Kind of. In England we have many, many local accents/dialects. Most people speak their ‘mother tongue’ as a local dialect. Some of these dialects are so different to what you would think of as English (this is a dialect called Standard English) that you wouldn’t understand most of it. Even English people don’t understand other English dialects perfectly, only their own and maybe some others depending on how familiar they are with them, like neighbouring dialects which are closer to their own. Then consider that England is joined onto Scotland and Wales, which not only have their own dialects of English, but actually their own completely different languages.
So its the same effect as if you’re speaking a second language exclusively for a long time and then you can speak in your mother tongue again.
Most likely you meant to reply to somebody else, but it’s possible you picked up and ran with a response to my question. If that’s the case then thanks for the effort!
We have so many accents, even within England, let alone the empire, that we had to invent a reference accent. Queens English is what the BBC used for a long time. It was intended that all ‘cultured’ workers should be able to converse in it. This meant the upper class could travel anywhere and not have to deal with local accents, when ordering the servants about.
It’s still quite useful, since it is intended to be easily comprehensible to all English speakers. Downside is that it makes you sound like a posh twat.
Kind of… Standard English is the reference dialect of english (used to teach foreigners) and it’s what received pronunciation (queen’s English/posh sounding) accent uses.
What does this mean? People putting on a ‘work voice’ or something?
Kind of. In England we have many, many local accents/dialects. Most people speak their ‘mother tongue’ as a local dialect. Some of these dialects are so different to what you would think of as English (this is a dialect called Standard English) that you wouldn’t understand most of it. Even English people don’t understand other English dialects perfectly, only their own and maybe some others depending on how familiar they are with them, like neighbouring dialects which are closer to their own. Then consider that England is joined onto Scotland and Wales, which not only have their own dialects of English, but actually their own completely different languages.
So its the same effect as if you’re speaking a second language exclusively for a long time and then you can speak in your mother tongue again.
I am English.
Most likely you meant to reply to somebody else, but it’s possible you picked up and ran with a response to my question. If that’s the case then thanks for the effort!
I think it’s just a joke that the British accent is fake
Accents*. Yes, I’m a very nitpicky person.
Yeah, that’s how I interpreted it.
I read this in at least one British accent.
If you’re that nitpicky, surely you should have altered “is” as well.
Yes. It should be “s”. Maybe I’m not that nit picky.
They invented the language. It’s everyone else that has an accent.
We have so many accents, even within England, let alone the empire, that we had to invent a reference accent. Queens English is what the BBC used for a long time. It was intended that all ‘cultured’ workers should be able to converse in it. This meant the upper class could travel anywhere and not have to deal with local accents, when ordering the servants about.
It’s still quite useful, since it is intended to be easily comprehensible to all English speakers. Downside is that it makes you sound like a posh twat.
Kind of… Standard English is the reference dialect of english (used to teach foreigners) and it’s what received pronunciation (queen’s English/posh sounding) accent uses.