Oxford accent and London accent?
I’m learning English as a second language, and got really confused about different accents. Could you please tell me what the common accent in the UK is? Sometimes I listen to BBC radio online, what accent is this? And please tell me which celeb speaks with an Oxford accent and which speaks with a London accent. I really wanna know about the difference. Thank you very much
There isn’t really a common accent in the UK, as it entirely depends on the area you’re in. It’s a very diverse country in that respect.
However, in the south of the country particularly among the middle-classes there is a generic accent. This is normally what you hear on the BBC for example, and is often referred to as ‘Received Pronunciation’. It is also the most common accent that you’d hear in Oxford. However, increasingly news programmes are hiring presenters with regional accents, as many listeners find it appealling.
London also has a variety of accents according to the individual areas. Celebrities like Danny Dyer and Ray Winstone are well known for their accents.
The best resource is BBC Voices. It is an excellent site with a database of vocal recordings from different parts of the country, different social groups and different ages. This way you can hear a representative sample of the local dialect, together with a written transcription in case you’re having difficulties.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/recordings/
The Flatmates episode 7, from BBC Learning English
