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such as the london accent....
in shakespeare's time or when queen victoria reigned, is the accent we hear today,the way they spoke centuries ago also?
which country in the uk throughout history has had more influence on the accents/dialects we hear today?
O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention,
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,
Assume the port of Mars; and at his heels,
Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire
Crouch for employment.
No. English, like all languages, is not a static entity and has evolved over time. The UK already has many accents, so you have to ask yourself WHICH accent? Received pronunciation/the Queen's English/Oxford English is a relatively new thing, probably assuming it's familiar form by the early 19th century. The prestige dialect in Shakespeare's day was much different to what we're used to hearing on the stage...
O for a Muse of fire, that would ascend
The brightest heaven of invention,
A kingdom for a stage, princes to act
And monarchs to behold the swelling scene!
Then should the warlike Harry, like himself,
Assume the port of Mars; and at his heels,
Leash'd in like hounds, should famine, sword and fire
Crouch for employment.
Ben Crystal can't keep a straight face whilst speaking "Shakespearian!"
such as the london accent....
in shakespeare's time or when queen victoria reigned, is the accent we hear today,the way they spoke centuries ago also?
which country in the uk throughout history has had more influence on the accents/dialects we hear today?
There really isn't such a thing as a "London" accent as the city both past and present has always been a cosmopolitan mix.
The higher one went up the social, education and status ladder accents changed. Indeed the whole point of received pronunciation was to remove any regional or local "twang" in one's voice so everyone (at least the upper classes) sounded the same.
If you were poor and or uneducated you spoke the English you learned from your parents and or the area. This is where the common quote that you tell where an Englishman or Englishwoman was from within <five minutes of hearing their voice.
Even within the classes accents have changed over the years. When you watch films from the 1930's such as those by Noel Coward or hear those such as Leslie Howard speak it is a very different posh/RP accent than you hear today.
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