Are accents snobbish

[678somean]

I know this is going to get me a lot of backlash. But I love a good debate so thought I'd pose the question....
I hate regional accents. I know they can't be helped but they sound so thick.
There was an article in the Guardian recently where they mentioned that people with regional accents go to speech therapy before moving to London in order to apply for jobs!
I think it's a smart move. But of course not a popular opinion.
I've worked with lots of people in high profile roles and honestly, whether people like it or not, the ones with RP are definitely taken more seriously and respected.
I've noticed all over England that the ones who are highly educated with good jobs rarely have their local accent and most have admitted that it's undesirable to have a regional accent and they are middle/upper class so don't speak with one.
Do others feel the same when applying for high status roles?

Your own written English is a bit shit, OP.

Is your speaking much better? Only you say you've worked with high profile people?
I hope you weren't showing them your writing!

You are extremely parochial and ignorant. Get your head from up your arse.

I think accents and dialect can be a problem where it impedes understanding, but equally I've met some of the most parochial and ignorant people in London and the home counties who claim to not understand people with regional accents. Often because they just don't fucking listen.

Usually insecure middle class/upper middle class twunts who speak RP but a kind of hideous braying faux RP, a sort of generic southern England middle class accent. Insecure because one or two generations ago their forebears were digging roads and working in factories, and maybe even had, shock horror regional accents. Or they are just threatened by anything different, so are probably xenophobic as fuck and racist to boot.

My late DM had the same attitude to accents as you do OP. But at least she had the excuse of having been born in the 1920s.

It's not ok but I get it.

When I moved down south, I noticed I got taken serious when the "Manchester" accent softened to the point people couldn't place my accent they just assumed I was privately educated wherever I lived

I've moved back up north and do try to correct my daughter to say "THE" and not "duh" and "Okay" not "OOKeHH"

And if I ever moved back down south again, it be the accent that would sway me.

Those rising to the OP are ignoring that this prejudice is very real. You add in a few other protected characteristics and it's very hard for you to succeed.
My DS is very intelligent but I feel that he isn't recognised as such due to his thick regional accent (West Country). There's only two Bristolian sounding kids in his class now, which is fine, that's the nature of the city these days. It's sad that he isn't chosen for things more because the school would rather put the kids who talk nicely at the front of the stage.
I know family who have moved to London with first degrees who don't find it easy to get ahead. To be frank, I think it's hard for people to move away from the idea that we're all pirates and/or farmers.
That said, in my work, I find it much easier to build rapport with people in the local community. You send someone into a council house in the rougher bits of the city with an accent straight of Eaton, they'll need much more relationship building skills to get the clients to trust them. So hurray for those of us with strong regional accents who want to work in social care I guess?

The first time I heard that bloke off 'time team' speak, as an academic and someone from the West Country, I felt such pride.

I’ve worked with and have hired people from all over the UK and the world (in London) and I have never once thought about their accent. I wouldn’t think someone is ‘thick’ just because of their accent though.

For the record OP. There are many people with 'posh' accents who are as thick as 2 planks. An accent doesn't define you!

It's a post on social media! Where is my English shit?

London itself has many accents !

I think Londoners who buy second homes in “the regions” (because “the regions” are
more beautiful and offer a better quality of life) should adpot the local accent whenever they’re in their second homes. And locals may point and laugh if they get it wrong. Locals may only speak to them in local dialect with local idioms and not speak slower and clearer or adapt their speech in any way.

But the ones who were the most successful definitely didn't have a northern accent.
This is a seriously simplistic view of class and privilege, if only how successful we are was all down to our accents which we can easily change, but it's not! it is about class and connections and nepotism

I live in the north of Ireland, the RP accent has very negative connotations here and is subject to ridicule. It certainly doesn’t portray intelligence imo - even the Royal Family can manage it 🤷🏻‍♀️

I have a very broad, “culchie” accent, wouldn’t dream of neutralising it. I’m proud of where I’m from and my background. My accent is part of my identity.

We are "rising to the OP" because we know their prejudice is real.

Oh you seem offended!

No, I have never found that all 'well to do' people or people in senior roles speak with RP. Perhaps you need to broaden your horizons, OP?

Which are the "top schools", OP?

You're a snob then and the people around you are snobs too.

You probably keep very limited company and haven't seen much.

So everyone without a London accent sounds thick is what you think, and other people on here are defending this?

Pathetic.

It happens, but it's not right.

I don't have a regional accent (I'm from the West Country) and speak RP but i just get called posh, not necessarily an insult but it does get dull. None of my family have an accent either.

Has it helped my career? I don't think so. i like to think working my arse off has helped more than my voice 😂

As someone said upthread, it isn’t right but it is true.

https://theconversation.com/accentism-is-alive-and-well-and-it-doesnt-only-affect-the-north-of-england-148825

On the other hand, as a RP speaker I have encountered prejudice in the workplace, being thought of as “posh” or “a snob” by some people, at least until they got to know me.

I know the Headteachers of the 'top schools' in Darlington and they all speak with regional accents.