To think you shouldn't correct an accent?

[Catsu]

Am disagreeing with dh over this.
We moved just before ds2 was born. Where we now live there is a regional accent different to how dh and I speak.
Ds2 is 3.5 yrs and is starting to pronounce words the local way. Dh keeps correcting him. I keep telling dh not to correct him.
Ds2 was born here, will grow up here and why wouldn't he speak with the local accent??

What do you think? Aibu or is dh?

yeah - how do you pronounce worried then if it's not 'wurried'?

I had a very very strong north east accent as a kid (despite my mother trying to tone down the worst of it). First day at a posh uni I got there and no one could understand what the hell I was saying - I HAD to tone it down. I've still got a distinctly north-east tone to it, but it's enough to get by and it's gradually getting mixed in with Nottingham.

Accents and valuing your roots is fine - but when they're hitting the point of utter incomprehensibility - then they need to be knocked back a touch.

bigfatcath, how do you say lolly ice then? I mean, what should it be? Ice lolly?
And trousers are kecks, innit?

My mum was a teacher and I remember a fantastic illustrated alphabet that one of the kids did (aged about 7, not trying to be clever or anything), where most of the words were scouse slang.

It depends on what you're doing when you say "correcting." If you're actually trying to stamp the accent out then its a) snobbish and will create social problems for your kids because the other kids will mark them out as being a little bit different because of the way they speak and b) is likely to be totally counterproductive because the regional influence is very strong and they won't be able to overcome it. If you're just trying to correct those regionalisms which actually render the language incorrect then I don't see any harm in that. I just think be quite judicious about it and don't, wittingly or unwittingly, give your kids the sensation that they are different from other kids from round there and need to speak in a more refined way. That way a whole heap of trouble lies.

I grew up in South London, and speak RP (aka posh) very similarly to my parents. My children also grew up in South London and spoke Sarf London. I'm not sure why really, I certainly tried to fit in at school, but didn't do very well at it. Now we live in Canada and dd sounds like a local, ds is starting to go that way, and I don't think dh and I have changed very much yet, although I am picking up the different inflections now.

I like accents. I think they are very interesting. I did correct ds with his 'ain'ts' and 'bu-a' because they drove me round the bend, but he gave as good as he got, so I don't think it did him any harm . The only accent I find really hard to understand is Black Country. We had a friend from Wolverhampton at university and it took a few days adjustment to understand a word he was saying. Here in Canada I often have to speak very slowly to be understood, although often people don't actually tell me they don't know what I am saying, so I've got good at picking up the blank expressions!

I think there is a difference between colloquial language and an accent. DH and I are Scottish, as are DC's but they now live in England and have a very polite 'scottish' accent. They were never allowed to use scottish colloquialisms before they moved (DH does and it drives me mad) and most certainly couldn't now as they would not be understoond!

DD sings hymns in an english accent as this is how her school teacher does it.....rather cute!

Not sure what the difference between endearing twang and mispronunciation is. I correct grammar but couldn't care less how word are pronounced. I am glad newscasters/ presenters etc have regional accents . If reflects the country we live in. Love Brummie and Black Country accents (and Liverpudlian of course).

Show of Hands - that's really good to know it's normal - we are from Lancashire and my DD has just started saying words with a bit of a west country accent.

I try and speak nicely but it's a hangover from school where the horrible bullies had broad Rochdale accents and I vowed never to be like them in any way.

I hope I wasn't being included in 'the 2 people who think accents are bad' category.
Both my parents have scottish accents from near dumfries.
I come from Devon and have no accent. But I sure can put on on 'alreet me lurver', Devonian accent, if so required.
And I actually quite like accents.
But admit that there are a few that I am not quite so keen on. Don't think I'm unusual there.

I think it's fine to correct grammar, but you are swimming against the tide if you try to get rid of a regional accent. Tbh, if you strongly dislike a particular accent, then it's best not to bring children up there because they will pick it up.

Wrt the left handed thing, I am left handed and my parents thought it would benefit me if I could do things the way a right handed person would, because the world is set up for the majority. So although I hold a pen in my left hand, I hold cutlery the same way as a right handed person. This has been helpful in restaurants. I've never bought anything that's designed for left handed people in particular and I've been okay. Think it would be wrong to make a child write with their right hand though.

I'm with your DH.

showofhands so interested to read your post. I did wonder the other day why my DD had a west country accent, saying "sloide" for slide etc!

If its a regional accent that labels them in others' minds as dumb oiks, then dh is right. Re left handedness, that sounds a bit Victorian Dad!

DS corrects me..."No, it's carstle", mama". I just tell him that people from different parts of the world say things differently and leave it at that.
I will, along with another poster, stamp out "haitch" if it ever rears its ugly, aspirated head in this household.