The youth of today - late teens - 20 somethings - strange accents?

sporina

I live in Cork City - something I have noticed - that the youth around me - ages mentioned in the title - have non Cork accents.. but they seem to be from Cork/Irish - but they have these foreign sounding accents - not quite American - but neutral - in a refined way.. anyone else noticed this? And if so, why is this? the influence of media? I am a bit of a dino so out of sync with the aforementioned youth of today.. but just my observations from certain social settings..

Oberkon

The youth of today has got lots to say

It's our life, it's our future

Because we're living today

So don't blame the youth

What do you say

sporina

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120281670#Comment_120281670

who mentioned "blame"?!

just curious about their accents..

Leg End Reject

Youtube, TicToc etc., they grow up in front a screen listening to American 'influencers' and 'content creators'. Then there's what they're watching on TV.

ThePentagon

My eight year old nephew speaks with what is essentially an American accent. Nothing discernibly Irish about it. From watching so much YouTube I would guess.

Eoinbmw

Youtube accent my two daughters grew out of it in their early teens!

dxhound2005

"foreign sounding accents - not quite American - but neutral - in a refined way.."

I have no idea what a Cork person speaking like that would sound like. If it comes from TV and YouTube, it must be happening in Donegal and Dublin as well.

GSBellew

Another vote for the youtube influence, its a bit like the fake D4 accent UCD students adopt, most will grow out of it in time.

sporina

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120281902#Comment_120281902

i am in Cork - so I can't speak for the rest of the country..

dxhound2005

It must be difficult to speak with a fake accent. I am not in UCD so I have to take people at their word that the students are all speaking with fake accents.

silverharp

reminded me of this

https://youtu.be/WDfJn1kcQuU

Glaceon

My sister has an American twang, we put it down to watching a lot of Nickelodeon as a child.

artanevilla

Accents are a constantly evolving thing.

yourdeadwright

American accent's in Irish children is becoming huge, All YouTube kids, who's parents let them spend hours upon hours watching there tablets,

A very strange one is nearly every black youth in Ireland has a London accent, from Dublin all the way to Cork you'll find groups of black teenagers with London accents ,

DirectorKrennic

I find this post is very timely to be honest!

I was in the office in Dublin yesterday (I work for a company with hundreds of employees, on the larger side/scale). Anyway, I walked into the canteen with 3/4 of my colleagues and there were about 15/20 students being shown around the place. I said to my colleagues 'Oh, they must have a group of students or interns over from America' and then one of my mates said 'No, they're all Irish!' my response was literally 'What the ... f*?' In other words, a group of Irish students with full on American accents. My best guess is that most shows now on Netflix and videos on YouTube/Tik Tok have a lot of American people on them/actors. It is something I've noticed too. Anyway people's accents are their own business I guess. I lived abroad for a few years and at a Christmas party in 2017 (I thought this was very rude) a lady about my age was like 'Why do you talk like that?' - in other words, why do you have an Irish accent? Then when I moved back a few times in 2018 and a bit last year sometimes people would be like to me 'Where in America are you from?' - My accent has gone back to being pretty Irish cause I work with a lot of Dubs. I think there has been a rise of the 'neutral' accent and then the Irish accent with a bit of an American twang. Apparently I say 'time' in an Aussie accent too - very weird.

ejmaztec

It'll never be as bad as the accent that sprang up in the London area where they sound like they're just off the ship from Jamaica, and the accent transcends all races.

A couple of my grandkids in Dub speak with English accents because of all the BBC kids' programmes they watch, and I think people who don't know them think they were born there.

I remember seeing a documentary decades ago about an English family who moved to France with their kids. When the kids were in the house they spoke English with an English accent, but when they were outside playing with French friends, they spoke English with a French accent. Weird.

If we come back in a hundred years, we won't be able to understand people, and they won't be able to understand us.

Mister Vain

Yeah I've noticed it here in Kildare too, there are no bogger accents anymore. It's like a fake American accent. Then you have the fake nails, fake tan and big voluptuous arses accentuated by Juicy Couture tracksuits.

Brussels Sprout

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120283051#Comment_120283051

I've noticed that as well with some black kids. Well I hadn't figured it was a London accent, just that it didn't sound like an Irish accent that I could trace to a specific location even though they grew up here. Denise Chaila is a good example. She grew up in Limerick (moved there when she was 3) but her accent doesn't sound like a Limerick accent:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqvzFtPfX7k&t=29s&ab_channel=TheLateLateShow

In contrast Rashidat Adeleke, who was born and grew up in Dublin has an accent that sounds far more like a local accent

https://youtu.be/wxxLMhRxh8Q?t=89

Bobblehats

Cheila is the archetypal blimbo.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120281873#Comment_120281873

My eldest started to develop one when she was 9. It went as soon as she went to secondary school, and there isn't a trace of it now at 14. Although she's very good at doing various accents for fun. She does a great New Zealand one.

She's in two drama groups. What I do notice is that almost all the kids, when they're acting, can't help but put on American accents (even when they're supposed to be playing Irish characters), even if they talk "normally" the rest of the time. The drama teachers should be beating it out of them.

I've 9 year old twin daughters. No sign of the american accent with them yet. One speaks inexplicably well and proper, with what could almost be described as a "posh" Irish accent. The other one talks like a Clare farmer half the time. You couldn't tell they're from the same house, let alone twins, from listening to them.

Hamachi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120283872#Comment_120283872

I live in a part of West Dublin with a very high concentration of people from an African background. I would estimate that ~10%-15% of the population is black, which is extraordinarily high for Ireland. I also coach a local kids sports team.

My observation is that the 'sarf' London accent is very noticeable amongst black youths, but mostly amongst those who primarily mix with other black teenagers. The minority who are better integrated and have some white Irish friends, tend to have more 'local' accents.

I've also noticed that many of the black teenagers / young adults in this area seem to make for London / wider UK as soon as they finish school or college. The roots here seem to be pretty superficial.

briany

@Mister Vain

and big voluptuous arses accentuated by Juicy Couture tracksuits.

Well.... Maybe not all change is so bad.

Bobblehats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120284048#Comment_120284048

I’ve a different issue around here a lot of the youth on the corners these days sound Irish; so look Irish you’ll assume but they’re communicating in some form of slavic

-an outlier island does not have the cultural pull of powerhouse nations it can get lost somewhat, carved to shreds people identifying with anywhere but and for the 10% the media portray it’s not worth it.

beachhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120281902#Comment_120281902

Not just Cork.It's the same all over the country.Not just kids or teenagers either.I heard a 30 year mother talking to her daughter last night in the supermarket.Mammy's accent changed frequently but had no irish twang at all-she was irish born behind it.Thing is most irish can be spotted by other countries no matter what twang they adopt.The slagging is mighty then.

dxhound2005

Judging by how strong Scottish, Geordie, Cockney, Scouse and Belfast accents are, the phenomenon does not seem to affect the UK as much. That is from hearing them on TV and radio. Or go to a football match involving Ulster counties, and you won't hear many YouTube accents. I was at the Monaghan Donegal game in Clones, and I did not pick up any fake accents.

Mister Vain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120282942#Comment_120282942

lol that is fairly spot on. She sounds exactly like my niece.

Brid Hegarty

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120281903#Comment_120281903

I'd rather be dipped in **** than fake a D4 accent. I remember talking to a UCD student from Sligo after he'd had a few booze and he sounded normal again.

Galwayguy35

My cousin lives in Dun Laoghaire, he has the posh D4 accent but I'm not sure how to describe the accent his kids have.

amacca

Top boy innit mate!

pgj2015

I know someone born in England but moved to Ireland as a teenager, when I am talking to her its a normal Irish accent but if her mother rings her while im there, her accent turns totally english, its really weird.

Thelonious Monk

I find you can be from anywhere in Ireland but if you went to a private school you're likely to sound D4. The D4est accent I've ever heard was on a girl I met from Kinsale while in Australia about 15 years ago. I think Kinsale is like Dalkey though, posh af.

slither12

I think people putting on D4 accents is bs to be honest. It's true that we change our accents when speaking to different people and make it sound posher when calling a bank, going for a job interview etc... But I don't for a second believe someone could put on a fake accent throughout their entire day going to college.

I also think that kids from Cork having posh accents is probably because middle class people from Dublin are moving to those areas. Accents change very slowly and while Irish speech is becoming Americanized (i.e. guys/lads, mom/mum, police/gardai), the accent itself still sounds the same.

I worked witha french guy in Ballincollig who moved to Ireland 20 years previously with little English. Lovely guy but his accent was just hilarious. <french lilt> bla bla bla</french-lilt> , Boy!

Makes me laugh to this day.

sporina

seems that 2 diff accent entities are being discussed here = D4 accents and those influenced by YouTube, TicTok, etc etc..

I think what I am hearing on the streets is the latter

thanks for the clarification..

showing my age.. i don't spend any time on either really - well maybe YouTube but just for music/talks etc.. don't have TT nor won't

dxhound2005

Louth is the smallest county, but has a variety of accents. Drogheda urban is much different than Dundalk urban, and both are much different to mid Louth. Around the Armagh border, there is a cross border similarity. This does not happen in Cavan along the Fermanagh border.

Other people living in different counties, will probably say the same, different accents every few miles. We have had British radio and TV for decades, and American programmes, but this never diminished Donegal or Kerry accents.

silliussoddius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120288002#Comment_120288002

….

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jYXWzP-GuUc

bannedboyband

Most likely "all put on". A lot of adults love trying to sound American too just listen to presenters on television and radio. Weird behaviour.

eggy81

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120283763#Comment_120283763

And that’s just the fellas.

slither12

This may be unpopular but I'd rather hear a faux American accent or D4 accent than a skanger "What's the story bud".

Mister Vain

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120289406#Comment_120289406

2FM is rife with annoying American sounding eejits.

I haven't seen anyone wearing a juicy couture tracksuit since 2005.

Bobblehats

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120289981#Comment_120289981

It’s all bromates now if anyone still says bud they’re my friend

Ubbquittious

TikTok accent

yourdeadwright

I thought of this thread over the weekend, A childhood friend of mine has lived in Liverpool for 7 years & he has home the weekend & has a very scouse accent now,

I was joking with him about it & he says its because if he speaks with his natural Dublin accent he just has to repeat himself constantly that goes for in work & at home because his wife two kids have scouse accents as they are Liverpool born & Breed,

beachhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120287934#Comment_120287934

Yes,Kinsale would count as Dalkey.I like it-the comparison thatbis.

beachhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120290346#Comment_120290346

2 true posts

The development of Hibernia English accents in the EU, see the story of the Latvian Prime minister with the Irish accent is seen as an interesting and quirky human interest story. Yet, the development D4 accents seem to trigger some people so much.

Neutral accents are on the rise because of social media and a greater awareness of how an accent can pigeonhole someone.

One eyed Jack

Accents are influenced by plenty more than just location or media consumption or literature or whomever a person surrounds themselves with. It’s just as common to hear children speaking with a New York accent nowadays as it is to hear children years ago speaking with a distinct Texan drawl or nasal sounds, a few years back when children were glued to Barney on TV. The whole ‘D4’ accent has been around for donkeys, it’s not new, and it’s certainly not limited to teenagers or any particular social class.

It’s just easier to tell in some cases where people are from when you’re already familiar with how people from that area generally speak, no different than people in different parts of Cork, Limerick, Galway or Dublin all sound different or speak differently or use words and phrases which are by definition, colloquialisms. I know what people mean when they’re referring to someone speaking English with an Indian accent for example, though there are there are numerous regional variations and dialects of Indian accents -

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Regional_differences_and_dialects_in_Indian_English

Similar story with Chinese -

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varieties_of_Chinese

sporina

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120304139#Comment_120304139

off topic

sporina

@mariaalice "Neutral accents are on the rise because of social media and a greater awareness of how an accent can pigeonhole someone"

seems so.. and if one has a musical ear, they pick up accents more easily

there is prob a bit of a peer influence too with regards to the youth I am talking about

dxhound2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120304139#Comment_120304139

Where are they getting the New York accent from if it is not from media consumption? The Barney accent was obviously got from media consumption. I never heard any children talking with a distinct Texas drawl or nasal sounds.