Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?

Discussion for current and prospective students about social life at university, societies, what stationery and bedroom items to buy and anything else relating to life as a university student.

Announcements Posted on
Important: please read these guidelines before posting about exams on The Student Room 28-04-2013
Sign in to Reply
  1. #JayJay's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 173
    Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    I live in inner London, so I know I probably don't have the best accent in the first place lol. but whenever I go to university, I find that I talk with less of a London accent (unless i'm drunk, according to my mates) and then when I come home, people notice my accent is more soft.

    that's because I have to talk slower and pronounce my words properly because people don't understand what I say sometimes haha

    some of my friends found the same to happen to themselves, especially the ones who live in the north

    does this happen to any of you guys?
  2. ellenlish's Avatar
    • Junior Member
    • Posts: 36
    I have a Yorkshire accent, but when ever I'm away from home I notice it far more, but when I come home it is usually softer, like you said


    This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App
  3. #JayJay's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 173
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    (Original post by ellenlish)
    I have a Yorkshire accent, but when ever I'm away from home I notice it far more, but when I come home it is usually softer, like you said
    my mate got told off for it when he went back to Yorkshire and saw his friends again, haha
  4. Nirgilis's Avatar
    • Community Assistant
    • PS Helper
    • TSR Demigod
    • Location: Yorkshire
    • Posts: 5,843
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    I haven't noticed my accent changing, but differences in word pronunciation is picked up on at university and often the subject of many, many jokes :yep: . Take the simple word 'glass' and the difference in pronunciation between northerners and southerners for example :p:
  5. Mr Ben's Avatar
    • Peer Of The TSR Realm
    • Location: Durham
    • Posts: 1,464
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    I found it quite interesting that even though I lived with people from the south, my accent shifted closer to the local Durham accent during my time there. Which admittedly sounds a lot better than my old Teesside accent :P
  6. #JayJay's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 173
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    (Original post by Nirgilis)
    I haven't noticed my accent changing, but differences in word pronunciation is picked up on at university and often the subject of many, many jokes :yep: . Take the simple word 'glass' and the difference in pronunciation between northerners and southerners for example :p:
    that happens with us as well!
  7. Aeschylus's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Posts: 2,317
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    Tangentially related, Aeschylus's Guide to having Fun at University #101:

    1. Buy a bread roll.
    2. Ask your flatmates what they call said roll.
    3. Enjoy the next 3 hours.
  8. kopite493's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Posts: 2,292
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    nope but i have a fairly strong scouse accent anyway and its said that more prominent accents dont go away when you move so...
  9. skibur's Avatar
    • Adored and Respected Member
    • Posts: 493
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    I'm a geordie and I am worried I may have to carry a whiteboard around with me at uni
  10. #JayJay's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 173
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    (Original post by skibur)
    I'm a geordie and I am worried I may have to carry a whiteboard around with me at uni
    i've watched enough geordie shore to understand 50% of what comes out of your mouth haha!

    the only word that I don't understand is how you pronounce "poke", it sounds really strong
  11. doloroushazy's Avatar
    • Exalted and Worshipped Member
    • Posts: 1,087
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    i'm not at uni yet but whenever i'm down south (im from newcastle) i always find that my accent gets subconsciously stronger... i wonder whether i'll sound like PJ & Duncan after a term in oxford (touch wood) it might make me friends at least
  12. skibur's Avatar
    • Adored and Respected Member
    • Posts: 493
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    (Original post by #JayJay)
    i've watched enough geordie shore to understand 50% of what comes out of your mouth haha!

    the only word that I don't understand is how you pronounce "poke", it sounds really strong
    ahaha what a pile of ****e that program is mind! A lot of us say water as 'witter' for some reason!
  13. umop apisdn's Avatar
    • Benevolent Member
    • Location: Antarctica
    • Posts: 702
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    It's natural. Softening your accent shows an acceptance and respect of those around you, and wanting to feel a part of the group you're in.

    As such, my accent got stronger in rebellion to the chavs around me.
  14. #JayJay's Avatar
    • Respected Member
    • Location: London
    • Posts: 173
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    (Original post by umop apisdn)
    It's natural. Softening your accent shows an acceptance and respect of those around you, and wanting to feel a part of the group you're in.

    As such, my accent got stronger in rebellion to the chavs around me.
    when I first arrived at uni I admit to softening my accent purposely. I didn't want people to get the wrong impression of me so I tried to speak as neutral as possible.

    now? i'm starting to care less lol, but I do slow down otherwise people wouldn't be able listen to most of what i'm saying
  15. aspirinpharmacist's Avatar
    • Vengeful, Imperial Overlord of The Student Room
    • Posts: 4,295
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    I have no idea what will happen to me. I've lived in Aberdeen for 12 years so I must have a bit of a Scottish lilt, although for the most part I'm still very English, so I'll probably just let myself pick up an even more English accent when I go away. I resisted picking up an accent when I was little because people teased me for it so I stubbornly clung onto mine just to annoy them. :lol: Wasn't a clever plan.
  16. aja89's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: London/Oxford
    • Posts: 2,772
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    When I'm at home (Oxford) my friends tell me that I sound like a Londoner. When I ask them to elaborate they say not a Cockney, just a 'Londoner'. I have no idea what that means and I don't think I sound any different. :dontknow:
  17. Norton1's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Posts: 3,436
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    (Original post by Aeschylus)
    Tangentially related, Aeschylus's Guide to having Fun at University #101:

    1. Buy a bread roll.
    2. Ask your flatmates what they call said roll.
    3. Enjoy the next 3 hours.
    When in a Nottingham shop I asked where the rolls were. They looked at me like I was a sex offender.

    Apparently it's "COBS" (Said in a Nottinghamshire accent tinged with disbelief, and not a little anger)
  18. Tabers's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Location: Staffordshire+Scarborough
    • Posts: 2,530
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    When I was younger and used to go on holiday I noticed that my accent got more pronounced. I would say things like hey up duck which I don't even really use in everyday life. Now I am at uni I refuse to change the way I say book and cook (I say it as in boohk rather than buck) but Mum says I sound a bit more posh now I have spent time at uni. I still sound quite northern compared to southern though I think.
  19. Daydreamer18's Avatar
    • Adored and Respected Member
    • Posts: 576
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    I used to live in the south, but now live in the north, so I have a mix of the two accents.

    When I'm at uni I have a tendency to sound more southern because of who I'm surrounded by. People at uni say that I sound more northern after I've been home for Christmas, summer etc.
  20. Aeschylus's Avatar
    • Overlord in Training
    • Posts: 2,317
    Re: Does anyone find that their accent while at uni is more broad than when at home?
    (Original post by Norton1)
    When in a Nottingham shop I asked where the rolls were. They looked at me like I was a sex offender.

    Apparently it's "COBS" (Said in a Nottinghamshire accent tinged with disbelief, and not a little anger)
    One of my grandads lives in the east midlands so I'm used to 'cob' but 'barmcake' still makes me do a double take in disbelief sometimes.
Sign in to Reply
Share this discussion:  
Article updates
Moderators

We have a brilliant team of more than 60 volunteers looking after discussions on The Student Room, helping to make it a fun, safe and useful place to hang out.

Reputation gems:
The Reputation gems seen here indicate how well reputed the user is, red gem indicate negative reputation and green indicates a good rep.
Post rating score:
These scores show if a post has been positively or negatively rated by our members.