British English

British English (BrE) is a variant of English used in Great Britain. It is distinguished from all other forms used elsewhere. It includes the varieties of English used within the Isles, including those found in England, Wales, Scotland, and the island of Ireland. Arguably, Scottish English is a part of British English, implying the existence of the English spoken in England as a category. However, "English English" is inefficient and hints that English refers to the language spoken in the country; Those outside the British Isles, as well as linguists and lexicographers, use British English primarily. Convention rather than formal code governs the English spoken in the United Kingdom, as with the usage of the language worldwide. As there is no equivalent body to the authoritative dictionaries (the Oxford Dictionary, Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English, Chambers Dictionary, Collins Dictionary, for instance), record usage rather than prescribe it. There is significant variation in several factors, including grammar, usage, spelling, and vocabulary. Additionally, vocabulary and usage change with time, words are acquired from other languages, and different strains of English and neologisms are typical.

Although there is a significant degree of uniformity in formal written English in the UK, the forms of spoken English are used very considerably more than in most other areas of the world where English is commonly spoken, both geographically and socially, so the concept of "British English" is challenging to apply to the spoken language. Dialects and accents vary not only between the nations of the British Isles but also with some countries themselves. Distinct groups use English differently in any specific region. The written form of the language, as taught in schools, is the same as the rest of the English-speaking world (except North America), with a slight emphasis on words whose usage varies among the different regions of the UK. For Example, the terms "aye" and "yes" are interchangeable in specific contexts, but one is more likely to see "aye" written by a Scottish or Northern Irish person than an English person.

Historically, the form of the language spoken in London and the East Midlands became standard English within the Court, dating back to the rise of London in the ninth century. Ultimately, it became the basis for generally accepted use in the law, government, literature, and education within the British Isles. Scotland only underwent parliamentary union in 1707 but still has a few independent aspects of standardisation, especially within the autonomous legal system.

The extensive use of English is partly attributable to the former power of the British Empire, which is reflected in the use of British written forms in many parts of the world. The British ruling class is the most common form of English in southeast England (the area around London and the ancient English university towns of Oxford and Cambridge). This form of the language is associated with the Received Pronunciation, which people outside the UK regard incorrectly as "the British accent". Although only five per cent of Britons use that pronunciation, there is more variation tolerance than ever before.

From the second half of the twentieth century to the present day, the economic, military, political and cultural dominance of the United States in world affairs has argued about the preeminence of the English language. Notwithstanding, the British Isles retains a significant cultural influence, particularly on the English used, as a first or additional language, in some Commonwealth countries and ex-British colonies (inclusive of power to a considerable degree in South Africa, India, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia, but to a lesser degree in Australia, and only a limited extent in Canada.)

## Accents

The UK has nearly forty dialects that sound distinct and use different spellings and word structures. There is roughly one accent per county.

### Received Pronunciation

Received Pronunciation, or "RP" for short, is a way of speaking and is considered prestigious due to its association with the Royals. For the first thousand years of English in Britain, there was no such thing as a ‘standard’ accent. People spoke in various ways, reflecting their regional backgrounds, level of education, or social class.

Anyone familiar with the British Royal Family will know that they speak uniquely, especially Queen Elizabeth II and King Charles III. This year, not only did Queen Elizabeth die, but also Charles became king. So, it was the perfect time to research the history of RP and its place in modern British society.

To learn more, visit the Received Pronunciation page.