North/South London accents

[vauxhallmum]

Mr VM insists there is a distinct difference between a typical North London accent and South London accent, however, he can't demonstrate the difference

Can anyone tell me in what way they differ? What words/ vowels/ consonants actually sound different?

I've lived here all my life and I can't tell.

 

[vauxhallmum]

He's now trying to tell me Suggs has a 'typical' North London accent, but to me he could come from Bow or Catford or any of those

Or have I just got crap ears?

 

[Leafster]

He's now trying to tell me Suggs has a 'typical' North London accent, but to me he could come from Bow or Catford or any of those

Or have I just got crap ears?

Wasn't he brought up in Hastings?

And to answer your question, I can't tell the difference but then I'm a Home Counties boy!

 

[vauxhallmum]

No, he's from Eltham, or Sarf, in his language

 

[vauxhallmum]

Oh, sorry, Mr VM is from Eltham. Not Suggs

 

[spanglechick]

There are differences. At acting school we were taught the difference between South London accents and East End accents.

A south london accent has long, strong, elided vowel sounds - think of an ice skater travelling in a series of elongated, smooth steps. Conversely, an east london accent is stacatto - like a boxer training with a punching bag. Short, but very strong vowel sounds.

East london accents are also more lateral than other london accents: say an 'eee' sound with a wide mouth, showing lots of top teeth - that position is quite dominant in east london accents - and also in essex ones, though as the accent travells out of the city the vowel itself becomes less strong in relation to the consonants. East london also has a tendancy to a non-rotive 'r'.

however, even born and bred londoners are more nomadic now, and immigrant populations have massively influenced accent. The modern peckham accent is unrecognisable from that of even 20 years ago.

 

[Greenfish]

i sweat to God Bermondsey has got its OWN accent. North London has one, mainly posh.

 

[Greenfish]

There are differences. At acting school we were taught the difference between South London accents and East End accents.

A south london accent has long, strong, elided vowel sounds - think of an ice skater travelling in a series of elongated, smooth steps. Conversely, an east london accent is stacatto - like a boxer training with a punching bag. Short, but very strong vowel sounds.

East london accents are also more lateral than other london accents: say an 'eee' sound with a wide mouth, showing lots of top teeth - that position is quite dominant in east london accents - and also in essex ones, though as the accent travells out of the city the vowel itself becomes less strong in relation to the consonants. East london also has a tendancy to a non-rotive 'r'.

however, even born and bred londoners are more nomadic now, and immigrant populations have massively influenced accent. The modern peckham accent is unrecognisable from that of even 20 years ago.

fascinating, thank you.

 

[Upchuck]

I have a good ear for Wood Green accents.

 

[wtfftw]

My grannie says my accent has changed since I moved to north london (from south) 7 years ago. It's the vowels but I wouldn't be able to tell you how.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

There is a difference. Can't put my finger on it though. My son's girlfriend (Norf) sounds different from my son (Sahf) but having worked in schools both sides of the river, the biggest difference is the slang.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

Certainly when I was growing up in SE London and until I moved away (until about 20 years ago) I could - with some degree of accuracy - tell roughly where someone was from in London - Croydon sounded different to outer SE London, which sounded different to (say) Bermondseyish, which sounded different to East End and so on.

But I can't exactly explain the differences.

And as others have said, it's got a lot less noticeable over the last 20 years or more. Combination of people moving more, more universal telly, people mixing more with first and second generation immigrants, and so on.

I am told that at one time, it was possible to place someone to within a few streets by their accent / slang.

 

[wtfftw]

Everyone knew each other then though, so they were probably cheating.


I'd forgotten about croydon. An ex is from there.

 

[toblerone3]

.

 

[Pip]

There are differences. At acting school we were taught the difference between South London accents and East End accents.

A south london accent has long, strong, elided vowel sounds - think of an ice skater travelling in a series of elongated, smooth steps. Conversely, an east london accent is stacatto - like a boxer training with a punching bag. Short, but very strong vowel sounds.

East london accents are also more lateral than other london accents: say an 'eee' sound with a wide mouth, showing lots of top teeth - that position is quite dominant in east london accents - and also in essex ones, though as the accent travells out of the city the vowel itself becomes less strong in relation to the consonants. East london also has a tendancy to a non-rotive 'r'.

however, even born and bred londoners are more nomadic now, and immigrant populations have massively influenced accent. The modern peckham accent is unrecognisable from that of even 20 years ago.

That's very interesting

I used to think there was, but now I'm not so sure.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Mr VM insists there is a distinct difference between a typical North London accent and South London accent, however, he can't demonstrate the difference

Can anyone tell me in what way they differ? What words/ vowels/ consonants actually sound different?

I've lived here all my life and I can't tell.

There definitely is a 'cockney' accent which is from sarf London which is different to 'proper' cockney. And then there's the norf London cockney from places like Chingford which is different again...

 

[Andy the Don]

i sweat to God Bermondsey has got its OWN accent. North London has one, mainly posh.

Very noticable when they use any word ending in "th", example being "month" which folks from Bermondsey say as "monf".

There is also difference between South East London accents and South West London accents..

 

[Miss-Shelf]

east london accent now is heavily influenced by Bengali/Sylheti sounds where it used to be influence by Jewish- Yiddish sounds - so there's an age difference in accents - not too sure where the age divide line is - people of 50+ sound v different from under 30's accents

know what spanglechick means about the staccato sounds

 

[London_Calling]

East london also has a tendancy to a non-rotive 'r'.

I don't know what that is but doesn't east and south east London have, what I call, a baby-talk 'r'. Maybe that's what you're referring to . . .

 

[ovaltina]

I've lived in both for years (not at the same time obv) and there's a difference but, again, I couldn't explain what it is. North is definetly more posh.

 

[vauxhallmum]

Very noticable when they use any word ending in "th", example being "month" which folks from Bermondsey say as "monf".

There is also difference between South East London accents and South West London accents..

But someone from say, Tottenham would say Monf as well

 

[Griff]

Being from East London, I could certainly tell the difference between the two. Can't describe what it is though.

My wife says I don't have a London accent at all any more.

 

[Pip]

I've lived in both for years (not at the same time obv) and there's a difference but, again, I couldn't explain what it is. North is definetly more posh.

What about when you compare like with like? There may be more posh people in North London (although I doubt it), but do two people with identical backgrounds from different parts of London sound different? There's a good chance they do, but I don't think it's got much to do with geography. I think a lot of the time the differences in accent we attribute to North or South Londoners is just coincidental IYSWIM.
Me and my best friend grew up on two different estates in South London about fifteen minutes from each other, and our accents are very different - both South London but noticeably dissimilar.

 

[vauxhallmum]

What about when you compare like with like? There may be more posh people in North London (although I doubt it), but do two people with identical backgrounds from different parts of London sound different? There's a good chance they do, but I don't think it's got much to do with geography. I think a lot of the time the differences in accent we attribute to North or South Londoners is just coincidental IYSWIM.

My argument exactly, only better put

 

[Pip]

My argument exactly, only better put

It might have been true when there was less travelling, but these days I don't buy it. We like to see patterns though don't we - look at how superstitions start.

Btw I'll film her and me - and then my brother who has a much, much broader version of my accent - to illustrate my point if anyone wants

 

[tarannau]

There's definitely a separate 'cockernee' South London accent, as opposed to the 'propah' East End version. Lots of rhyming slang and a fierce pride in the authenticity of South London's accent.

That said, it's a dying group. Just like many others, social mobility and gentrification has pretty much killed off such differentials. There are problem minor differences now, but I'd bre lying to say that I could easily pick them apart.

 

[ovaltina]

We like to see patterns though don't we - look at how superstitions start.

Maybe that's it - I can't think of an example of how they're different accents so it could be down to perception. Will have to listen out next time I'm in north London

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

I can't tell the difference at all, but then I never go to North London.

When I moved to London people told me I had a Southend accent, yet when I lived in Southend, people told me I had a London accent.

 

[Griff]

Just asked at work, and I indeed do still have a London accent according to them.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

But someone from say, Tottenham would say Monf as well

so would people from South London and people from Essex