The Diversity of British Accents

The Diversity of British Accents

Prior to moving abroad, many international students associate the word British with royalty, class, prestige and gentlemen. You may think that British people sound like they do in films, such as Hugh Grant’s posh accent or the easily comprehensible Queen’s English from the popular Netflix series the Crown (which we definitely recommend you watch). However, nothing could be further from the truth. There is no one universally spoken British accent and hardly anyone sounds like the Queen! In fact, the UK is considered the country with the largest variation of accents in the world, meaning that there is no single ‘British accent’ – pretty impressive for such a small nation.

The British Library has some fantastic resources for anyone interested in the UK’s vast range of accents. It includes 77 sound recordings showcasing the diversity across the isles.

Here’s a guide to some of the most-used British accents, which you’re sure to encounter when you move to the UK.

Cockney

The Cockney accent is most commonly spoken in East London and is one of the UK’s most famous accents. It came about as the dialect of the London working classes, especially in the poorer East End of the city. The tv show EastEnders is a great example of what it sounds like.

Estuary English

This accent stretches out from London to the rest of the south/southeast of England and is associated as being a classless accent. It is particularly spoken among the younger generations, and it is estimated to be the most widely spoken British accent within the next 50 years. You’re most likely to hear this accent from your classmates at university or school.

Welsh English

Spoken in Wales, Welsh English is heavily influenced by the Welsh language. The accent can be described as melodious and lilting, like a song. If you’re interested in hearing what it sounds like, give British classic Gavin & Stacey a watch.

Yorkshire

Yorkshire is a big county in England, and lots of people speak with a variation of the Yorkshire dialect. Commonly known as ‘God’s Own County’, Yorkshire has a great dialect. This accent can be characterised with the idea that words ending in an ‘ee’ sound, like ‘greasy’, are pronounced with an ‘eh’ sound, like ‘greaseh’.

Brummie

The Brummie dialect, also known as the Birmingham dialect, is spoken by many people in Birmingham, and some of its surrounding areas. Brummie can also be used to refer to people from Birmingham. Peaky Blinders is a famous tv show set in Birmingham that gives an excellent introduction to the Brummie accent.

Geordie

People from Newcastle have the Geordie dialect, and they’re also called Geordies. One of the biggest characteristics of the Geordie accent is that the ‘r’s at the end of words aren’t pronounced and tend to be pronounced as ‘ah’ instead. So, a word like ‘butter’ becomes ‘but-tah’.

Scotts English

Scotts English refers to the general Scottish accent, however, across Scotland there are vast differences in how people sound. For example, Glaswegian is notoriously difficult to understand with even many born Britishers finding it hard! If you’re feeling up for a challenge, go watch Still Game to discover what a true Glaswegian sounds like. Not only do Scottish people have a different accent from the rest of the UK, but they also use different words for many things. A great example is dinnae fash for “don’t worry” or you ken for “you know”.

Northern Irish

Northern Irish people have a charming accent that is well-loved across the entire world. The standard Northern Irish accent is frequently called the Ulster accent. To get a feeling of what it sounds like, you should watch Derry Girls, which will also teach you some Northern Irish contemporary history.

What British dialects have you encountered so far? What are your favourites and which do you find the hardest to follow? We’d love to find out!