The Development of the Posh Southeastern British Accent

TLDRThis video explores the evolution of the Posh Southeastern British accent and debunks the misconception that it was invented to differentiate social classes. The accent is a natural regional variation that gained high prestige in the southeast of England. Phonetic descriptions from past times provide insights into the accent's development.

Key insights

🗺️The Posh Southeastern British accent is a natural regional variation, not an invented accent.

🔎Phonetic descriptions from past times allow us to trace the evolution of the accent.

📻Audio recordings in the 20th century capture the accent's features and changes.

The accent today includes features from earlier varieties, as accents constantly evolve.

🧐Misconceptions about the accent's development persist due to lack of information and assumptions.

Q&A

Was the Posh Southeastern British accent invented?

No, the accent is a natural regional variation that developed over time.

How do we know what the accent sounded like in the past?

Phonetic descriptions from past times and audio recordings provide insights into the accent's pronunciation.

Has the accent changed over time?

Yes, the accent has evolved, incorporating features from earlier and contemporary varieties.

What are some common misconceptions about the accent?

One common misconception is that the accent was invented to differentiate social classes, which is not true.

Why is the accent associated with high prestige?

The accent gained high prestige in the southeast of England due to cultural and historical factors.

Timestamped Summary

00:00Introduction and clarification about the speaker's qualifications.

03:32The Posh Southeastern British accent is a natural regional variation, not an invented accent.

05:59Using phonetic descriptions and audio recordings to trace the accent's evolution.

08:05Describing the accent's features in different time periods and highlighting changes over time.

11:11Exploring the accent's characteristics in the 19th century and earlier.