The Upper Class

Hmm yes I agree I said I generalised. But still, most places I've been to in the south seem to be far more up-market than most places I've been up north.

Surely, place in Derbyshire like Quarndon, Bakewell, Allestree, Little Eaton, Ashbourne, Belper, Duffield, Ambergate and loads others are a bit 'posh' but even still there are more places I would say are not. A lot of these are 'posher' because they are in the cachement area for Ecclesbourne school which is supposedly quite exclusive?

Ripley, Alfreton, Somercotes, Eastwood, Sutton, Stanton Hill, Heanor, Codnor, Langley Mill, Kilburn, Riddings, Jacksdale, Pye Bridge (AKA scumsville), Ironville and god knows how many more.

Sure some of these places will have 'posher' estates. But for the majority maintain an appearence of lower classes?

Emmerdale is in Yorkshire correct, which is still in the north. And I was taking the michael with this. Obviously.

Well I agree that the south is generally wealthier, I studied geography at uni and you can't argue with the economic statistics and quality of life indicators. There are significant pockets of wealth in the north and midlands though, and a lot of places are up and coming. Compared to 20 years ago, the north's cities are absolutely booming, I live in Leeds nowadays and it's the perfect example, there are Waitroses, trendy bars, pret a manger branches and M&S food stores opening up in a lot of places that never would have attracted them before.

Eventually that wealth will trickle down properly to the surrounding towns with any luck.

Lol at this thread. You guys are funny as hell.

Hmm perhaps... hopefully wages will match this rise in wealth? Because if I had to live down south on the wages I get up in the midlands I'd probably struggle quite a lot.

I think in general wages across the country are rising, but the top wages paid in London and the South-East are so high that the disparity between north and south income is growing according to the latest reports.

But it's not as bad as it looks, honest!

There's nothing wrong with speaking properly, and I think that judging someone by their accent is rather disturbing. The most well-spoken person I've ever met is working-class.

In fact, when I was at primary school I was picked on because I didn't speak with the typical Leicester accent - so I changed to the more northern "grahss" instead of "grarss" - some years ago, disgusted at myself for bending to peer pressure, I changed my accent back to how it naturally is. Now, if anyone mocks it, I mock them back.

How on earth is M&S food "lardy-dar"? It's expensive, but so is buying a burger off a van outside Villa Park

Who is to say either accent is 'proper'? People who live in (most of) the Midlands/North who say grarss must be making some sort of effort to do so, whether consciously or subconciously. This is because they, infact, are bending to pressure from society and snob values that one accent is better than the other. Both my parents are Southern but I was born and raised here so I have a light Brummie accent, and have short vowels. Being surrounded by people using short vowel sounds all day every day all of your life, you end up talking like this unless you make a specific effort not to.

OR... your accent comes from your parents, who you're around all day every day before school. I suppose you might have learned to speak quite late...

Your accent isn't finalised at 5. It starts to go beyond the point of no-return at about 14-15. I know a fair few people with Southern parents as well as myself, and the only ones who speak in Southern accents are snobby, pretentious ones (and not necessarily with Southern parents).

Y It starts to go beyond the point of no-return at about 14-15.

Listening too much to Ricky Gervais podcasts I think...

Lol at this thread. You guys are funny as hell.

It's never really finalised; people go away to Australia at 30 and 3 years later have Aussie accents. The point is it depends who you emulate more; your parents or your peers.

I honestly don't see the problem with speaking properly - a lot of regional accents are hard to understand and highly irritating.

What? Properly? My Geordie accent is just as 'proper' as anyone elses, even if people from the south sometimes do ask me if I'm from Wales/Ireland.

I just love the Geordie accent

When I visited Newcastle, I stopped locals walking down the street with the pretence of asking directions just so as I could hear them speak.