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For media organisations, this matters. Whose voices are heard influences whose stories are told &, ultimately, who audiences feel represented by & willing to trust.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #receivedpronunciation #accentbias

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The key takeaway is simple but important: there is no “correct” accent. Standard speech is a social construct, not a measure of intelligence or professionalism.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #receivedpronunciation #accentbias

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That extra effort can subtly affect judgments about competence, authority & trustworthiness — even when comprehension isn’t actually impaired.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #receivedpronunciation #accentbias

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There’s also a cognitive dimension. We instinctively notice accents because humans evolved to identify in-groups & out-groups, & unfamiliar speech requires more mental processing.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #receivedpronunciation #accentbias

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The issue isn’t simply snobbery. Historically, RP emerged during the industrial revolution as a social gatekeeping tool, helping people signal education & status.

#langsky #linguistics #accent #receivedpronunciation #accentbias

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Despite greater regional diversity on air today, accent bias continues to shape journalism. Regional & working-class voices remain underrepresented & many journalists still feel pressure to “soften” their speech to be taken seriously.

#langsky #accent #receivedpronunciation #accentbias

What journalists need to know about accent bias Linguist Valerie Fridland debunks perceptions around accents that still shape what counts as “proper” speech and what influences hiring, reporting, and audience trust

Received Pronunciation (RP) was once the benchmark for professionalism & credibility in British media. But a new discussion of accent bias shows how powerful the legacy of that decision still is.

🔗 tinyurl.com/m9jdh4mh

🧵👇

#langsky #linguistics #accent #receivedpronunciation #accentbias

Gweithdy RP Received Pronunciation Workshop Gweithdy llais acen RP / Received Pronounciation voice workshop

Want to star in the next Downton Abbey?

Spots still available on our course on how to talk posh;

#ReceivedPronunciation Workshop with The Forsyte Saga's dialect coach

Thursday 25 September 0930-1230 @ Chapter

www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/gweithdy-r...

@equityuk.bsky.social members half price!

Be sure and check out the #ReceivedPronunciation version of ‘orphanarium,’ the hilarious #neologism coined by #Futurama 🤣

#lol #comedy

‘Apparently from’ haha

A banner hanging above a sidewalk in a Midwestern town with the text "I love R P."

With my one-track mind for languages, I saw this and first thought, "Who else around here is interested in Received Pronunciation?" But of course this stands for a town, Roeland Park, and not the kind of speech younger people associate w/ Gandalf and Harry Potter. #linguistics #receivedpronunciation

The mother tongue of #Unicorns is #ReceivedPronunciation,
especially when in the UK. #FursuitFriday https://youtu.be/7GC5wwP7Nas