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RedRag

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« Reply #30 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 12:10:59 »

Growing up in the 60s/70s in the Newbury area, there was an oikish West Berks accent - not so different from Pam Ayers' Oxfordshire accent.

I was always struck however by the "west country accent" I heard at the County Ground.  It was if there was some magical dividing line, more or less at Swindon, that determined the start of the west country.

I never have fathomed exactly where that line is drawn.  Southern accents are, to my ear, much less distinctive than they used to be.  It is nevertheless still evident (to a much lesser degree) at the County Ground, and part of feeling at home.
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Peter Venkman
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« Reply #31 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 12:21:26 »

For me the West Country starts west of Newbury, Andover and Oxford, not including those Towns/cities.

Accents on TV are never very good TBH, which is to be understood, they can't get it all right all of the time.

The worst for me is living right on the border of Somerset/Dorset/Devon and 12 miles from where Broadchurch was filmed, knowing what the locals sound like and hearing the poor Olivia Coleman accent and the awful worse Jodie Whittaker almost made it unwatchable. Throw in the token Bristolian Joe Sims just for hiw drawl "me babber" accent ruined it.

They always portray any West Country accent as being broadly just Bristolian, which is really harsh in comparison to the soft Dorset/Somerset/Wiltshire accent. The Devon and Cornwall accents are similar but noticably different to anybody with any hearing!
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« Reply #32 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 12:26:07 »

Growing up in the 60s/70s in the Newbury area, there was an oikish West Berks accent - not so different from Pam Ayers' Oxfordshire accent.

I was always struck however by the "west country accent" I heard at the County Ground.  It was if there was some magical dividing line, more or less at Swindon, that determined the start of the west country.

I never have fathomed exactly where that line is drawn.  Southern accents are, to my ear, much less distinctive than they used to be.  It is nevertheless still evident (to a much lesser degree) at the County Ground, and part of feeling at home.

The dividing line goes through wherever Football Phil happens to be.  Smiley

When a town fan is interviewed on TV, they always seem to pick on a proper country bumpkin yokel type.
Thankfully not everyone talks like Steve Cotterill from these 'ere parts.
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« Reply #33 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 12:36:16 »

If ever I'm interviewed outside the county ground I'm going to have a bit of straw in my pocket ready to chew on.  Smiley

To me anyone from Trowbridge sounds Bath/Bristolian, the local Swindon accent sounds South Gloucs to me.
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JBZ
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« Reply #34 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 12:59:21 »

I grew up in Wiltshire but was always puzzled by the assertion that it forms part of the westcountry.
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Peter Venkman
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« Reply #35 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 13:04:49 »

I grew up in Wiltshire but was always puzzled by the assertion that it forms part of the westcountry.

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JBZ
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« Reply #36 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 13:13:41 »

I think that the south west region and the west country differ.  The plan from Wikipedia shows the south west region. The west country probably starts at, say, Taunton.
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« Reply #37 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 13:21:02 »

For me the West Country starts west of Newbury, Andover and Oxford, not including those Towns/cities.

Accents on TV are never very good TBH, which is to be understood, they can't get it all right all of the time.

The worst for me is living right on the border of Somerset/Dorset/Devon and 12 miles from where Broadchurch was filmed, knowing what the locals sound like and hearing the poor Olivia Coleman accent and the awful worse Jodie Whittaker almost made it unwatchable. Throw in the token Bristolian Joe Sims just for hiw drawl "me babber" accent ruined it.

They always portray any West Country accent as being broadly just Bristolian, which is really harsh in comparison to the soft Dorset/Somerset/Wiltshire accent. The Devon and Cornwall accents are similar but noticably different to anybody with any hearing!

I think living in the location concerned will have locals picking fault with accents etc. Broadchurch was a fantastic show but I understand what you're saying.

The accents in Confession are more ooh aargh than we are but we do sound like that to others( as I've had the piss taken out of me on my travels for it). I'm sure the bigger audience won't take any notice of the accents, just like I didn't in Broadchurch.
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Reg Smeeton
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« Reply #38 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 13:25:18 »

I think that the south west region and the west country differ.  The plan from Wikipedia shows the south west region. The west country probably starts at, say, Taunton.

Yes the south west and the west country are not the same.  WC is approx parts of Wilts/Glos/Sonerset/Dorset. The old Wessex heartland of Edington. There are boundaries, but somewhat inexact however.

Swindon is in but only just, the eastern boundary being roughly at the Acorn Bridge on the 420
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« Reply #39 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 13:28:50 »

I think living in the location concerned will have locals picking fault with accents etc. Broadchurch was a fantastic show but I understand what you're saying.

The accents in Confession are more ooh aargh than we are but we do sound like that to others( as I've had the piss taken out of me on my travels for it). I'm sure the bigger audience won't take any notice of the accents, just like I didn't in Broadchurch.
Oh absolutely, the accent thing only ever really bothers locals anyway as the great scheme of things there is no difference in, say, the Devon and Wiltshire accent to somebody from Manchester or Birmingham!

I loved Broadchurch but whinced with some of the accents, I have yet to watch Confessions but have it on the Sky Q box ready to go so can't comment on the "ooo arr" bit yet Smiley
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« Reply #40 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 13:40:48 »

Accents can be deceptive. When I moved from Lancashire to Lennox Drive it wasn't long before I spoke with a cocky twang due to everyone else having moved from London! It was great fun walking to school each day dressed in Grammar School shorts and cap having jolly banter with bigger kids from a "floored" position. Those were the days.
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« Reply #41 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 13:43:18 »

Must read before I post in future! Should be cockney! Ha Ha.
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JBZ
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« Reply #42 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 13:48:51 »

Yes the south west and the west country are not the same.  WC is approx parts of Wilts/Glos/Sonerset/Dorset. The old Wessex heartland of Edington. There are boundaries, but somewhat inexact however.

Swindon is in but only just, the eastern boundary being roughly at the Acorn Bridge on the 420


I am not sure that this is correct and I suspect that Cornwall and Devon will have something to say about that. Of course, in the absence of a formal definition, we can all say that we are right.
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« Reply #43 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 13:51:01 »

As PV similarly says, I would say it starts from around Hungerford due West. Newbury would make the cut but the blend of West London wannabe's (read as Bracknell Reading/Slough) overspilling into a country town throws up some interesting accents. It's a town torn with it's roots and being just another commuter town in the "golden circle". I can only describe the accent there (discounting extreme East & West versions) as "Partly Posh, Chavvy Farmer". I'm sure those who know will get what I mean.

I enjoyed living to the South of Newbury though. Retained a countryside element but you didn't have to go much further South before you came to B-Town. Basingstoke removes the farmer/yokel element and just becomes more London wannabe - there is an excuse though, it was a town built as a true London overspill. It always makes me wonder how many people born in Portsmouth /Southampton seemingly attain a "cockernee" element to theirs, it's the London overspill again but I am surprised that it's become increasingly more aligned with the smoke than strong accents from the west. It shows if anything the strength and influence an accent can have on certain areas. Some places are virtually impenetrable.

Oh and PV, I'd say the West Country stops at somewhere along the Somerset/Devon border. After that it's the South West Wink Which really is just Devon because we all know Kernow classes itself as an independent country (located on the South Western peninsula of the UK)  Pint
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« Reply #44 on: Monday, September 16, 2019, 13:52:33 »

I am not sure that this is correct and I suspect that Cornwall and Devon will have something to say about that. Of course, in the absence of a formal definition, we can all say that we are right.

Cornwall regards itself as a completely separate place to England let alone West Country.... it has its own language.
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