Accents

[MrsPeacockInTheLibrary]

Is it ok to not like a certain accent? To say it's "not to your taste" when you hear it?

I was thinking about this earlier. For example - a presenter giving a talk. You might find their style boring or that they ramble on. But to talk about their accent is different because it is their personal characteristic like the way they walk or their facial expressions.

Also, it's well established that as a society we seem to 'rank' accents and certain groups are discriminated against because of how their accents are perceived.

TLDR: Is it ever acceptable to make a derogatory comment about someone's accent, when it isn't to your taste?

No - you can talk about problems in understanding a certain accent, but your very subjective esthetic preferences do not come into it when talking to people (neither does their hair colour, their tatoos, their piercings etc...)

People on MN generally seem not to value the difference and variety their linguistic heritage offers - and have generally little knowledge of how language and language change works.
Apart from those membes whose interests lie that way.

Hmm interesting. I do have accents I love and those I'm less keen on. It doesn't matter I don't think as long as you don't treat people differently because of it or express your dislike of it.

There are some accents I find irritating, but I don't see any point in saying it to someone's face as they can't do anything about it. I'll always listen if it's something important, work-related or if I'm attending a talk or something, but I've certainly quit a few YouTube videos because I found their voice annoying.

I think it's ok to dislike an accent. I don't think it's ever ok to tell someone you dislike their accent.

I have been discriminated against many times because of my accent and I've also been bullied at work because of my accent.

Of course it's not okay to make derogatory comments. Are they supposed to put on a different accent because you said so?

It's OK to dislike an accent, it's not OK to be rude about it to someone.

I've got a very strong regional accent and it's one that people apparently don't like. I have been treated as though I was some undeserving idiot before because of it. It is very offensive and unfair - I'm perfectly understandable and speak correctly, just with this accent. There's something to like about most accents to be honest, even if you just privately find them amusing.

Uh, no it's not ok to make a derogatory remark about it. It's fine to not like it, but do keep it to yourself. Why you don't like is something else entirely.

There are some accents I dislike, or struggle with, but I wouldn't tell someone with that accent.