Regional Variation in Language

By Nik Asma Aisyah binti Nik Bahrudin (233023)

Regional Variation in Language

According to studysmarter.co.uk, "regional variation in a language refers to differences in the way a language is spoken, pronounced, or structured across different geographical regions". These variations can occur within a single country or across countries where the language is spoken. They can encompass differences in vocabulary, grammar, pronunciation, and even idiomatic expressions.

Background of Regional Variation in Language

The study of regional accents and dialects in the United Kingdom began in the 19th century, as dialectology emerged as a discipline in Western Europe. This marked the beginning of systematic research into the variations in language use across different region.

The backdrop for regional language variation can be influenced by multiple factors. Based on Laurie L. Dove, “Human nature, vague as it sounds, simply refers to our innate love of being in groups. When a human is part of a crowd, they identify membership by wearing certain styles of clothing or eating specific foods.” Laurie L. Dove specified that one of the factors is that it existed through historical development.

Languages evolve over time, and different regions may have been exposed to varying historical events, migrations, and cultural influences. These historical factors can contribute to differences in vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation.

Another possible factor is the geographical barriers. According to atlasls.com, Geographical barriers such as mountains, rivers, and deserts can isolate communities, leading to the development of distinct linguistic features over time. Communities separated by such barriers may develop unique dialects or even separate languages.

Last but not least, regional variation of language is also influenced by its contact with other languages. Regions that have historically been in contact with speakers of other languages may incorporate loanwords, grammatical structures, or pronunciation features from those languages, and this process is known as language contact. According to Nordquist, R. (2020, January 20), "Language contact is the social and linguistic phenomenon by which speakers of different languages (or different dialects of the same language) interact with one another, leading to a transfer of linguistic features."

This is especially common in areas with a history of trade, colonization, or migration. For example, countries like Ireland and Malaysia have been documented to have been colonized by England and their accents, especially when speaking in English, always lean more towards the Standard English accent.

Credible sources to support Background

Dove, L. L. (2023, March 8). How Different Accents Develop Within the Same Language. HowStuffWorks. https://people.howstuffworks.com/how-accents-develop-language.htm

Ls, A. (2024, April 4). The Intricacies of American Dialect Formation: A Comprehensive Overview. Atlas Language Services - Chicago Translation. https://atlasls.com/american-dialects/

Nordquist, R. (2020, January 20). Definition and examples of language contact. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-language-contact-4046714

Concepts related to Regional Variations in Language

There are multiple concepts under the topic of Regional variation in language, including accent and dialect.

Different regions often have distinct dialects or accents of a language, influenced by historical, social, and geographic factors. For example, American English spoken in the Southern United States differs significantly from that spoken in the Northeast.

Explanations on the concepts related to Regional Variations in Language

Dialects refer to broader variations of a language that encompass differences in vocabulary, grammar, and sometimes even syntax, According to assistant professor of Oregon State University, Tekla Bude; “ Linguists and sociolinguists define dialects as versions of a single language that are mutually intelligible but that differ in systematic ways from each other”t in addition to pronunciation. Dialects can arise due to geographical, social, or cultural factors. They can be categorized into regional, social, and ethnic or cultural dialects.

Accents, on the other hand, primarily refer to variations in pronunciation and intonation patterns within a language. Based on languageadvantage.ca, “An accent is a way of pronouncing a language”. While all language speakers have an accent, the term is often used to describe noticeable deviations from a perceived standard pronunciation.

Real-world example

“Scottish, Irish and English Compare Accents For The First Time!” YouTube channel “World Friend”

Real-world example's relation to the topic

In the video by the YouTube channel “World Friend”, the three participants from different countries compare their accents. They take turns saying the same word to see the differentiations between their accents.

From the video, it can clearly be discerned between the pronunciation of the different accents which are the Scottish accent, Irish accent, and Standard English accent also known as Received pronunciation, often abbreviated to R.P or Queen’s English.

For starters, when the participants compare the way they say the word “butter” at 1:49, the pronunciation for the British accent would be spelled as “Buh-ter” or another way would be “But-err”, cutting the double /t/ into a softer version. Meanwhile, in Scottish, there is a high press on the beginning syllables; “Buh-err” and in Ireland, it is pronounced more directly with a softer, clear airy pronunciation, especially with the /r/ sound in the end;” Buh-deR”.

Another example that can be taken is at 5:35 where they take turns pronouncing the word “photo”.In RP, the word is spoken with a short pause between the syllables and clearly; “Pho-toe”. While in Ireland it is more direct with less pause and the /t/ sound being almost completely voiceless; “Pho-oh” and in Scotland, the beginning word is emphasized to the point that rather than the /p/ sound, it becomes closer to the /v/ sound while also having a short pause in the middle; “Vho-oh”.

In another example from the video, at 4:18, The three participants compare their way of saying the word, “Potato”. The pronunciation of the vowel word in the beginning syllable completely disappeared in Scottish and is better spelled as “Ph-tae-oh” while for Received pronunciation; is “Peh-ta-tow” and for Irish it is “Peh-ta-toe. Furthermore, there are also differences in the vocabulary for “Potato” in Scotland as they changed the word into a shorter and different form which is “Totty”.

Background of real-world example

The real-world example is taken from a YouTube video entitled “Scottish, Irish and English Compare Accents For The First Time!” by the YouTube channel “World Friend”. In the video, there are three people from different countries; Scotland, England, and Ireland. They come together to compare their various ways of speaking certain words in the same language which is English. It is important to note that these people have spent almost their entire lives in the same regions which means that their ways of speaking would not be influenced by other countries.

The three participants are respectively Rowena from Scotland, Lauren from England, and Eion from Ireland. In the first part of the YouTube video, they speak of their experience and opinions of each other's language. They compared a total of 10 different terms in their accents; “Butter”, “Loch”, “Twirl”, “Tube”, “Potato”, “Tonight”, “Coupon”, “Photo”, “Herb”, and “Ballet”

From the left; Rowena, Lauren and Eion

The Scottish accent is primarily spoken in Scotland, particularly in the Lowlands and Highlands while the Irish accent is primarily spoken in Northern Ireland, particularly in the North-East and North-West regions. Received Pronunciation (RP) is traditionally associated with the southeast of England, particularly London and the Home Counties. It is often referred to as the "Queen's English" or "BBC English" due to its historical association with the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the Royal Family.

According to Harry Guinness, the standard Scottish English or SSE emerged as a distinct accent in the 18th century, particularly in the Lowlands. It was influenced by the English language and was used as a lingua franca for communication between different regions and social classes. Based on a book published by Ruilan Cao and Shaokang Jin, The Northern Irish accent was influenced by the Ulster-Scots language, which was spoken by Scottish and English settlers who moved to Northern Ireland during the 16th and 17th centuries. This language is still spoken by around 79,000 people in Northern Ireland today. Lastly, Received pronunciation or the Queen’s English emerged in the 19th century as the accent of the social elite in England. It was influenced by the English language and was used as a standard for communication in formal and professional settings.

Credible sources to support Background

Cao, Ruilan & Jin, Shaokang. (2018). Phonological Differences between Received Pronunciation and Standard Scottish English.
Harry Guinness. (2008, May 13). Yale. Standard Scottish English in a Received Pronunciation World.
World Friends. (2021, September 10). Scottish, Irish, and English Compare Accents For The First Time! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-WliS0HHF8

Interesting aspects of real-world example

United Kingdom's map

Based on an article by Ciaran Ward, the Northern Irish accent is often confused with the Scottish accent. These may be the result of the intermingling of the two regions. Since Northern Ireland and Scotland are geographically close, the occurrence of historical and cultural influence could not be avoided. Furthermore, the Scottish influence is particularly evident in the north of Northern Ireland, where the accent is often described as softer and more similar to Scottish accents. This has resulted in a unique blend of features from both languages, making it difficult for some people to distinguish between the two accents.

Other than that, an interesting aspect about received pronunciation or ‘the Queen’s English’ is that it is often associated with high social class and is seen as the accent of those with power, money, and influence. However, some may also perceive it negatively as being associated with undeserved privilege and the Southeast's political power in Britain. David Crystal states,” RP didn’t exist in 16th-century England.” However,” by the end of the 18th century, the accent used there by the upper classes had become the pronunciation to imitate if one wanted to appear cultured”.

Queen Elizabeth II in her prime

Received pronunciation can also be considered as the ‘Standard English’ as it is used by people around the world and as it is perceived as ‘the standard accent’ for the English accent. Although some people might argue for bias, one important reason to contemplate as to why this happens is because Received pronunciation is the easiest to understand. Over time, there have been changes in the Received pronunciation accent, especially in terms of the phonetic changes. For example, the /æ/ sound in words like ‘land’ used to be pronounced with a vowel close to [ɛ], but this has shifted to a more modern pronunciation

A personal opinion on real-world example

According to author Oleno Centeno on bilingual kids rock, the differences between dissimilar accents can have positive and negative advantages. In my personal opinion, as different people come from different backgrounds, disparate accents actually add to the uniqueness of each and every one of the people. The distinct accent makes for easier identification of a person’s background, ensuring an easier connection to form.

For instance, an Irish person can easily detect another Irish person just based on their accent, when this happens, typically, that person would be happy to find someone who has a similar upbringing as them. Thus, creating friendships.

Irish people celebrating St. Patrick day

It cannot be argued that some accents can be too hard to comprehend sometimes, however, the complexity of one’s accent also contributes to the attractiveness of its accent and can encourage people to learn more about it due to this fascinating aspect.

Overall conclusion on topic and real-world example

In conclusion, the historical past, geographical isolation, and contact with other languages have led to localized versions of a language which are characterized by accents and dialects that possess unique linguistic features. Scottish accents, influenced by the Gaelic dialect, change considerably from Glasgow to Edinburgh, whilst those of Northern Ireland combine Gaelic with English and have individual intonations within them. Those who speak Received Pronunciation (RP), seen as the upper-class educated British mode of speech, articulate clearly and do not use rhotics. This can also be observed in an excellent video posted on YouTube by "World Friend" where this video highlights the differences in pronunciation between Scotland, Northern Ireland, and RP speakers. Through different accents and dialects, people can show their own personality peculiarities and cultural riches but at the same time facilitate understanding with people sharing a common background that might otherwise prove difficult to understand.

REFERENCES

Cao, Ruilan & Jin, Shaokang. (2018). Phonological Differences between Received Pronunciation and Standard Scottish English.

Centeno, O. (n.d.). Your Accent | An Enemy Or A Friend? https://bilingualkidsrock.com/your-accent-an-enemy-or-a-friend/

CherylRumsey, (2023, November 23). A brief guide to British accents and dialects - Studio Cambridge. Studio Cambridge - English in England. https://www.studiocambridge.co.uk/a-brief-guide-to-british-accents-and-dialects/

Dove, L. L. (2023, March 8). How Different Accents Develop Within the Same Language. HowStuffWorks. https://people.howstuffworks.com/how-accents-develop-language.htm

Harry Guinness. (2008, May 13). Yale. Standard Scottish English in a Received Pronunciation World.

Ls, A. (2024, April 4). The Intricacies of American Dialect Formation: A Comprehensive Overview. Atlas Language Services - Chicago Translation. https://atlasls.com/american-dialects/

Nordquist, R. (2020, January 20). Definition and examples of language contact. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/what-is-language-contact-4046714

Park, R. (2023, November 23). RP: Received Pronunciation, or just Really Posh? The Glasgow Guardian. https://glasgowguardian.co.uk/2023/11/23/rp-received-pronunciation-or-just-really-posh/

Regional Dialects: Analysis & Examples | StudySmarter. (n.d.-b). StudySmarter UK. https://www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/english/english-language-study/regional-dialects/#:~:text=Regional%20dialects%20are%20variations%20of,language%20spoken%20in%20other%20areas

Regional Variation Unit 5. (n.d.). https://eta.bibl.u-szeged.hu/2259/1/5%20Regional%20variation.pdf

Søvik, K., & IMeowbot. (2024, April 9). The Origins of British Accents.ndla.no. https://ndla.no/en/subject:1:c8d6ed8b-d376-4c7b-b73a-3a1d48c3a357/topic:59a2daf8-db7f-4f47-8160-551f9d9c582c/resource:e6f6b746-fc11-4d0c-b058-a807aaf1eb43

Ward, C. (2022, May 21). What’s with the Accent? Slugger O’Toole. https://www.sluggerotoole.com/2022/05/21/whats-with-the-accent/

What is an accent, and how can it be improved? - Language Advantage. (n.d.). https://languageadvantage.ca/what-is-an-accent-and-how-can-it-be-improved/

World Friends. (2021, September 10). Scottish, Irish, and English Compare Accents For The First Time! [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-WliS0HHF8

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