Odd accent and attitude

[KateMiddletonsExtensions]

I'm going to sound like a snob here. Enormously long Argos van showed up on the road this morning when there were cars everywhere. As well as the driver there was a young lad who looked about 15 though must have been older who got out to check the street as I was going out. "Alright love?" he shouted over to me.

He had the grey tracksuit tucked into socks and trainers look and a fade haircut with a plastered down fringe, and the accent was bizarre. A mix between the big fat gypsy wedding and "gangsta". Definitely not local (north Derbyshire) and nobody else I know speaks like that so where does it come from? What they watch on TV? How do accents evolve?

At 18 or so I'd never have thought about calling over to men in their 30s in the street. I had some attitude but not this. Hey at least he didn't say cheer up love I guess.

I am guessing you have never had teens! He is about 15 - he’s copying what he has seen prob from the others he works for and seeing if it fits him. It’s hard enough being a teen give the kid a break!

This is such a weird post. Maybe his parents are from two different areas, maybe he moved around a lot as a kid.

And what was with the description of his outfit, just wanted to get a dig in did you?

😂 LOL
This is a wind up with a clue from the OP : ‘North Derbyshire’

The fictional town of Royston Vasey was filmed in Hadfield, High Peak Derbyshire. ………only for local people

As I said, this is the internet so you can claim what you want.

But I do think I'm a lot closer to the truth than you are.

No, it isn't.

It's quite sad that the OP's out to lunch and still posting shite on Mumsnet.

Still, if McDonald's will insist on providing free wifi...

Do you live a very sheltered life? Have you really only ever heard people speak in either "regional" or "forrin"?

My dd is doing this in her English language A level. How accents develop and how important they are,

It's overt and covert prestige.

Or something.

The way you described his clothes, speaks volumes. Like delivery men should all wear those long brown overcoats and pressed trousers.
He probably asked "Alright love?" Because you were so appalled at seeing such yobbish attire, it was showing on your face.
However, "Alright?" Is a common greeting where I am in the NW.

I get what the op means about a “mash up” of accents. It didn’t read to me anything like she was asking about him being from a different country or area. I work in schools and some of the kids that have a random “Disney type” or American accent based from tv they have watched as they have no family or connection there in real life and their parents don’t have that accent.

Ha ha good one.

You're absolutely not. Why do you think you are? That's bizarre.

Stream of consciousness only works if you've got something interesting going on in your consciousness.

Or "why are you staring at me so intently, it's rude to stare"

🤣🤣 pmsl, brilliant 🤣🤣

God this one will definitely make it over to tattle. Imagine the commoners having jobs that take them to niace areas. How frightful.

So the lad, who's out working on a Saturday, was trying to make sure no one's car got whacked, but you've started a whole thread about it because.... He dared to speak to you despite clearly not being the same class as you?? Not a local? A mere child to your lifetime of experience? Badly dressed according to your satorial choices?

Well sorry but politely, do what?

Could be endless reasons, my accent is all over the place because I’ve moved about. I had a South African partner for 5 years then bf from Dublin and lived there. My grandma is Jamaican. Why does it bother you op?

It's just the way you come across I guess?

Embarrassingly try hard and the manners of a Polecat if you're out to lunch and Mumsnetting.

If your internet persona is making you happy though, at least you have that 🤷‍♂️

He said two words, you have no idea what the accent is

This!

"Young man wears clothes specifically designed for wear during exercise to perform a very physical job"

Shocking I tell ya. Just RIDICULOUSLY sensible.

Nope, also Derbyshire.

I really hope a crime has been committed because you would make a great witness

It would be interesting to have a meaty discussion about accents on MN, in a similar way to how it might be discussed at the Guardian (in the comments), where there are some fascinating, respectful and really culturally relevant topics and debates.

It is impossible on here to discuss anything remotely academic, as the knee jerk reactions are too reminiscent of the tabloid comments. It has always tempted me to believe that MN is not quite as middle class as it tries to be...

There is nothing wrong with discussing UK accents, how they change, what they sound like, etc. We have a wonderful and diverse mix, often within 2 miles of any particular place!

Sadly on here it is all about posturing, social anxiety and cat's bum mouth offence. Anyone would think it's the Daily Mail, not a website for intelligent, woman centred chat.
Any reasonable question will be distorted at the outset. We can't mention 'class' unless it is praising the WC and ridiculing the MC.
Strange.

@PiglingQuartet I agree with you - how and where accents develop is fascinating - and why for example they can be noticeably different a couple of miles away. What causes that? It exists across the Pennines between Yorkshire and Lancashire - probably due to the relatively impassable nature of the Pennines in the past but if you drive up to Scotland through Northumberland the accent gradually morphs from an northern English one to a Scottish one.

I love accents!