I'm doing an A level in English Language and i was just wondering where do accents come from and why do we have them? and if we didn't have them what would we loose. Do we have anything to gain if state schools taught children to speak in RP or a modified version of it?
Skip to content
My OpenLearn Profile
- Personalise your OpenLearn profile
- Save your favourite content
- Get recognition for your learning
Debate: Accent origins
Updated Sunday 29th April 2007
Ben From The North appeared as a guest in the forums, and asked about the origins of accents.
Tags, Ratings and Social Bookmarking
For further information, take a look at our frequently asked questions which may give you the support you need.
Have a question?Other content you may like
History & The Arts
Debate: Backslang
Little Richardjohn, community member, sought entry into a secret world
Article
History & The Arts
Debate: Upset people
Diana Honeybone from The Open University had a question about the names used for those people who relish permanent discontent
Article
History & The Arts
Globalisation and the English language
Globalisation has influenced the evolution of the English language the most, according to Dr Maria Leedham, in this short piece based on the transcript of a phone interview.
Article
History & The Arts
How Brexit Is Giving Rise To A New Wave Of Language Wars
Language is political, as Brexit and Trump demonstrate
Article
History & The Arts
Doing language analysis
This analysis of an interview looks at accents, use of vocabulary and grammar, style, the origins of words and how we talk about language
Audio
45 mins
History & The Arts
A linguist’s guide to the Theresa May Article 50 letter
What does the UK's official notification of its intention to leave the EU mean? Dr Philip Seargeant explores.
Article
History & The Arts
Language of Comedy - Catchphrases
The Fast Show's Charlie Higson discusses catchphrases.
Video
5 mins
History & The Arts
Debate: Scones
Community guest Sarah wanted intervention in a marital dispute
Article
History & The Arts
Exploring the English language
How has the English language changed over the course of the last 500 years? What are the social and political contexts that have affected how these changes have come about? This free course, Exploring the English language, will consider the development of the English language from the 15th to the 19th century.
Free course
9 hrs
©2017. All rights reserved. The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). The Open University is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to its secondary activity of credit broking.
©2017. All rights reserved. The Open University is incorporated by Royal Charter (RC 000391), an exempt charity in England & Wales and a charity registered in Scotland (SC 038302). The Open University is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in relation to its secondary activity of credit broking.
We invite you to discuss this subject, but remember this is a public forum.
Please be polite, and avoid your passions turning into contempt for others. We may delete posts that are rude or aggressive; or edit posts containing contact details or links to other websites.