accents and choosing a uni

Original post by 999tigger

Nope. Its your money/ debt but that seems a ridiculous reason to rule out a university.

I don't know. Having to listen to the Brummie accent for 3 years ...

Reply 3

999tigger

19

Original post by Notorious_B.I.G.

I don't know. Having to listen to the Brummie accent for 3 years ...

Except a high % of people wont be from Birmingham. Just smacks of being very small minded, but its the Ops debt so whatever.

Reply 4

username1439610

18

I don't think you should rule out a university based on an accent. You gotta remember the people at uni will be from other parts of the country so it won't just be full of Brummies or scousers.

Reply 5

Original post by 999tigger

Except a high % of people wont be from Birmingham. Just smacks of being very small minded, but its the Ops debt so whatever.

Original post by qasim_96

I don't think you should rule out a university based on an accent. You gotta remember the people at uni will be from other parts of the country so it won't just be full of Brummies or scousers.

But you would mix with the locals to an extent.

Having other accents around you 95% of the time while on campus would in fact make the 5% off campus more jarring.

Reply 6

FaZe Clan

OP

13

Original post by qasim_96

I don't think you should rule out a university based on an accent. You gotta remember the people at uni will be from other parts of the country so it won't just be full of Brummies or scousers.

i know that but on uni do you mix/talk to locals a lot? i honestly have no clue. I was supprised on an open day i didnt here much accents which was reasurring

Reply 7

username1439610

18

Original post by FaZe Clan

i know that but on uni do you mix/talk to locals a lot? i honestly have no clue. I was supprised on an open day i didnt here much accents which was reasurring

I'm starting uni in September too but I wouldn't worry much about the accents. You'll get used to them soon enough. Everything will seem a bit surreal at the start but soon enough you'll be settled in and won't care about things like accents.

Original post by FaZe Clan

is there anywhere you would/ wouldnt go because of the accent??
Liverpool and birmingham are the worst for me whilst newcastles accents is one that i actually really like lol

Stereotypes and stigma surrounding accents aren't really beneficial to anybody. The university, the course and the city is what you should focus on when trying to pick somewhere to study at university. Birmingham or Liverpool could end up being the perfect course or university for you, and you'd reject it purely because you don't like a certain accent that you've heard?

When you're at university, every student you meet will have a different accent anyway. Would you stop talking to someone or refuse to be friends with someone who has the same interests as you just because they had a Scouse or Brummie accent? Not only that, but accents vary hugely even in a single city. I know people from Birmingham with barely any accent at all, but I also know some with strong accents who I've just gotten used to because of how often I speak to them. It's really not an issue.

I study at Sheffield Hallam - locals from Sheffield often do have a strong accent, and I have friends from Sheffield who do, but I also know people from Sheffield who speak really 'standard' English, and I lived with somebody with a Birmingham accent, someone with a Newcastle accent, someone with a Manchester accent, someone with a southern accent, and someone with a Welsh accent. You're going to come across many accents at uni, as well as many different people and different cultures, so if you're bothered by that you might need to rethink going at all!

Reply 9

Original post by SHUGURU

Stereotypes and stigma surrounding accents aren't really beneficial to anybody. The university, the course and the city is what you should focus on when trying to pick somewhere to study at university. Birmingham or Liverpool could end up being the perfect course or university for you, and you'd reject it purely because you don't like a certain accent that you've heard? ...

Suppose Birmingham and Liverpool were completely equal in terms of the buildings, the course, the prospects and the university life. But you're not a fan of the Brummie accent, however you could take the Scouse accent. Naturally, the accent would tip the balance in favour of Liverpool.

Also the suggestion that there is a great accentual diversity at university is misleading. That so-called "standard" Southern accent is going to prominent at the majority of RG unis.

Reply 10

Original post by FaZe Clan

i know that but on uni do you mix/talk to locals a lot? i honestly have no clue. I was supprised on an open day i didnt here much accents which was reasurring

I went to the University of Glasgow and the locals were some of the friendliest people you could ever meet, and it was not that hard to understand them (surprisingly), we speak the same language after all. You should definitely get to know some locals, they will be able to tell you about the city, all the good places to go, and are generally the nicest people you will meet during your time at university. I know this is hard for those from London and the South East to get their head around. :laugh:

. If you just seclude yourself in your little university bubble the entire 3/4 years you are missing out on a massive part of moving away to a new city. Whatever you do in life you are going to meet and work with people from all over the country, if not the world, who will all speak with different accents.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 11

Authoritarian

1

No, this is 2017, even if you have a terribly strong working class docklands miner accent you should go to Oxbridge and think of yourself as an individual striving for success. Likewise, if you are from an upper class / higher middle class, you should be prepared to lower down your tone to be able to close the deal like Donald Trump.

Meritocracy people, we have to create it ourselves, it will not spontaneously emerge.

Original post by Notorious_B.I.G.

Suppose Birmingham and Liverpool were completely equal in terms of the buildings, the course, the prospects and the university life. But you're not a fan of the Brummie accent, however you could take the Scouse accent. Naturally, the accent would tip the balance in favour of Liverpool.

Also the suggestion that there is a great accentual diversity at university is misleading. That so-called "standard" Southern accent is going to prominent at the majority of RG unis.

I'm just surprised it's even a factor - the locals' accents are nothing to do with your quality of life and your time at university. Most people don't study at uni in their home town so you're probably not going to hear it very much anyway.

And I was just giving my own experience about the accents of people I'm with at uni. I don't go to a Russell Group, but if OP is looking into Russell Groups and hates strong accents, then what you're saying is also that their feelings about strong accents aren't going to be very relevant.

Reply 13

jonathanemptage

Original post by 999tigger

Nope. Its your money/ debt but that seems a ridiculous reason to rule out a university.

Well if you can't understand what people and lecturers are saying...

Reply 14

Original post by SHUGURU

I'm just surprised it's even a factor - the locals' accents are nothing to do with your quality of life and your time at university. Most people don't study at uni in their home town so you're probably not going to hear it very much anyway.

And I was just giving my own experience about the accents of people I'm with at uni. I don't go to a Russell Group, but if OP is looking into Russell Groups and hates strong accents, then what you're saying is also that their feelings about strong accents aren't going to be very relevant.

This is TSR after all, some of the A level students on here are just so detached from reality imo.

Reply 15

Original post by jonathanemptage

Well if you can't understand what people and lecturers are saying...

If you are a native of Britain you should have barely any trouble in understanding the regional accents, it's only really a factor (if at all) for foreign students and even then most will understand the range of UK accents.

(edited 6 years ago)

Original post by jonathanemptage

Well if you can't understand what people and lecturers are saying...

Original post by Cubone-r

If you are a native of Britain you should have barely any trouble in understanding the regional accents, it's only really a factor (if at all) for foreign students and even then most will understand the range of UK accents.

Lots of lecturers have moved across the country to research and teach at that certain university, too - they could have any accent not just the one of your city.

Reply 17

jonathanemptage

Original post by Cubone-r

If you are a native of Britain you should have barely any trouble in understanding the regional accents, it's only really a factor for foreign students and even then most will understand the range of UK accents.

I am English but I had a math teacher with the broadest Irish accent ever who also mumbled and i couldn't understand a word he said for a whole year

Reply 18

Original post by jonathanemptage

I am English but I had a math teacher with the broadest Irish accent ever who also mumbled and i couldn't understand a word he said for a whole year

Should have noted that if you're exposed to it enough. Even then, a day would be enough for me to get used to someone with a strong accent.

I've lived in and visited places all over the UK so that might be why I find it easy.

Reply 19