You'll find the biggest differences in the English language are with accents and dialects. So what are accents and dialects?
Accents
Accents are the characteristic way a language sounds, in relation to a particular country.
Dialects
Refers to a specific form language unique to a specific region or social group.
Within the rolling hills, coastlines and historic cities of the British Isles there are a variety of accents.
Here are some of the most common:
Queens's English (BBC English)
It emerged in the late 19th century and early 20th century and was used by elites and upper classes.
Cockney
Originated amongst the working-class East Londoners.
Estuary English
Rising in the late 20th century, is considered a hybrid between received pronunciation (Queen's English) and particularly south eastern accents, mainly cockney. Mainly found in the communities along the Thames Estuary.
Southern Rural
Can be found in the regions of Kent and Sussex and have an accent set apart from their counterparts in east London.
West Country
Accents covering Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Cornwall, Gloucestershire and Bristol and are historically significant in Britain.
West Midlands and Birmingham (Brummie)
The Brummie accent is frequently called out as being one of the most unpopular British accents.
East Midlands
Includes Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and parts of Derbyshire, each one with its own subtle variation in speech patter.
Yorkshire
Varies across the county with distinctive speech in Hull through to the different sounds of South and West Yorkshire.
Geordie (Newcastle and Tyneside)
A very distinctive accent from Newcastle and the area of Tyneside.
Liverpool (Scouse)
Arose from the city's position as a major port with elements from Ireland, Wales and Lancashire in speech patterns.
Greater Manchester and Lancashire
Greater Manchester, often known as Mancunian, and its Lancashire counterpart have their own distinct identities and sounds.
Glaswegian
Known for its fast delivery and distinctive vocabulary.
Edinburgh
A more controlled accent to its counterpart Glaswegian.
Highlands and Islands
Shaped by Scottish Gaelic.
South Wales Valleys
Shaped by its great industrial heritage.
North Wales
Influenced by first-language Welsh speakers.
Belfast
Often called Belfastian, characterises a complex culture and political landscape.
Derry, Londonderry
Differs greatly from its Belfastian counterpart, and has become more recognised thanks to the TV comedy "Derry Girls".
Accent Leveling and What it Means for the English Language
The process of distinctive regional features are gradually eroded away and become more unified. This is more apparent in urban areas and with younger speakers. Driven by mobility, changing social attitudes and media influence.
Characteristics of traditional rural accents that needed substantial local knowledge, or reflected specific regional industries have declined that fastest. Accent leveling has produced new regional standards concentrated around major cities.
Accent Varieties and Multicultural London
Multicultural influences have produced new accent varieties, one being Multicultural London English (MLE) or Jafaican. With combined elements of Caribbean, South Asian, African and traditional London speech patterns.
The Days of BBC English are Gone
Regional accents in British media today are highly evident, gone are the days of received pronunciation. The days of regional accent discrimination have disappeared and a new diverse variety of accents are in its place.
British Regional Accents Matter in Today's World
Apart from being amusing curiosities for tourists to the UK, British accents are living historical documents reflecting centuries of political, social and cultural development,
Showing the ever changing face of British society today.
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