Multi-cultural Britain, and Regional accents. So why do so many answerphones speak with posh "BBC" voices?

Question

Multi-cultural Britain, and Regional accents. So why do so many answerphones speak with posh "BBC" voices?

Answer 1

Actually the BBC no longer promotes correct English!

For instance just listen to how they pronounce the word Castle - its pronounced as Cassel now!

Even the humble word Grass is pronounced to rhyme with Mass..... oh dear oh dear....

Where did you get your answerphone? I would love one like that!

Answer 2

Good question!

Isn't it annoying when you get an accent that you can understand then, when your call is put through, you end up speaking to somebody from a call-centre in the Indian sub-continent who can barely string 2 words together!  Grrrrrr!!!!

Answer 3

I was born in Solihull. However, as a boy I grew-up in Brum,

Progressing, joining the services, seeing the world, then following discharge going into construction and continuing to travel the world - meet all and sundry from all walks, levels of society. Undeniably, my accent was a problem from day 1! However, I worked on it - took elocution lessons - certainly improved it - although never losing my accent in total!

Yes. Given the option, I'd would have greatly appreciated from my younger days of being able to speak naturally in  modulated English tones. From career advancement - any all advancement - it is without doubt immensely beneficial.

Being able to send my daughter and son to public school and university - I also ensured they had all the elocution lessons available! All these years on - its wonderful to listen to them - to their command of English, its use and application.

Today old Dad sometime teases them with his brummie accent  (I now have to now lay it on) which invariably they cringe from.

But still today - I derive immense joy and pleasure listening to the many whose modulated precise command of English - is something to which I could never aspire to.

Answer 4

I'm from Ireland but we do get english channels and radio. Queen's English is very easy to understand compared to cockney english or northern english so it makes sense to use it more.

Answer 5

The short answer is the "middle classes" wouldn't watch the BBC if the presenters had thick regional accents. The presenters weren't that bothered when Gregg d**e got turfed out because his accent was a bit to abrasive.

Answer 6

Because they're snobs.

Answer 7

It's easier for everyone to understand but, if you want a less posh version, just record your own.

Answer 8

Because everyone can understand them.

Answer 9

u  mean the Queens English ... possibly bcos there are so many regional accents etc ... its clear and concise that way everyone understands what is being said :)

Answer 10

I guess because this is actually the Uk and English is the primary language spoken here . That suggests that anyone else who is here should also speak English ( the accent is irrelevant) its the content we are trying to understand . It is true however that when something is said and pronounced properly it is far easier to understand .Clearly some ethnic groups will object but after all it is actually important that if anyone comes to the uk they MUST learn English , read, write and make sure their kids go to English schools so that they can get the most from the country they are adopting. Certainly there is room for having ones own culture and language but only as secondary to that of the country that people wish to live, work and survive in. It would be the same for anyone from England who wanted to live in another country.

It's the same reason as in other countries their language used on messages is the most clear and well pronounced as they can get . Regional accents or dialect is pretty pointless if people can't understand .

Equally I don't feel there is any room for any other accent in any other language . This is after all the UK and our messages, and other broadcast media should reflect that first and foremost . The clearer the pronunciation the easier it is for people to understand in my opinion.

Answer 11

Everybody understands what is said. So often, with telephone banking, etc. the person's accent is so thick it is well nigh impossible to understand what they are saying.

Answer 12

Because that's the closest thing we have to a neutral accent (believe it or not)! In origin the accent you're talking about is partly geographical, but it's essentially an accent acquired through education. A person with that accent could be from Wales, Yorkshire, London or Pakistan. They could have been born  working-class or middle-class. In this sense it's democratic.

Of course, it's not completely neutral: it implies a certain level of education. But there's no accent that doesn't imply at least something about the speaker; this would be impossible.

It's worth adding that the "BBC" accent has evolved considerably over the last hundred years. So sometimes what you hear on answerphones is rather old-fashioned sounding, which enhances the sense of poshness.

Answer 13

its easier to understand, and we dont want multi-cultural /regional voice messages..

Answer 14

Probaby for the same reason most American broadcasts, etc., are delivered in the so-called Midwestern accent.

It's the closest to a 'neutral' accent, and believed to be/considered most easily understood by all. *shrugs*