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Talking point - Birmingham is Britain's worst accent, according to a BBC survey. What's your opinion? Type your comment below to join the discussion.

SYM
The birmingham accent can get annoying but you should not be able to persecute it. All accents haave their funny words but all dialects are welcome in my eyes.I must say though, that i do think the geordie accent is best as it is so unique. A friend of mine called Robyn is moving to Newcastle and is worried about not having a similar accent as she is from Birmingham. I do however insist that she does not worry herself. Do you agree with my point of view.

unknown
Im a brummie gurl and the accent is sik... i cant b the worst ive herd sum terrible accents..like the scottish.. tongue curling or wot

Brummy lovers
We just read all the comments & even though we are brummys we think everybody's accent is a part of them. We dont see people as different with their accents ,its what they've grown with. Everyone should stop picking on each others accents as they're ALL GREAT!!!!!!

Andrea Bennett
i think that the Brummy accent is by Far the worst as its as though they pro-long there words and seem slow as soon as they open there mouth!!

Tag
The black country accent and the cockney have to be by far the worst.The best being the pie head accent of Oldham,Wigan,Bolton,Blackburn.

Scouse
All the people who who said the Liverpool accent is the worst, just take a look at all the girls throwing themselves at us when we speak on holiday

Kevvo
Brummi accent is the worst going, every time I hear it I start to nod off, Geordi and manchester accents the best.

Jenny
I was Born in SLC Utah, but I have lived in wales for 44 years and now have a welsh accent, but my close friend is from South stafforshire, and her accent is nice but she hates her accent, I love it wjen she says "luvley" xx

Nigel Horton
No chance. I'm a brummie and ladies love cool Nige!Intelligent, witty and a raconteur. My accent never let me down.

Dave
I'm from Fulham, but live in Liverpool. I think the reason a lot of you Brummies are having a go at Scousers, is because their accent is probably the one that sounds most like yours. Unfortunately for you, Brummies seem to have a reputation of being thick wimps, whereas Scousers are often considered to be witty hardmen. Another thing I've noticed, is that the 3 most prominent scousers, on T.V., i.e. Cilla Black, Paul O'Grady and Ricky Tomlinson, have all got the most grating voices imaginable. Where the truth is, a lot of people in Liverpool have a softer Scouse accent, like, say Paul McCartney.

Dave Major
It alright to poke some fun and I'm all for that.But let's not denigrate the national treasures, which they are, of regional accents. Mid-atlantic is my idea of the worst accent!

Geoff Thompson
girls with brummie accents sound thick and dense and i would data a brummie girl

Alastair
Brummie accents are the sterotypical ones you hear in stuff like Auf Wiedersehn Pet and the one you automatically think of Birmingham from. The Black Country dialect uses a lot more elision and generally has a lot more 'made-up' and unusual phrasology. Being from the Black Country, being called a Brummie is within the highest levels of insults merely because the Black Country does not involve Birmingham and has nothing to do with it. When visiting Middlesborough for an FA Cup match we were unfortuante enough to be seated about 8 inches away from the Home fans and they called us the 'Scum of Birmingham' to which, in good humour we replied 'We don't come from Birmingham'. I can understand the difficulty to non-local people but NEVER assume someone is a Brummie if you aren't certain, we Black Country folk hate nothing more than a Scouse, Cockney, or Mancurian calling us Brummies.

Nana Kwame Asiamah
I love English accents apart from London accents. Unfortunately I live in London. One day i would go to Birmingham and speak brumie.

Gary
I love the Birmingham/West Midlands accent. In fact I have always preferred it to any other UK accent (even the north-east accent - I was born and brought up in Durham).It has always surprised me as to how unpopular it is with people in the UK generally. However, I am pleased to read so many positive comments about it in these messages!

Frankie
I'm a brummy and I don't mind it. I think Scouse accents are much less pleasant!

Dodo Cartwright
I thought no one could do anything to the name I gave my son, Christopher until it was pronouced by some Brummie friends as "Chris t four".Its such a good thing they were so very nice and kind.

Xxx kate xxX
im from great barr in b'ham an my accent is totaly different to my m8s who live in sutton, 10 min drive away, and also people i kno who live in west brom(still in b'ham), their accent is totaly mad compared to mine, i find it hard to understand even though they live so close. so no one can realy label the birmingham accent because there isnt one theres loads to it, just like theres loads of accents all over the country

jack lilly
I like the manchester accent. I dont know why people hate it so much.

Chris Egan
I am sceptical. Without regional accents and dialects this country would be a boring place. The accent is of no consequence, it is what is being said that is important followed by the tone of voice. For example, I have never in my life heard Ian Paisley in anything but in-your-face aggressive mode, and this seems to have ecouraged many of his supporters (and opponants) to adapt the style. I believe that whatever the accent there will be exponants who can make it sound pleasant.

Italian dog
i'm from italy and i0ve talked sometimes with brums ppl...i dont think it is impossible to understand...indeed!!!! every accent is beautiful...it makes you characteristic of your region....here happens too...

daniel
I like the west midlands accents black country and brummie but being from london i have difficulty distinguishing between the two. Ive always found it very nice to listen to and i like the way the sentences go up and down when they speak, ive also yet to meet an unfriendly person from the west midlands!!. I live in northampton where they speak with a faint touch of brummie but without the lilting voice and are more norfolk sounding.West midlands gets my vote though, lovely people!!

Eddie Poohwater
The Brummie accent is great, it's the people who impersonate the accent that make it sound so bad. There are worse accents than this, ie Manchester and in particular, Liverpool. I see the photo of Frank Skinner with Jasper. Although Jasper is a Brummier, Frank is a Black Country lad, and that's a good accent!

xxJamiexx Jersey Ci
Hey evry1..I think the brummie accent is ok n people shld leave it alone!!! The people are also friendly. So jus remember brummies b proud of where u came from! x x

Grumpy Gargoyle
Coming as I do from the wilds of Suffolk where not many people speak any recognisable form of english I have no problem with the Brummie accent. It was a source of some ammusement on my part when I first arrived but only because it was so diffrent from the clipped country drawl I was used to, now I hardly notice it and it's those back home whom I find amusing now. So take some pride in the way you speak Brummie's, it's time someone did.

xJamie-Leex
Hey evry1.. i personally think the brummie accent is alright! Leave It Alone! lol xxx

berkeley babe
As an outsider, born and raised in the U.S. (but with a Canadian-born mother) and having dated 3 British men (one from Manchester, one from London and educated at Oxford, and the most recent from Birmingham) I have to say that of all three I prefer the Birmingham accent the most. What beautiful lilting phrasing. I am entranced listening to his voice, which is incredibly mellifluous. Of course, some of this may be his voice, giving his accent its own character. What a wonderful man he is too. Brummie is all right with me.

Julia
The Brummie accent is fine when it's not being reperesented by an exaggerated comical accent (the guy from the halifax advert). Im from Brum and i've got the accent although none of my friends have and continuously complain about not being able to understand me! Form my a-level language coursework i intend to investigate why there is such a negative attitude towards my belovoded dialect. And I love the Manchester accent! Always brings a smile to my face :D

Raman Dhillon
well i think the brummie accent is not that bad because i have family who speak brummie and i can understand them and speak the accent so i think it is not a bad accent.

Allie
I personally don't relish hearing a strong Birmingham accent, but then that goes for any overbearing voice irrespective of where the speaker comes from. Having said that, I find it insulting when people equate your voice with your level of intelligence. That's utter rubbish! Midlands accents have suffered this sort of prejudice, (mainly from the south eastern dominated media who are too scared to leave London and come up here and critise us) for years and probably explains why I am terrifed developing an accent. (I don't have much of an accent, despite living near Wolverhampton!) I have lived in the Black Country all my life and have not picked up the accompanying lilt and I can't explain why! However I HATE it when out of sheer ignornace, people mix up the Black Country accent with the Birmingham accent and it probably annoys the Brummies too! What annoys me msot of all is people's bad grammar, particularly those who mix their tenses and say 'we was' instead of 'we were'! That is both lazy and stupid!

Jon Carver
Well, there are a lot of proud Brummies here. If anyone checks back here, then follow the link which you may need to cut and paste. www.carvery.zoomshare.com, for a real dose of Big time Brummie pride

Patrick
I'm from Small Heath(parents Irish) but have lived in London for 25 years.I constantly get get what I percieve is negative comments. and its not just because I'm too sensitive.People feel theatened by difference and I still feel an outsider.Nobody has mentioned class in this.I feel my middle class mates use accent to put me down.God There yer' go chuck too sensertiv' agin'!

B de V
I don't think that there is a bad accent, I think that the problem is bad pronunciation & laziness in the use of language. Bring back elocution lessons (and some discipline, plus respect.. wish list now)...

kenny
I agree about the brummie accent, lived in Aussie, 40yrs, and still have that nasal tone, even my kids take the mickey, although the locals, say its a lovely accent They are welcome to it.

Jon Carver
How can the accent of Shakespeare, ever be regarded as anything but unique and magnificent? You know what they say, if they deride you, they're scared of summat aint they Bab? John

?
Alot of people don't know what there talknig about on here, dialect is something very differnt to accent for a start it involves grammatical features also!its unfair to say that one accent is superior to another,even though in my opinion i wouldnt want to sound like a brummie!

Sam Davis
I think that the 'pleasantness' of an accent depends on the tone & modal qualities of a voice, not just on an accent. I'm a brummie (and like many - proud of it!)and some brummie voices have me in fits of laughter, whilst others drone on. There also seems to be a link with accents, storytelling and humour too...not many of us laugh at a joke told in 'standard RP'. Up and down the UK people have always made really positive comments about my accent..,life is better with them...

manc and proud
the accent isn't bad! has anyone been to liverpool or newcastle!! plus b'ham is a pretty friendly place, rather like mcr, and most other cities seem really unfriendly and unwelcoming

Roxanne
i think th accent is fine! i visit liverpool alot 2 c family and alwayz get stick from them...but 2 b honest i think thr accent is alot worse!!!

peter
The majority of people who criticise the Birmingham accent do not know the differance between Black Country accent and a Birmingham accent. It is amazing how many people speak from a position of ignorance and make complete idiots of themselves when trying to mimic a Birmingham accent. There is so much biased press against Birmingham it makes you wonder are they jealous of this great city. You might hate the accent but at least we have an identity, unlike people with no accent. You are the one with the problem of not liking the accent so I suggest you deal with it and get a life.

danielle
i use to go out with someone from walsall, its near Birmingham and he had the nicest accent of all time, lol i still miss it!!

W.Taylor
Th love of my life is from Birmingham and has the most beautiful, elegant and polished accent I have ever heard from any Brit. It is not as severe than most. This is from a trained Amerian ear.

laura
the birmingham accent is not the worst accent.the worse has got to be the scouser accent.and personally i find that the bbc has never got anything nice to say about any other part of england except for london

h luvin luke
i like my accent i think that it something that people should be proud of there dialect.

Jules
im in the good part of the east midlands, LEICESTER! Good thing is there is no accent and unlike Brummies, people understand what were talking about.

shaun
no absoultly wrong bham accent is not the worst in britain wron wrong i say scousers r the worst ever

Juan
I agree with Nat ... as says "I dont think that Birmingham is Britain's worst accent at all." But it's really difficult to understand at first... I mean in location. As it happens to me when I first went there in 1969... ohhhh how long ago.. Great long live B'ham.!!!!

whu cares
haha, we have the bullring... you don't! so up yours sweetheart. Manchester sucks, it has no originality, its an fugly city and im ashame when foreigners have to visit it!

sara
yes, I have a friend called ethan and i cant understand a word he says with that awful brummie accent!!!

Jon
Don't forget, this is a BBC survey. The BBC are bias against Birmingham and the whole midlands area. This has been going on for a very, very long time. BBC and the word LONDON go hand in hand. A message to all of you - Brummies don't give a toss what anybody says or thinks about us, we just enjoy living in this beautiful city - total bliss. BBC ? stuff your survey ! If you have any guts bbc.co.uk. print this !

Safe
The Birmingham accent is so nasalized and lacks aural variation which is why it sounds so crap. I'm from the Leicester, the greatest city in the entire world mate.

Dani
I come from a place where accents are non existant. I don't think the Birmingham accent is bad at all. I don't think any accents are bad. All accents are sexy to me! And in response to Anne, I adore the Manchester accent ;)

David
how do you say a manchester (northern) accent or a brummie accent, being a actor i will be very gratefull for your help. and could you tell me some famous quotes from these accents thankyou for your advise

Meh
Listening to a 'Black Sabbath' album is the most I can take of the accent. Meh

Will
I think all accents are great, they are so unique. Defining each person to a region of the country. There is nothing better than to hear somebody speak in their accent to words ans phrases that we all speak. Anybody who states that an accent is silly doesnt look at there own accent and how other people percieve that. Discriminating against something that is out of a person control without understanding that with every accent there is a background and a story. That is why so many actors these days are regarded highly if they know many accents and thats also the case to comedians who continually copy accents to gain a laugh from the same audience who critisise. Imagine a world with no accent, where would the comedy and the unique identity of this country come from.

Tony
I suppose the ones that voted the Brummie accent as the worst were all south of Watford! I fink the Brummie accent is naffink compared to the Laandon one wiv their glo-al stop (they can't say their Ts properly). Now there's free exarmpuls that I've fought of... No need to go on - who sounds the thickest? Who's accent is easier on the ear?

Michael
Starlite - How, in the name of sanity, can you say that the Southern Accent is easiest on the ear. I come from Portsmouth which is almost as south as you can get and talk about fingernails on a chalkboard! The poor excuse for a dialect ain't nuffink bu' lazy tawk, innit and there ain't nah accen' an' Ar speaks wiv a bit more of an' RP voice ar admi' bu' A'rd trayde u' me Powtsmahf accen' fow a Berminem accen' any tyerm, innit. I don't know what part of the south you live in (probably Chichester or Dorset or some other place where they all talk like they've just sat on a potted cactus) but I will issue you a challenge. Identify, for me, a 'pleasant' southern accent and I'll present you with a rolls royce made entirely of diamonds - an impossible challenge, since neither exists, although thatsaid, the diamond car is more likely! Roll on Birmingham. You guys keep talking just as you do. I love you just the way you are! INNIT!

Anne
The Birmingham people always get stick, Myself and my friend went to London last summer.An Irish waiter thought we where from Liverpool!!There is nothing wrong with the Brummie accent, i don't like Manchester Accent up north they talk funny and look it!!!!!!!

Lauren
Im a Brummie and i have a strong accent but the brummie accent is the best it makes people who live in birmingham unique and where ever i go people love my accent and wish they had it so no one can say its the worst accent because we get complimented on it and its because we are all true to our accents all the other people who are spinnin bout how bad our accent is needs to listen to themselves because the cockney accent is the worst and livepool

Anna
It all depends on where you live in Birmingham. I'm from Edgbaston and what could be classed as RP; very few people from here or indeed much of Harborne have any detectable accent. It's like London - not everyone has a cockney accent there - it depends on the status of the area, where people go to school and who they mix with. This is no different in Birmingham.

Anonymous
I think the Scottish accent is the most ridiculous accent in the world. When the Scotts talk, one can barely follow him/her. OH My God!!!

John Boy
The Birmingham accent being affiliated with thick-wittidness is akin to the belief that all leaders are sagacious - not only is this asinine behaviour, it depicts a lack of regard and respect for the conglomeration of cultures we have established in Britain. Moreover, both the aforestated concepts are mutually exclusive, incongruous and a branch of dysfunctional mythicism. Being a Brummie myself (boasting the accent), I feel a blunt, yet pertinent message needs to be relayed - LAY OFF!

Nikki
I dont think any accent is stupid-its just the way u talk it makes u an individual.....and i luv the brummie accent!!!!!!

TJ
i am wondering how you propose someone 2 look at their accent. as i am not sure it is possible annie stroud. of course this proves that all brummies should be in mensa.

Annie Stroud
I am proud to be a brummy so any1 who thinks otherwise should look at there accent

J.C.TONES
They have a law against prejudice,in colour and religion. Is not the dumming down of a way of speaking,itself not a prejudice.

Michael
I am from the Suth of England (I was in Birmingham at University and will return for further studies and to live permanently next month) and I think that the Brummie Accent, like the people of Birmingham, is wonderful - Warm, inviting, unpretentious and damned good fun. To all Brummies, please ignore this ridiculous BBC pole. To the BBC, I DON'T pay you to sl*g off the people who I call my friends and neighbours!

Ray
Con Yo understond this.If yo con yome from the black country.A bostin plairse to live.

Neal
I reckon the brummie accent is the best. the only reason people think its awful is cus they r so jealous.

Pam
It's more than 27 years since I last lived in Brum, and despite this I still have the accent!Although I have never liked hearing my own voice(well, who does?)it has always attracted plenty of attention(the good sort!) - in fact it's made me stand out where ever I've lived as an "interesting" person who's obviously not a local. Most people I've met have teased me a little, but none have ended up hating the way I speak. I think it's true that the Brummie accent has a bad media "image" - actors "doing" a bad version of a cross between Black Country and Brummie and getting neither right really makes my teeth grind. And no - it doesn't make us sound thick. All these fake Brummie TV accents give the impression of a deeply unfashionable -sounding accent, but a bastardised version of the real thing. I bet most folk who voted for Brummie as the so-called "worst" accent have never even met a real Brummie - and those I have met have expressed surprise at how different (and nicer) the real thing sounds from the distorted versions you hear mimicked on TV. Well, that's me off my soapbox for now... I love ya, Brummies!

rio
Hello, can anyone help me I must do an English presentation about bImingham and I say some thing about the Brummie accent ! now I need a listening example do anyone know a site with a soundfile with the brummie accent

Richard
Brummie accent is a lot more respectable than cockneys with their stupid slang

Jason
I lived in London for 2 years. I went back to visit, and was talking to a bellhop outside the hotel we were staying. I couldn't understand one complete sentence he said; I would have to pick out a word here and there, and play two minutes worth at a time back in my mind - a sort of literal jig-saw puzzle. I asked him where he was from. He said Birmingham. He had no trouble understanding my California accent.

Olivia
I think the Birmingham accent can be classed as Britain's worse accent, all depends on how strong it is. Not everyone from Birmingham is stupid :-/

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