Detrimental Dialects
The U.K seems to be such a small country compared to others across the world, but we have such diverse and contrasting dialects across our island. This is usually very helpful because, generally, different dialects denote different places around the country so we can tell where people originate from and pick up parts of their culture which vary to our own. However, are dialects changing? Would this be positive or negative occurrence or are we losing a fundamental part of our identity?
Nowadays, there is a lot more available mobility around the country and, consequently, people travel more. Therefore, more and more people can be influenced by different dialects. Potentially, your idiolect could change if you spend time in a place with a vastly divergent dialect to your own. This could even be a key conscious choice on your behalf due to the fact it may be easier to fit into to a social or work environment if you speak more similarly to others around you.
Furthermore, in this day and age, another country's dialect is far more accessible thanks to television, the internet and social media. It appears to be part of many people's daily routines to watch television in their free time and many films and TV series are American. Ergo, a large part of our daily habits is taken up by listening to American dialect and, as a consequence, possibly picking up American dialect which we may not have heard- or used- beforehand.
For example, the slang word "jerk" is a typical American insult. However, this adjective is now known worldwide and often used by adolescents who may not even live or have lived anywhere in America. Positively, this educates people from a young age about the cultural differences between countries and assists them in feeling more at ease travelling to other countries when they are older as they would have a comfortable comprehension of quintessential colloquial language. On the other hand, is it possible to lose the dialect you originally had?
Many people believe that dialect leveling is occurring (which is where stereotypical or key elements of a dialect are being lost due to dialects mixing or the area in which it originates is modernising). Contrary to this belief, Professor Paul Meier, the founder and director of the International Dialects of English Archive, says "The great myth that TV and radio somehow weakens local accents and dialects is patently not true" and he also rejects the idea that dialect leveling is transpiring.
Furthermore, in this day and age, another country's dialect is far more accessible thanks to television, the internet and social media. It appears to be part of many people's daily routines to watch television in their free time and many films and TV series are American. Ergo, a large part of our daily habits is taken up by listening to American dialect and, as a consequence, possibly picking up American dialect which we may not have heard- or used- beforehand.
For example, the slang word "jerk" is a typical American insult. However, this adjective is now known worldwide and often used by adolescents who may not even live or have lived anywhere in America. Positively, this educates people from a young age about the cultural differences between countries and assists them in feeling more at ease travelling to other countries when they are older as they would have a comfortable comprehension of quintessential colloquial language. On the other hand, is it possible to lose the dialect you originally had?
Many people believe that dialect leveling is occurring (which is where stereotypical or key elements of a dialect are being lost due to dialects mixing or the area in which it originates is modernising). Contrary to this belief, Professor Paul Meier, the founder and director of the International Dialects of English Archive, says "The great myth that TV and radio somehow weakens local accents and dialects is patently not true" and he also rejects the idea that dialect leveling is transpiring.
