It’s no surprise that we all love a British accent here at DateBritishGuys! The British accents can be a minefield to foreigners, as different areas of Britain sound completely different. However, all of the accents are charming in different ways – we personally love Cockney!
Here we list some of the most well-known and widely used British accents. Let us know which one you like best!
1. Queen’s English
Perhaps the most famous British accent, the Queen’s English isn’t called the Queen’s English for nothing! This is the accent used by the Royal family and is most commonly found in Central London, although there are speakers in many wealthy areas throughout the UK. Think the characters in a Jane Austen novel, and celebrities such as Colin Firth or Kate Winslet.
Click here to listen to an example of the Queen’s English.
2. Cockney
The Cockney accent is more Charles Dickens than Jane Austen and is portrayed by characters such as The Artful Dodger in Oliver Twist. It comes from East London and is usually associated with the working class communities there.
Many Cockney’s use ‘rhyming slang’ as part of their dialect, amusing phrases that will be difficult to understand to an outsider. For instance, they say ‘apples and pears’ instead of ‘stairs’ – confusing but very fun!
Click here to listen to an example of the Cockney accent.
3. Geordie
The Geordie accent is often used by people from Newcastle, an area in the North East of England. It’s one of the oldest and most loved accents in Britain and rose in popularity as Geordie popstar and TV personality Cheryl Cole became famous. As for the name? People from Newcastle were called Geordies because of their allegiance to King George during the Jacobite Rebellion of the 1700s.
Click here to listen to an example of the Geordie accent.
4. Scouse
The Scouse accent is found primarily in Merseyside, a county in North West England but it is most commonly associated with the people of Liverpool. It’s a very distinctive accent that sounds very different to other British accents, and it often gets a lot of hate, but we love its original sound!
Click here to listen to an example of the Scouse accent.
5. Brummie
The Brummie, or Birmingham, accent also gets a lot of stick in the UK (one study claims it is viewed as less intelligent than staying silent!) but we personally think it’s great and it is said to be quite well liked abroad. Very few films feature this accent but Ozzy Osbourne is a good example of a Brummie accent!
Click here to listen to an example of the Brummie accent.
6. West Country
West Country English refers collectively to the accents used in the South West of England. This accent attracts several stereotypes; for example it is often associated with farmers, and many Hollywood films have used the West Country accent for the voice of pirates! This is due to the West Country’s role in piracy in centuries gone by.
Click here to listen to an example of the West Country accent.
7. Welsh
The Welsh accent is often referred to as being quite ‘sing song’ as it sounds a little musical. Studies have found that this comes from the influence of the native language of Wales; the direct transfer of features from the Welsh language into English has given it this melodic sound. Welsh celebrities include Catherine Zeta Jones and Richard Burton.
Click here to listen to an example of the Welsh accent.
8. Scottish
The Scottish accent varies from county to county but the accents we most commonly hear in movies and television are from the Lowlands and the Midlands. Think the cult film Trainspotting, set in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh and its star, famous Scottish actor Ewan McGregor. Glaswegian’s, from an area of Scotland, have been voted to have the sexiest accent in the whole of Britain!
Click here to listen to an example of the Scottish accent.
9. Irish
Never mind the sexiest accent in Britain, the Irish accent has been voted the sexiest in the whole world! Throughout different parts of Ireland the accent differs but most areas have the same recognisably Irish sounds. The accent can sound gruff but also friendly and gentle; we love to hear it on hunky Irish celebs such as Bono and Colin Farrell.
Click here to listen to an example of the Irish accent.
