The introduction of the printing press in 1476 meant that a standard spelling system began to emerge. The system reflected the speech of the London area. The pronunciation of vowels underwent further changes during the 15 th century, but because of the advent of the printing press, spelling never caught up. Previously, scribes would have simply written down a new spelling to reflect the new pronunciation. Thus modern spelling in many ways reflects outmoded pronunciation of words dating back to the Middle Ages.
Most British people can recognise where someone was brought up by their accent.
Every region has its own way of pronouncing the words and sentences of English that identifies the speaker with that particular geographical area. After 1500 the language of London gradually emerged as the most dominant form, and today the London or Southern accent is usually accepted as Standard English. This is sometimes referred to as 'BBC English' since at one time all announcers on BBC radio and TV were required to speak it. Regional accents have persisted and diversified over the centuries. Although Standard English was once the accepted form of English for public speaking or broadcasting, today regional accents are widely used on television and radio.