# Question about British regional accents **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 20, 2024, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481 "2024-11-20T03:09:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/21 "2024-11-21T06:32:46Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Not to hijack this overmuch, but I’ve always kind of wondered what the modern-day US equivalent would be of the general British read on James Bond circa 1962: the guy’s cover identity is ‘suave and classy businessman in an expensive suit,’ and his _actual_ status is ‘Royal Navy commander working On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,’ and the default reaction to Sean Connery’s thick Scottish accent would’ve been to think of him as — _what,_ over there, back then? A Scot who is a Royal Navy commander working On Her Majesty’s Secret Service undercover as suave and classy businessman in an expensive suit. There is simply no contradiction or anomaly. There are plenty of Scots who are classy businessman. The UK’s military has long had (if anything) a disproportionately high number of Scots. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/22 "2024-11-21T11:05:23Z")
I wouldn’t regard his accent as thick. It’s RP with an obvious Scottish inflection. ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/23 "2024-11-21T12:01:11Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > No, I’m with you there; I like to think I’ve got a pretty good read on what Americans thought of Connery’s accent, and I think you’re right. We’re easily taken in by any UK accent, no matter how base and uncultured you might think of it. (Well, I am anyway) ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/24 "2024-11-21T13:59:52Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > I wouldn’t regard his accent as thick. It’s RP with an obvious Scottish inflection. Not sure I’d entirely agree, He’s from Edinburgh, but he’s certainly not got the ‘posh’ Edinburgh accent. I’d say he’s got a broader working class accent (akin to my former MIL) that he’s flattened to sound more understandable. But it’s still there (and not the kind of accent you might find in a naval officer). But most people just hear ‘Scottish’ so he gets away with it. Really posh Scots don’t have hardly any Scottish accent at all, as they’ve usually been sent to boarding schools and had it knocked out of them. See Rory Stewart and William Dalrympel. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/25 "2024-11-21T14:21:30Z")
Reminds me of some Cajuns I’ve met. Understandable, but you’ve got to work for it. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Working-class Noo Yawker from Lawn Guyland? Good ol’ boy from Alabama, y’all? MinnesOta farmer, yah, you betcha? What’s the closest analogue? I’d have guessed the US equivalent would be someone from one of the top 5 cities or so in the US, and from one where the area has a distinctive accent. So maybe Houston, Philadelphia, or Atlanta? I’d hesitate to think that a Scottish accent would be equivalent to a California or New York accent; those are more like the RP/London accents I’d think. ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/26 "2024-11-21T14:44:33Z")
I don’t want to hijack this thread and if this should be its own thread please feel free to split, but I have been very interested in this topic lately, as we’ve been watching all of the previous seasons of [The Repair Shop](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6685272/) and have been listening to the various regional accents of both the skilled artisans and the people dropping off their items. HUGE differences in accents. I think more pronounced than the regional differences found here in the US. Anyways, my request: could some kind Brit who’s familiar with the show identify as many accents as they can of the Repair Shop regulars? For instance, Jay Blades, Will Kirk, Steve and Suzie Fletcher (yeah, I know Suzie lived the States for several decades), Dominic Chinea, Kirsten Ramsay, Amanda and Julie (the ‘bear ladies’), Brenton West, and most of all the guy that repairs the drums (and other musical instruments). Thanks in advance. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/27 "2024-11-21T15:37:40Z")
I’ve never watched it so I had a quick listen to a few of them on youtube, so my view might not be particularly insightful but… Jay, definitely London (confirmed by google) The rest…well they all sound like they’re from south east England (i.e. within an hour of London) (I didn’t listen to Amanda and Julie). It’s really tricky to narrow it down beyond that because anyone from the ‘Home Counties’ can sound pretty damn similar. Having said that, the musical instrument expert (Pete Woods), I wasn’t totally sure on but might be from north Essex or somewhere like that?? Detected a hint of something not dissimilar from myself (from Suffolk but been told I sound a bit Essex). Could be miles wrong though! ---
**Author:** ![Cardigan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardigan/32/187_2.png) [@Cardigan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardigan)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/28 "2024-11-21T15:45:01Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > Jay, definitely London (confirmed by google) Aren’t there still sub-types of accents within the rather large geographic bounds of greater London? I noticed Jay will replace ‘th’ with ‘f’ sounds (e.g. I got nuffin’). But this pronunciation is WAY more pronounced with Dominic, though. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/29 "2024-11-21T15:51:05Z")
Yes, but they’re becoming less pronounced and you’d need to be a linguist to spot them. Best I can say is that some people have stronger accents than others. Jay may simple be more working class than Dominic. ‘Nuffin’ is 100% working class London, but I couldn’t tell you which bit. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/30 "2024-11-21T16:33:41Z")
Oh absolutely. I’d agree with above, Jay’s is more ‘working class’ and some of the others are more ‘middle class’. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/31 "2024-11-21T16:42:27Z")
I could never figure out what Mullet is saying in this scene, and what accent is his? Starting at about the 19 second mark: > **[BulletTooth LuckyStar](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88Zpc1pj8kE%2F)** ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/32 "2024-11-21T16:47:43Z")
Ha, something about black ink and staining? I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/33 "2024-11-21T16:48:37Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > What can be problematic for outsiders is when a lot of _dialect_ words and common phrases/sayings are being exchanged between people from the same part of the world, and at speed. Yeah, agreed. For example, where I grew up you would commonly hear someone say > “Aas gaan yam marra” Any takers? (Answer below). A couple of points of (possible) interest. It’s surprising how unimportant distance can be. I grew up in Workington on the Cumbrian coast. It’s about five miles to Maryport, but I have never been able to understand people from there. My father had a cleaner from Maryport (we called her Hurricane Eileen\*) who would charge through the house yabbering at us - the only word I ever recognized was “Eh?” When we took (a young) Trep jr north on visits, he would be nonplussed by people speaking to him in Workington but I could explain to him afterwards what it had been about. In Maryport it was “Sorry, kid, no idea. I was just nodding.” Also, I think things are getting easier (which I regret, actually). Everyone is watching the same shows on TV (and so on) and I think these accent and dialectical differences are less noticeable now that they used to be. Do we agree or disagree on that? That Workington phrase: I’m going home, mate j \* - I swear to god that I once saw her walk along a sofa whilst vacuuming the curtains ---
**Author:** ![BertNobbins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3e96dc/32.png) [@BertNobbins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BertNobbins)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/34 "2024-11-21T16:50:08Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Laxfield, decades ago. These conversations were what the locals were saying among themselves. I don’t know Laxfield myself, but while its a bit out of the way it’s only 10 km from the small town of Framlingham, which I do know. Laxfield is not in the middle of nowhere. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/35 "2024-11-21T18:36:59Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > I could never figure out what Mullet is saying in this scene, and what accent is his? The actor is Ewen Bremner who is from Edinburgh and does a lot of lowlifes. But no, I can’t make out what it’s about but without knowing what went before, I don’t know if it’s important or just vamp-till-ready chitchat. ---
**Author:** ![iamatractorboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iamatractorboy/32/21261_2.png) [@iamatractorboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamatractorboy)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/36 "2024-11-21T19:26:27Z")
This is really bugging me now haha. I’m wondering if it is something sexual-related?! I have caught bits of it: - _Something something_ fxxxin black ink all over her…_something something_ Fxxxin stained for fxxxin _something_ And _something_ the golden retriever as well Fxxxin ell man, you shoulda seen it ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/37 "2024-11-21T20:22:01Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > And _something_ the golden retriever as well And gopher teeth as well? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/38 "2024-11-21T21:12:14Z")
> [@iamatractorboy](#): > > And _something_ the golden retriever as well The last bit is “fucking add in the golden retriever as well” - evidently the dog got the ink spilled on its nice fur, but I don’t understand the previous bit. (“Fucking” is just a filler word, and he doesn’t really say the first couple of letters). ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2024, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/39 "2024-11-21T23:18:00Z")
Given the way his face drops when he hears Tony’s voice, and given that Tony has gold teeth, maybe he’s bragging (lying) to his friend that he somehow got something over on Tony. Try this: “I got fucking black ink all over fuck boy, mate. He’s stained for fucking life, that and the golden teef (teeth) as well.” If you read it while listening to it, it fits (sort of, ha ha) ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2024, 7:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481/40 "2024-11-22T07:43:18Z")
Some more guesses here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/fzsrvb/snatch\_2000\_what\_the\_hell\_is\_mullet\_saying/](https://www.reddit.com/r/movies/comments/fzsrvb/snatch_2000_what_the_hell_is_mullet_saying/) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/question-about-british-regional-accents/1010481.md?page=3)