Brummie accent is perceived as 'worse than silence'.
#1
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Brummie accent is perceived as 'worse than silence'.
Brummie accent is perceived as 'worse than silence':
Voices of Yorkshire is are regarded as the smartest
Voices of Yorkshire is are regarded as the smartest
It may not have held back Jasper Carrot or Clare Short, although Sue Lawley did ditch hers the moment she left Dudley. Now a study suggests that other ambitious West Midlanders may want to consider losing their accent if they want to get on in life.
It found that people with the distinctive nasal tones of the Birmingham region are considered far less intelligent than those with other accents, despite a general trend in which regional dialects have become more respectable.
In a series of experiments, even a control group who said nothing at all were considered more intelligent than those with Brummie accents.
The study into dialect and perceived intelligence also found that received pronunciation, the accent of royalty and public school alumni, has fallen from its leading role for the first time.
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The research was conducted at Bath Spa University by Lance Workman and Hayley-Jane Smith, who comes from Birmingham. In their experiments, the Yorkshire accent came top.
They undertook the study to see if the stigma attached to regional accents had diminished. Dr Workman said: “The results certainly show some regional accents no longer have the stigma they once did and are now perceived to carry wisdom and intelligence. Unfortunately the Birmingham accent was received so negatively it was ranked as less intelligent than silence.” The research will be presented today at the British Psychological Society’s annual conference in Dublin.
In the experiment, participants were shown pictures of young women and a recording of what they were told were their voices, discussing how they liked to spend their time. The pictures and recordings were mixed up to control for visual taste, although the women were all “averagely attractive”.
Participants were asked to rank the women first for attractiveness, then for intelligence out of a total score of 10. The women with the Yorkshire accent scored 6.71 on intelligence while those with received pronunciation scored 6.67. The silent women scored 5.99 and the Brummies 5.6.
“This is the first time a regional dialect has been perceived as more intelligent than received pronunciation,” Dr Workman said. “I think there are a couple for reasons for this. The BBC and other mass media have shifted towards using newsreaders with regional accents, and people reading the news are usually seen as authoritative and intelligent.” The popular portrayal in recent years of upper-class figures as dim had also undermined perceptions of received pronunciation.
Dr Workman said that research showed that people associated the Birmingham accent with high levels of criminality and untrustworthiness. “The Birmingham accent is clearly taking longer than others to evolve culturally,” Dr Workman said.
Midlanders still manage to get ahead, actually
— Cat Deeley – MTV presenter and host of British editions of American Idol, she is now fronting the US series So You Think You Can Dance?
— Johnnie Walker – Radio Caroline DJ who joined BBC and presented Radio Two’s drive-time programme. Currently presents a Sunday rock show
— Murray Walker – the former Formula One commentator became famous for his “engine” voice which rose and fell like a racing car.
— Adrian Chiles – host of Match of the Day 2 and The Apprentice spin-off You’re Fired. Sick of question: “How have you managed to get on with a Birmingham accent?”
— Alan Dedicoat – Off-screen “voice of the *****” on the televised National Lottery draw and Radio Two newscaster
— Frank Skinner – comedian and overrevealing autobiographer
— Lenny Henry – child Opportunity Knocks winner, comedian and actor
So then, my questions to you are:
- Which accent is the most difficult to listen to?
- Which accent is the funniest to listen to?
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- Which accent is the most difficult to listen to?
YouTube - TRUE SCOUSER
- Which accent is the funniest to listen to?
YouTube - Yorkshire Airlines
YouTube - TRUE SCOUSER
- Which accent is the funniest to listen to?
YouTube - Yorkshire Airlines
#5
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Spoke to a bloke from somerset the other day, had to ask pardon a lot, he spoke so fast, but a very nice bloke.
Last edited by Will; 04 April 2008 at 08:05 PM.
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#10
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Not forgetting the great Lord Ozworth of Osbourne too
Personally I find the fake 'mockney' type accent adopted by the likes of Jamie Oliver, Lily Allen, Kate Nash and the rest difficult to listen to The sound always makes me want to punch them repeatedly in the mouth
Personally I find the fake 'mockney' type accent adopted by the likes of Jamie Oliver, Lily Allen, Kate Nash and the rest difficult to listen to The sound always makes me want to punch them repeatedly in the mouth
#11
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I must admit to being guilty of disposing of my Brummie accent. Even as a child I trained myself to speak without using the truly awful tones of a Brummie.
If my sons let fly with brummie-isms I cringe with embarrasment.
Only the day before yesterday my oldest asked if he could watch "O-ulls" on DVD. I could have cried
If my sons let fly with brummie-isms I cringe with embarrasment.
Only the day before yesterday my oldest asked if he could watch "O-ulls" on DVD. I could have cried
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Typical ignorant write up:
Mixing up Brummy accents with Black country
Like mixing up a Southern Ireland accent with a Northern Ireland accent. As demonstrated by an Irish geezer that was on top gear - when people heard he was from Ireland they'd put on a mock accent saying "ahh t' be sure t' be sure'...then when he asked where they came from, they'd say something like London...to which his mock accent was "WY-AYE Mon!"
Mixing up Brummy accents with Black country
Like mixing up a Southern Ireland accent with a Northern Ireland accent. As demonstrated by an Irish geezer that was on top gear - when people heard he was from Ireland they'd put on a mock accent saying "ahh t' be sure t' be sure'...then when he asked where they came from, they'd say something like London...to which his mock accent was "WY-AYE Mon!"
Last edited by Shark Man; 05 April 2008 at 01:48 PM.
#15
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#17
There was an AGC Clerk at one of the units I used to based at who was gorgeous - if you ever saw her outside of work she always used to look amazing, perfectly turned out in a proper young lady way...
Then she used to open her mouth... broad as broad can be Brummie. So off-putting, ruined the whole thing.
As for Kate Nash's mouth.. there are lots of things I could say but punching her in it is not one of them... I have to admit to having a bit of a thing about that young lady
Then she used to open her mouth... broad as broad can be Brummie. So off-putting, ruined the whole thing.
As for Kate Nash's mouth.. there are lots of things I could say but punching her in it is not one of them... I have to admit to having a bit of a thing about that young lady
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Do not forget Rab either.
I worked with two Glasweigan brothers for four years - i understand every word
#22
Going home from Yorkshireland is like listening to Poetry... Whereas the Brummie drawl is just that... a drawl.
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I can't stand the Brummie accent. Worse is the Dudley area. Use to work in a call center and anyone from a DY** post code would bore me to death and usually be thick as pig sh*t.
I like a slightly southern accent on a woman
I like a slightly southern accent on a woman
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I can't stand the Brummie accent. Worse is the Dudley area.
Calling Hectic; we have another one who can't tell the difference between Brummy and Black Country
#26
They sound similar enough, like proper Geordies and those from Hartlepool, close enough, thous I do like the Geordie accent, especially if its slight on ladies, spent many a happy hour up there....
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I find the Mersey and Midland most unpleasant, but all others can be very nice if only a slight acent. I think any "full on" accent is unpleasant to listen to.
I like English spoken by any foreigner though. That raise the question, would a French person think us speaking French in an English accent was sexy, and, would they think that us speaking French in a French accent soundds as daft as foreigner trying to emulate an 'English' accent, whatever that may be?
Geezer
I like English spoken by any foreigner though. That raise the question, would a French person think us speaking French in an English accent was sexy, and, would they think that us speaking French in a French accent soundds as daft as foreigner trying to emulate an 'English' accent, whatever that may be?
Geezer
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Not really:
One is faster and harshly spoken with emphasis on using different words than what an Oxfordian would prefer. Generally with differing pronunciation of the middle section of words.
Whilst the other accent is slower and softer spoken, with emphasis on shortening words as opposed to transposing them. And also when spoken, to drag out the latter part of the word.
Have a listen to Ozzy Osbourne and Noddy Holder to see what I mean (although Noddy tends not to use transposed words in interviews; mainly because nobody would understand him )
Last edited by Shark Man; 07 April 2008 at 02:42 PM.
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living in somerset now i find the somerset country bumpkin accent difficult to understand especially when they talk so quickly.
geordie accents make me laugh,wye aye and hows the bairns and all that.
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I think it's strange how certain accents make people seem more attractive but others just make them even less so.