Accent Features of English

An accent is the way a person pronounces a language — the set of phonological features (consonant and vowel realisations, prosodic patterns, and connected speech processes) that characterise a particular speaker or group of speakers. Accents are shaped by geographical region, social class, age, gender, and individual identity. For AQA A-Level English Language, you need to be able to identify, describe, and analyse specific accent features using phonological terminology.

It is essential to distinguish between accent (pronunciation features only) and dialect (which includes grammar and vocabulary as well as pronunciation). Two speakers might use the same dialect (Standard English) but have very different accents (RP vs Geordie vs Glaswegian).

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Received Pronunciation (RP)

Received Pronunciation (RP) is the accent traditionally associated with educated speakers of Southern British English. It is the accent used in most English pronunciation dictionaries and is often used as the reference accent for describing other British accents.