Received pronunciation, also known as “RP” is known as the “Standard British” accent, which is most commonly spoken in London and the Southeast of England. However, it is in fact a non-regional accent so basically anyone can speak it. However, it is most associated with the upper classes of society. It is the accent used in formal education, phonetic pronunciation in British dictionaries and the accent taught to those learning English. Stereotypically, a “posh” person would use an RP accent as it is associated with the elites of society. However, now the RP accent is spreading around the country the two terms are no longer synonymous with one another. 

 

During the early days of British broadcasting nearly everyone had an RP accent. The first director general of the BBC, Lord Reith, encouraged the use of the BBC accent because it showcased the “style or quality of English”. So in our heads the RP accent may represent the BBC or the Queens Christmas speeches, creating something of an elitist stereotype. However,  it is not exclusively limited to them as it is the language of education and anyone can speak “posh”. So why in a recent survey do 89% of people make subconscious judgements about someone based on their accent whilst only a miniscule 2% of the UK population use the RP accent? It seems the UK population has internalised the elitist view that accents may hinder one’s success. But is it time for the country to move on? The voices we hear in the media today are a shift away from these stereotypes and accent fluidity is becoming common place. 

 

When we ask ourselves why RP is dying a slow and painful death one answer is clear, Estuary English. Originally this accent originated from the Thames region, hence the name, and in a study conducted this year in the Essex area around 26% of participants spoke Estuary English. This accent is an amalgamation of the Cockney accent and the RP accent, similar to how, for example, the diva Adele would speak. This accent is a result of the increased movement of individuals, creating greater contact between dialects and people moving away from a ‘standard’ way of speaking. So whilst this may see the end of the King’s English, would this societal shift away from elitist stereotypes really be for the worse?