All Things English: English with a Dialect - English, Irish, Scottish and Welsh Accents (1971)

Despite this being called “English with a Dialect” it’s not a study of dialect words. Rather, it’s a load of archive recordings of speakers with regional accents, cobbled together here as a “pronunciation guide” for actors and a “study guide” for teachers.

Some of the accents have really changed in just 40 years – Liverpudlian being a case in point, and isn’t the Brummie accent on here very different to the accent we now expect – while some, like the Suffolk accent (my own: see this post if you’re not aware of it), are slowly vanishing through the onslaught of Estuary. Also, I think it amusing (as someone who’s lived in the area for a while) that Yorkshire is covered in one all-encompassing accent.

Here’s something new to the site: an interactive map. Simply click on the area to listen to or download the recording. If you prefer traditional links, they're at the bottom of the page.

Feel free to email/tweet/comment if you hear anything you like (or if you notice any great absences)!