English Rewind - People and Places: The Brummie accent

Hello! Catherine here from BBC Learning English.

Just so you know, this programme is from the BBC Learning English archive.

It was originally broadcast in June 2007 on our website.

Enjoy!

I've been in Constantinople, Phil.

— Really? — Yes.

Hello, I'm Jackie Dalton. This is BBC Learning English dot com.

It's not a colour becoming of many people.

These people are speaking with a Birmingham accent —

or a 'Brummie' accent some might say.

'Brummie' is an informal word

to describe someone or something who comes from Birmingham —

England's second biggest city.

The Brummie accent is loved by some, but hated by many.

In surveys, many people say it's the most annoying accent there is,

and a lot of people make fun of it.

But some people in Birmingham are fed up with this, and defend the way they speak.

Carl Chinn is Professor of Community History at Birmingham University.

Why is his Brummie accent important to him?

For me, being a Brummie is all about my identity, it's about who I am as a person,

where I grew up, where I was born,

where my mum and dad come from and the people to whom I belong.

I would never dream to say that my accent is better than anybody else's,

but it's certainly no worse.

It's important to him because it's part of his identity —

part of what makes him who he is.

For me, being a Brummie is all about my identity, it's about who I am as a person,

where I grew up, where I was born,

where my mum and dad come from and the people to whom I belong.

And Carl Chinn says not everyone hates the accent,

there are some people who really like it.

What kinds of people?

Outsiders who don't come from England, when they hear the Brummie accent,

many of them say it sounds warm and endearing.

He says people outside of England, who come from different countries,

often like the Birmingham accent and find it warm, friendly and 'endearing',

which means 'pleasant', or 'nice' — 'endearing'.

Outsiders who don't come from England, when they hear the Brummie accent,

many of them say it sounds warm and endearing.

Anisa lives in Birmingham's Asian community.

She also has a bit of a Brummie accent.

She doesn't usually think about the fact that she has an accent, except sometimes.

When is it she becomes most aware of the way she speaks?

Some people are just like, "Oh, you're a Brummie!" and I'm like, "Oh, God!".

It's quite embarrassing, cos you don't really realise you have quite an accent

until you go out and meet people from different cities.

Anisa says it's when she goes outside Birmingham

and meets people from other cities that she realises she does have an accent,

because they comment on it.

It's quite embarrassing, cos you don't really realise you have quite an accent

until you go out and meet people from different cities.

BBC Learning English.

We're at the African-Caribbean Centre with enough...

Now let's hear from Joan Hunter.

She works for a radio station

that broadcasts to the large African-Caribbean community in Birmingham.

She says it can be funny when some people start to speak with a local accent.

What is it exactly that she finds amusing?

I heard a Polish girl with a bit of a Birmingham accent coming on.

I think she's only been here, like, three years,

but, I suppose when, it depends like who you're with and who you're living with

and the people that you're talking with all the time, every day,

and so, therefore, you know, it's bound to come in,

but when you've got a bit of an accent,

because you're from a different culture or country,

and then the Brummie accent is, like, attached to it, it's kind of funny.

Joan says she finds it amusing when people who have moved to Birmingham

from a different country start speaking with a Birmingham accent —

it creates an interesting mix.

For example, some people will speak English with a Brummie and Polish accent —

perhaps that could be called a 'Birlish' or 'Polingham' accent!

Professor Carl Chinn says there have always been

lots of different kinds of Birmingham accents, not just one.

What are some of the different kinds?

There are a variety of Brummie accents today, there were in the past.

There was always a middle class Brummie accent,

there was a lower middle class Brummie accent,

there were a variety of working class Brummie accents.

So there's always been varieties of accents.

I think they've multiplied, but the Brummie accent will survive.

Carl talks about middle class, lower middle class and working class accents.

These all refer to accents spoken by people of different social statuses.

For example, middle class people in Britain

are generally seen to have a bit more money and better jobs

than people who are working class or lower class.

One thing is for sure though,

Carl is convinced that however many varieties of it there are,

the Brummie accent is here to stay.

So there's always been varieties of accents.

I think they've multiplied, but the Brummie accent will survive.