Learn about the COCKNEY ENGLISH accent & dialect

Hello. I'm Gill at engVid, and today's lesson is about an accent-and it's an accent that

we hear a lot in the U.K., especially in the south of the country-and it's called the Cockney

accent. And it's centered around the London area, London and the southeast, so it spreads

quite a long way out from London as well. And I don't know if you've ever heard of these

actors: "Michael Caine, Barbara Windsor - they are actors whose natural accent is the Cockney

accent, because they both grew up in the London area, so they grew up speaking the Cockney

accent.

So, the Cockney accent is like a regional accent, really, it just happens to be the

regional accent for the capital city of England. So, that's just like any other regional accent;

you could have a Yorkshire accent, a Liverpool accent, a Birmingham accent, London has its

own regional accent as well. So, rather than RP, Received Pronunciation, which is the accent

that English teachers usually teach people who are learning English, if they're teaching

them British English, that is. Of course, American teachers will teach in an American

accent, etc.; Australian teachers will teach in an Australian accent; but if I'm teaching

English, because I'm in the U.K., I would teach the RP, Received Pronunciation accent.

But the Cockney accent, it's very useful to know about because if you happen to be in

London, or you may be watching a film or a television program where people are speaking

with this accent, and you may at first have difficulty understanding what the person is

saying. I had a student a while ago who was from Italy, and he had started working in

a company, and he told me: "I can't understand my boss very well when he speaks to me. I

can't... I have to keep asking him to repeat, and it's getting embarrassing." So I sort

of guessed his boss might have a Cockney accent, and said: -"Well, does he do this? Does he

do that?" -"Oh yeah, that's what he sounds like." So, I said: "Okay, he's probably speaking

with a Cockney accent", so there are lots and lots of people in the London area who

speak with this accent.

Traditionally, it's been associated with a kind of working-class accent, but nowadays

it's much more complicated than that; there are people working in very professional jobs

who also have Cockney accents. I had a Chinese student at one time from China, and... But

I noticed she had some sort of... She sounded a little bit Cockney when she spoke English,

so I asked her about that-and she worked in finance, I think in investment banking-and

she said: "Oh, my boss... It's my boss, he's Cockney, so I sort of hear him speaking and

it influences me." So someone in a sort of very high professional job could have a Cockney

accent, so there's no difference, really, nowadays. But the thing is: If your boss speaks

with a certain accent, there is a tendency to try to speak like them just to be able

to relate to them well in your work, so that does happen. Depending on who you're with,

your accent can change. So, it happens to me as well. Okay. So...

So what I've done here, I've just chosen six aspects or features of the Cockney accent

just to explain what they are and to demonstrate how they sound, so that when you do hear a

Cockney speaker, even if it's just in a film or a television program or on the radio, you

will know what you're hearing and you'll think: "Ah, okay, I know what that should be. What

that word is", because you know how the Cockney accent changes some of the consonant sounds,

and makes some of the little changes to what we would call RP, the standard British pronunciation.

So here's a little summary, then, of the Cockney accent and some of the main features. So,

first of all, the "th" sound, which a lot of people... If you're learning English, you

may not have "th" in your own native language, and so people have difficulty pronouncing:

"th", "th", "th", like that. But for some reason Cockney speakers don't bother to pronounce

"th" like that; they either... Depending on what the word is, they either say: "f" or

"v". So, instead of putting the tongue behind the top teeth for: "th", "th", "th", they're

just putting their top teeth on their bottom lip: "f", "f", "f", or: "v", "v", "v" when

they say those words.

So what I've done, I've written some words phonetically, and you might like to try to

guess what the actual word is. If I say: "fings", "things". If a Cockney person says: "things",

and the "f" is replacing the "th" sound, then it's really: "fings". Okay? "Things", so:

"fings". And you will often hear Cockney speech written down like this. It would actually

be written this way to suggest the Cockney accent, so it's useful for when you're reading

things as well, or reading fings as well. Okay. So that's "things", "fings". And similarly

with this one: "fink", "I fink". "I'm not sure, but I fink." So: "I think". Oops, sorry,

I'll just repair that. There we are. Sorry. Okay, so: "think", "think", so that's really

"th" there. "I think". Okay?

Now, this one's interesting because this is a word when it's spelt with an "f": "free",

as in "freedom". "Are you free?" Or: "We're free", "We want to be free to do what we like."

So, that is a word in normal spelling, but the confusion is that a Cockney person might

say: "free" when they actually mean the number "three", "three". So: "free", they could be

saying the number "three", okay?

Then this one: "wiv". So, instead of the "v", if you put "th", you've got: "with", "with".

So: "wiv", "wiv" like that; not "with". Right. This one: "wever", "wever". So the "v" is

in the middle, there, so make that "th": "wether". So that could be either that kind of the "weather":

"Is it raining? Is it sunny?" Or it could be that kind of "whether": "Whether or not

we go. Whether or not". So: "wever", "wever", rather than "weather/whether". Okay?

This one... Can you guess this one? "Uva", "uva". If you say: "other", "other", you get...

But I was spelling it phonetically, so it's not so easy to recognize. "Other", "other",

"uva", "uva". Okay? And, finally, for this first one... Again, this is a word as it's

written: "fought", it's the past tense of the verb "to fight". "Yesterday I fought somebody.

I had a fight with somebody", but it's... If somebody... If a Cockney person says this,

they may mean not they "fought", but they "thought". They thought something; they were

thinking. They thought. So, that's, again, like: "free" and "three" - "fought" and "thought"

can be ambiguous; it could mean one thing or something else. Okay. So that's that one.

So that's one of the main differences.

The next one is when there's a letter "t" often in the middle of a word, but it's not

pronounced in the Cockney accent. This is called the glottal stop. The glottis is in

the throat, here. So if you don't pronounce a "t" and you've got this word here, if you

think of the missing "t", that word is: "water", but instead of saying "water", in the Cockney

accent it's: "wa'er", "wa'er". "Uh, uh, uh", and something happens in the throat. So, instead

of making the "t" sound: "T, t, t, t, t", with your tongue in your mouth, you're going:

"Uh, uh, uh", down here in your throat. "Wa'er", "wa'er", "wa'er". So that's why I've put the

apostrophe there to show the missing "t", so that's "wa'er".

Do you know this one: "ma'er", "ma'er"? So that would be double "t": "matter". "Does

it matter? It doesn't matter". "Ma'er", "ma'er", "ma'er", "ma'er", like that. Okay? Do you

recognize this word: "be'er", "be'er"? "Are you feeling be'er?" So, again, double "t":

"better", "better". "Be'er", "be'er", like that. Okay.

This word, probably quite easy because it's a longer word with just one letter missing:

"computer". So that's "computer": "compu'er", "compu'er". Some people... Some Cockney speakers

are more... Have a stronger accent than others, so some Cockney speakers, if they're working

in an office, they might say: "computer" because it sounds maybe more professional. But some

who are very relaxed about their accent, very informal, they might say: "compu'er", "compu'er".

So, that's another one to listen out for. "Compu'er".

This one, can you guess what this word is? So: "la'er", "la'er" is: "later", "later".

So if you say: "See you later. See you later", "See you la'er". Or some people just say:

"La'er. La'er", and it means: "See you later." Okay? And then, finally, for this one, one

"t" missing, so: "reality". If you've heard of reality television, which is not very real,

to be honest; the ones I've seen, it's not really reality, but it's about real people,

but in rather strange situations sometimes. But that would be pronounced: "reali'y", "reali'y",

rather than: "reality". Okay. So that's the glottal stop replacing the "t" sound.

Okay, so next one: The letter "l", which if you make the sound of the "l": "la, la, la,

la, la", your tongue touches the roof of your mouth: "la, la, la, la, la", and your mouth

is open slightly, depending what vowel sound. "Le, le, le, le, le; loo, loo, loo, loo, loo".

You'll have a different shape of your mouth, but it will be slightly open for: "la, la,

la". But the Cockney accent... Can you imagine? You couldn't make it up, could you, really?

You couldn't invent this, but the "l" sound is changed to a "wa, wa, wa, wa", like that,

like the letter "w". "Wa".

So, this word here... That "w" is correct, that's part of the real spelling, but this

"w" is representing a double "l", so that word is: "well", "well". "Are you well? Are

you feeling well?" But in the Cockney accent, it's: "wew", "wew", "wew". So the tongue doesn't

do any "l" sound inside the mouth. The lips are just pulled back together again. You start

with "w", with this word: "wew", "wew", like that, and the tongue is just sitting in the

mouth doing nothing. Okay. So, the opposite of "well" is "ill" or: "ill", "ill", "ill",

"ill", "ill", and I'm using my tongue, there. "Ill", "ill", "ill". But if you say it like

a Cockney speaker, it's: "iw", "iw", "iw". "You're looking iw. You're looking iw today",

"iw". So, like that.

Okay, next one. So, the "w" becomes an "l", so that word is: "film", "film". "La, la,

la". "Film". But in the Cockney accent, it's: "fiwm", "fiwm", "fiwm", "fiwm", like that,

pulling the lips together. Right. This one: "w" becomes "l". "Deal". Negotiating a deal;

an agreement. "A deal", but in Cockney, it's: "deaw", "deaw", "deaw", like that. Okay.

Can you guess what this word is, if you think of an "l" here instead of the "w"? "Built",

so it would be: "b-u-i-l-t", when you build something; to build. "It was built in a certain

year." So: "biwt", "biwt", "biwt", like that, instead of: "built", "built". And, finally,

something that you drink, not with a "w", but with an "l": "milk", "milk". But the Cockney

accent, it's pronounced: "miwk", "miwk", like that. "Miwk". Okay.

Okay, so on to number four. This is where the letter "h" at a beginning of a word is

dropped; not pronounced. So: "ha", the "ha" when we blow air out of our mouth to make

the "ha" sound. So: "'and", the apostrophe shows the missing "h". "'and" is "hand". "'im"

is "him". "Him, over there. That man, him". "'ello" is "hello". "'ed" is "head". So: "h-e-a-d",

"'ed", "head". "'er", that's a woman over there. "Have you seen...? Have you seen 'er"?

"'er", instead of "her". And then if you need some food, you're "'ungry" instead of "hungry".

Okay? "'ungry". So, that's fairly simple; just missing the "h" at the beginning of the

words.

And number five: "ing", the "ing" sound at the end of a lot of... Mostly verbs. The "g"

is dropped, so you just get "in": "workin'", "cleanin", "readin'", "cookin'", "talkin'".

So, not: "talking", but "talkin'", no bother to do the "ing" sound in the throat. Okay.

Right.

And then number six. Instead of... You may have found words beginning "s-t-r" difficult

to pronounce when you're learning English-"str", "str", "str"-because it's a combination of

sounds. But Cockney speakers, some of them actually make it even more difficult, really,

by putting a "sh", "shtr", "shtr", like that. So, instead of: "street", you get: "shtreet".

Instead of: "strike"... When people go on strike, they stop working; they're protesting

about their employment rights or something like that. They're stopping work. A strike,

industrial strike is pronounced: "shtrike", "shtrike". Okay?

If something looks rather "strange", it's: "shtrange", "shtrange", like that. If someone's

very "strong", a strong man or woman: "shtrong". I'm slightly exaggerating because I'm not

used to saying it, so... But that's how I've heard people say it: "shtrong". And here it

is in the middle of a word: "illushtrate", "illushtrate". An example, to illustrate.

So: "illushtrate", "illushtrate". So, I don't know why, but that's another feature of Cockney.

Okay, and then we have a few little things that happen, sort of non-standard elements.

So, this "ain't", which you may have heard, especially in... If you're in the U.K., if

someone says: "I ain't", or "you ain't", or "we ain't", or "they ain't", it means: "I

am not", "it isn't", "he isn't", "she isn't", "we aren't", "we are not", "they aren't".

So, "ain't" can be used for all the pronouns; first, second, and third pronouns; singular

and plural. In that sense it's nice and easy, because you don't have to think: "am", or

"is", or "are"? It's the same for all of them: "ain't", but it's a non-standard form. Okay.

So that's used a lot.

This is a kind of abbreviation. So if you say: "isn't it", "Oh, it's hot today, isn't

it?" you might hear it abbreviated to "innit". "It's hot... It's hot today, innit? It's hot

today, innit?" "Innit". So, "innit" often appears at the end of a statement with a question

mark, expecting someone to answer to see if they agree with you. "Innit", "innit".

So here's another one, another contraction: "dunno", "dunno", which is for... Short for:

"don't know". This isn't only the Cockney accent. I remember as a child, and I come

from further north, I used to say: "dunno", so other parts of the country also use this.

But it's not... It doesn't sound very... It has a way of sounding not very enthusiastic

if somebody says: -"Dunno. Dunno." -"What are you doing at the weekend?" -"Dunno. Dunno."

Not... No interest; no enthusiasm. So: "Dunno" sounds a bit not very polite, not very interested,

not very enthusiastic or positive; it's a bit negative-sounding. Okay.

And then, finally, a kind of grammatical switch where instead of saying to someone: "Why were

you late?" It should be "were": "Why were you late?" A lot of Cockney speakers say:

"Why was you late?" So it's the wrong form of the verb "to be", "was/were" in the past:

"Why was you...? Why was you late?" It should be: "Why were you late?" And then if the person

replied to explain why they was late... Why they were late, they might say: "We was waiting

for the bus." And, again: "We was" is not the correct form; it should be: "We were...

We were waiting for the bus, and it didn't come, or it broke down." So, switching...

Changing "were" to "was" in both cases, there, is one of the other things that happens.

Okay, so that's an overview of some main aspects of the Cockney accent. There are other things,

like slightly different vowel sounds, but that's a lot more... That would take a much

longer lesson and it's harder to explain, I think, as well. So... But listen out for

Cockney speakers and see if you recognize some of these features when they're speaking.

There might be... Some American films, you might have a Cockney speaker playing the villain,

for example. Often the British actor is hired to play the villain in an American film, and

sometimes they have a Cockney accent. So... Or they can have a RP accent as well, and

they can be an even worse villain. So, there you are.

Okay, so finally, just one little example of a title of a musical... A theatre production

which came... Started in 1960, or it appeared on the London stage in 1960. And this is the

title, the exact title: "Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be". And there's a song as well you

can listen to; the song of the title. I don't think I can sing it because I think it's still

in copyright, so I don't want to... I don't want us to get us into trouble, but the title

I can give you without the music: "Fings Ain't Wot"-meaning "What"-"They Used T'Be". Things

Are Not What They Used To Be; times have changed, as times always do. Things change as time

goes on. So that's the title of a very popular musical that was on the London stage in 1960,

and some of the songs from it are still very famous, especially the title song. So, see

if you can find that to listen to. Right.

So, I hope that's been an interesting lesson for you. And do go to the website: www.engvid.com,

where there will be a quiz on this subject. And thanks for watching; see you again soon.

Bye for now.