nothing now) was a big deal. We've always been quite densely populated, especially areas like northern and midlands England.
Obviously there is much more mobility now, so inevitably regional accents must be slowly being diluted. You tend to talk like people around you (for ease of communication), so nearly always lose the strength entry of the accent. That's why people like Cilla Black annoyed me - plastic scouse.
I think what is a new phenomenon are thing like Jafaken where impressionable knobends put on a supposedly "cool" accent. Thankfully that's more of a London thing, only the most deluded idiots try it in Manchester. Funnily enough in Manchester, the Oasis-style "manc" is a bit of an affectation for many. Traditional Manchester accents aren't really like that, and far fewer people spoke like that pre-Madchester.
More likely a laff.
I am from Glasgow myself, now living in London and I agree the 'common' accent is hard to tell from one area or another,
but about a dozen streets away from me, there seems to be the start of the 'common area' around here (its never far in London) there is a lot of 'U WOTM8'
and 'U AVIN A GIGGLE M8' along with 'IRL REK YA M8, I SWEAR ON ME MAM'
just a bit further, is another tribe who talk very oddly, they use words like 'u feel me bruv' and 'breadrin' along with 'mudder from anuder brutha'
I am not sure were these people came from originally, I cant place their accents.
My accent would probably described as (very slightly) posh - not in the RP bracket in any sense, but you get what I mean. It's due to an early public school education and then moving frequently enough to not really assimilate any local accents (although I confess to getting a little estuary whilst living in London, probably more of an affectation at the time (student)).
The interesting thing is that my German colleagues refer to the way I speak as 'Monkey English' as it's in the ballpark of the accent mostly used in English language lessons in German schools
^
Oddly, most of the Germans I know who speak English use a sort of American accent. Not all from the same school either.
I think that's true of most non-UK English speakers. They will pick up pronunciation from US movies and TV, which are much more far-reaching than British ones. If the US spoke a different language, English would not be as widely spoken as it is.
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