Listening: Understanding All Varieties of English C2 - Lesson 2: Recognizing Regional and Social Variations Within Accents

Listening C2

Social Accents

Lesson Goals

• Distinguish between Regional (Location) and Social (Class) accents.
• Understand the concept of "Prestige" varieties (RP).
• Recognize "Code-Switching" in social contexts.

In many English-speaking countries (especially the UK), your accent does not just tell people where you are from; it tells them who you are (rich, poor, educated, working-class).

1. Region vs. Class

Typically, the higher the social class, the less "regional" the accent sounds.

Social Class	Accent Features
Upper / Elite	RP (Received Pronunciation). Sounds "posh." No regional markers. Clear consonants. "Standard" English.
Working Class	Regional Dialects (e.g., Cockney, Scouse, Geordie). Strong local vowels. Dropped letters (Glottal Stops).

2. The Glottal Stop

One of the biggest social markers in British English is the Glottal Stop (swallowing the 'T').

• RP Speaker: "Better" (Pronounces the T clearly).
• Cockney/Estuary: "Be'er" (The T is replaced by a stop in the throat).

At C2, you must hear this instantly. It often signals a casual or working-class context.

3. Code-Switching

Advanced speakers often change their accent depending on who they are talking to. This is called Code-Switching.

Talking to Boss ➡ Talking to Friends

"Good afternoon, sir."
(Formal, RP, Clear) "Alright mate?"
(Casual, Glottal Stops, Slang)

AAVE (African American Vernacular English)

In the USA, accents are often tied to race and community as well as region. AAVE is a distinct social dialect with its own grammar rules.

Example: "He be working" (Meaning: He works habitually/often).

Understanding AAVE is essential for understanding American culture, music, and movies.

Practice Activity: Social Detective

Listen to the speakers. Identify their probable background.

1. Speaker 1: Uses "Received Pronunciation" (Queen's English).
   Context: (A) A casual pub chat / (B) A BBC News report
2. Speaker 2: Uses "Glottal Stops" and "Th-fronting" (Fink instead of Think).
   Context: (A) A formal speech / (B) Casual London dialect
3. Speaker 3: Switches accent halfway through. Why?
   (A) To sound more professional / (B) To sound friendlier

Sociolinguistics Vocabulary

• Sociolect (noun) /ˈsoʊsiəʊlɛkt/ [គ្រាមភាសាសង្គម] - A variety of language used by a particular social group.
• Prestige (noun) /prɛˈstiːʒ/ [កិត្យានុភាព] - High status or respect attached to a certain accent (e.g., RP).
• Code-Switching (verb) /koʊd swɪtʃɪŋ/ [ការប្តូរភាសា/សំនៀង] - Alternating between two or more languages or varieties of language in conversation.

Your Mission 🎙️

Watch a video of the British singer Adele.

1. Listen to her singing (often sounds American/Neutral).
2. Listen to her interviewing (strong Cockney/London accent).
3. Notice the difference? That is the difference between Performance and Identity.