Inner London accent

I suspect it’s evolved as a mix of traditional London, Jamaican and African accents, probably since the 70’s or 80’s as those communities mixed and integrated. We’re only noticing it more in recent years as middle class kids started picking it up and more working class people are given exposure in the media.

I think a lot of the phrases and words have spread to other areas as British rap, grime and drill music has become more popular among young people. It’s far from being the dominant accent on TV but shows targeting that crowd will tend to choose presenters they identify with.
 
SilentProf said:
I suspect it’s evolved as a mix of traditional London, Jamaican and African accents, probably since the 70’s or 80’s as those communities mixed and integrated. We’re only noticing it more in recent years as middle class kids started picking it up and more working class people are given exposure in the media.

I think a lot of the phrases and words have spread to other areas as British rap, grime and drill music has become more popular among young people. It’s far from being the dominant accent on TV but shows targeting that crowd will tend to choose presenters they identify with.
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Thank you for a reasoned, meaningful and informative response. Targeted shows and the adverts within them I guess. I did suspect it is young person-oriented now , which, not being one, is why I have noticed it more of late! Thanks again for your insight.
 
SilentProf said:
I suspect it’s evolved as a mix of traditional London, Jamaican and African accents, probably since the 70’s or 80’s as those communities mixed and integrated. We’re only noticing it more in recent years as middle class kids started picking it up and more working class people are given exposure in the media.

I think a lot of the phrases and words have spread to other areas as British rap, grime and drill music has become more popular among young people. It’s far from being the dominant accent on TV but shows targeting that crowd will tend to choose presenters they identify with.
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That's a fair analysis I think. It's known as Multicultural London English (MLE) and has been a recognized accent/dialect, established and discussed in linguistic and phonological circles for a couple of decades now.

It even has its own Wikipedia entry.

Multicultural London English
 
My point is MLE has become so prominent in music circles and youth culture young kids from other regions like teesside appear to be copying it and it sounds ridiculous out of context. I suppose with kids all watching the same silly tiktok videos and having less real life social interaction it's inevitable regional variations decline. To me it's a shame any accent and dialect is so dominant, studies have shown there is already a decline in variations with some predicting by this mid century they will have disappeared.
 
I don’t think it’s overly prevalent in the media but it’s definitely becoming more common, it seems to span most cultures but I have to admit I really dislike it, it’s just a wannabe gangster accent or at least that’s where it seemed to originate. When my ex’s little brother moved in with us when he was 16 he used to do it, I told him from the start to knock it on the head or he won’t get fed, he quickly went back to his natural accent. The kids think it makes them sound cool, for me it just comes across as someone who wasn’t brought up correctly or hung around in a bad crowd.
 
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In his book, Stories of English. The linguist David Crystal explains about the journey of the language from the Anglo Saxons to the present.
But most influential impact in the last 30+ years, according to him, is Jamaican English and patois, and like Liamo said, a mixture of other blended cultures
Even messaging media is having effect on the spoken word. English spoken here now is becoming just another dialect. Language is organic…it will grow its own way.
It’s a great book, easy to read and not academic. Better still are his lectures, really informative and very funny, worth going if you hear of one.
 
Priv said:
I don’t think it’s overly prevalent in the media but it’s definitely becoming more common, it seems to span most cultures but I have to admit I really dislike it, it’s just a wannabe gangster accent or at least that’s where it seemed to originate. When my ex’s little brother moved in with us when he was 16 he used to do it, I told him from the start to knock it on the head or he won’t get fed, he quickly went back to his natural accent. The kids think it makes them sound cool, for me it just comes across as someone who wasn’t brought up correctly or hung around in a bad crowd.
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I suppose kids of every generation have pretended to be something else to look cool
 
Bro - came from USA urban music scene adopted into the UK.

Central London Youngish Working class - Was fashionable in the media in the 1960s it was Twiggy and Michael Caine then.
 
Bro, you is wack, i'm axing you to to put a sock in it blood.

Innit.

I actually don't mind Clinton Morrison, he's enthusiastic and wants to be here which is half the battle.
 
Accents evolve but this one came suddenly out of nowhere to me for white kids anyway. I remember being on a London bus about 12-13 years ago and hearing kids behind me talking. I hadn't looked round but I presumed they were from West Indian backgrounds as that was the accent I was hearing. Then they all got off and they were white kids - couldn't believe it. Presume it's to do with the cool black music thing but they wouldn't do it if they knew Ali G started it as a **** take!
 
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