Northerners are starting to sound the same, according to a new accent study
A new study has found that separate dialects in Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield are beginning to lose their intricate differences and blur into a singular 'General Northern English' accent instead.
Bad news, Mancs. Our distinctive Mancunian twang is starting to sound a lot like other accents.
A new study has found that separate dialects in Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield are beginning to lose their intricate differences and blur into a singular ‘General Northern English’ accent instead.
Through the use of machine learning and vowel sound analysis, researchers at the University of Manchester found people are now struggling to differentiate between the accents from these three cities.
However, whilst dialects across Greater Manchester are beginning to sound similar to some neighbouring northerners, other accents in the top half of England – like Liverpool and Newcastle – remained recognisable.
Linguistics expert Dr Patrycja Strycharczuk led the research – with the results appearing to be driven by the rise in the number of educated city residents.
“I often hear statements like “I’m from Liverpool / Manchester / Sheffield, but I don’t have the accent” – however, there is very little systematic evidence that General Northern English really is a coherent variety, so that’s the question we asked ourselves,” said Dr. Strycharczuk.
Despite the data, researchers don’t believe that accents are disappearing entirely.
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Results showed that even the most highly-educated urban Northerns retained some northern vowels in their speech; and researchers believe a “new variety” of dialects are being established.
Whitworth Hall, University of Manchester
“I think its prestige has increased, and people are now less tempted to lose their accent if they’ve been to university or they do a lot of public speaking,” said Dr. Strycharczuk.
“The question is whether General Northern English also has the same status for those who don’t speak it – can a speaker be perceived as standard in London?
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“I don’t think we’re there yet, but the shifting attitudes in the North are a first step.”
The Manchester accent was voted as the “sexiest in the UK” in a poll conducted earlier this year.
Looks like it isn’t just us who’d prefer for it to stick around.
News
Arrest made after 14-year-old boy found in critical condition on Market Street
Daisy Jackson
An arrest has been made after a teenage boy was found unresponsive on Market Street in Manchester city centre.
Detectives believe that the boy, 14, was approached by seven males who stole a designer jacket from him.
Following the altercation, he went into cardiac arrest and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition.
Thankfully, the teenager is continuing to recover well.
Detectives from Manchester City Centre Criminal Investigation Department confirmed that an 18-year-old male was arrested yesterday, Thursday 20 February.
He has been arrested on suspicion of robbery and remains in police custody.
Detective Inspector Mark Astbury of GMP’s City Centre Criminal Investigation Department, said: “We hope the victim can continue his recovery following what must have been a terrifying ordeal for him.
“Officers are fully investigating all aspects of this shocking incident that has left a man with serious injuries in hospital.
“Our work doesn’t stop here, we are continuing to investigate this incident and information from the public plays an incredibly important role in our investigations and I ask that the community keep talking to us and keep sharing their concerns with us so our teams can act.”
If you have any information, contact GMP 101 or 0161 856 4305 quoting log 2854 of 16/2/25.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials
Emily Sergeant
Trials are currently underway to see if comedy could be an alternative to antidepressants as a way to reduce NHS costs.
UK tech company Craic Health has secured important funding for its ‘comedy on prescription’ project that’s aimed at helping the Government work with the comedy industry, communities, and organisations on comedy-based social prescriptions in the hope that they can solve financial struggles within the NHS.
The groundbreaking scheme uses stand-up shows and workshops to help people who are isolated, lonely, and vulnerable.
Craic believes comedy is an ‘untapped opportunity’ to improve health and wellbeing, and has a goal to make comedy easier to access, so that it can help communities experience its mental health and social benefits.
To achieve this, the company has started trialling Comedy-on-Prescription experiences in the UK – starting in London, with the potential for expansion – which includes things like curated comedy panel game show events and workshops, and general stand-up comedy shows at some of the capital’s world-famous venues.
Comedy is being prescribed instead of antidepressants as part of UK trials / Credit: Wikimedia Commons
“Mental health issues like loneliness, isolation, and stress are more common than ever,” the company explains.
“So much so that it’s projected that by 2030, mental health problems, particularly depression, will be the leading cause of mortality and morbidity globally, [but] in this challenging world, comedy stands out as a universal language that breaks barriers.
“Research shows that comedy and laughter have powerful effects – they bring people together, create positive connections, and make life more enjoyable.”
Craic Health says that social prescribing, of which Comedy-on-Prescription is a part of, is all about inclusivity, which makes it making it suitable for people of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities.
Its focus is on personalised support, tailored to individual needs and preferences.
The Manc -
16th July 2020 
