Any truth to the story that there is a difference between a North end Liverpool accent and a Southy accent? If so, what are some of the main differences in speech?

Any truth to the story that there is a difference between a North end Liverpool accent and a Southy accent? If so, what are some of the main differences in speech?

A definite difference, bdm. Just listen to Jamie Carragher, from Bootle, and Steven Gerrard (from Huyton but I believe his people were from Scotland Road way) compared, say, to Robbie Fowler (from Toxteth) -- definitely a more marked gutteral or wider sound.

Chris

Southend Scouse is obviously mixed with afro Caribbean which is different from the deep Irish sounding to the north end.

Agreed. This is only my own opinion of course, but North end accents are much more gutteral and reminscent of Ulster accents whereas south end accents are much more rounded with words pronounced more fully.

I don't know why this should be but I suspect that it is in part due to the north end being traditionally the poorer end of the city (I won't be controversial and say it is still neglected in favour of the southern suburbs... hang on, I think I just did) where the majority of working class Irish and Welsh immigrants settled whereas the south end has always (with notable exceptions of course) been the mercantile or bourgeois end of the city. The thing I find most fascinating is the fact that the Liverpool accent was up until the influx of famine Irish more similar to a Lancashire/Cheshire accent and the new arrivals gave Liverpool its distinctive 'island' of an accent in a sea of more tradtionally local accents. This is well documented in a book called The Story of English by Robert McCrumb. So possibly the south end accent is closer to that of the original 'English' accent of pre 1840s Liverpool.

For the record, I'm from Kirkby. And it always fascinated me why I could get on a train at Kirkby, travel a few miles over farmland on the train and be in Orrel minutes later where everyone sounded completely different. It was only when I met my (now ex) wife from Aigburth that I realised she sounded completely different to me.

yes, there is a definate change in accents - I can always spot a Toxteth accent or a Scottie rd one - definately.

There is a Maghull accent too.

Think we discussed this a while back so I will be repeating myself here, but people I know from Birkenhead have a certain twang, they pronounce some words slightly different from this side of the water.

Southend Scouse is obviously mixed with afro Caribbean which is different from the deep Irish sounding to the north end.

Me no tink dis is so mon.:unibrow:

Being from the 'south', people say I've got a posh accent and can't hardly hear my liverpool accent at all, although get me on the phone to someone not used to my voice and they know where I'm from.

The Wirral accent is just an
efeminate (sp?) Scouse Accent.

Problem here. Mostly raised in Bootle and Waterloo/Crosby. Live (and love it) in south Liverpool (Princes Park). Sound like Paul McCartney (so I am told).

I don't know what my accent is like
I was born In Wavertree lived in Toxteth, Everton & now Kirkdale so it must be a mixture
Mandy

Southend Scouse is obviously mixed with afro Caribbean which is different from the deep Irish sounding to the north end.


Mixed with Afro Caribbean? Never!:PDT10

I don't know what my accent is like
I was born In Wavertree lived in Toxteth, Everton & now Kirkdale so it must be a mixture
Mandy

And you didn't stay In Wavertree!:eek:

The Wirral accent is just an
efeminate (sp?) Scouse Accent.


It's not an 'effeminate' accent - it's just a variation; in fact, as there are variations in accent depending on which part of Liverpool people come from, so there are variations on the Wirral.

And you didn't stay In Wavertree!:eek:

I was only 5 when I left so I had no choice :PDT10

Southend Scouse is obviously mixed with afro Caribbean which is different from the deep Irish sounding to the north end.

The Liverpool accent, even the North End version, is heavily Welsh based, not Irish.

true and Scottish based:snf (41):

The Liverpool accent, even the North End version, is heavily Welsh based, not Irish.

I disagree. It is a mixture of Welsh and Irish. And specifically Ulster-sounding in its intonations.

I disagree. It is a mixture of Welsh and Irish. And specifically Ulster-sounding in its intonations.

We will have to agree to disagree. The Ulster accent has Scottish tones to it (Many were from Scotland). As a native Liverpudlian I hear no Ulster in our accent and find the Ulster accent one of the most irritating accents I know.

Liverpudlians raise at the end of a sentence - as do the Welsh.