The United Kingdom is home to some 40 different dialects of the English language, but researchers have discovered that some of its most distinctive ones are rapidly becoming less common.
Cockney and King’s English were found to be in decline in a study of 18 to 33-year-olds in the South East of England.
Cockney is a dialect associated with urban working class English people, especially in the East-End of London. The accent is known for its extensive rhyming slang; music fans may recognize it if they recall the voice of Joe Strummer of the punk rock group The Clash. Its modest roots have caused some to perceive it with a certain amount of stigma, while for others it may be seen as a symbol of pride and authenticity.
King’s English, meanwhile, is perhaps viewed as its complete opposite. Called by some “proper English,” it’s the refined form of the language long associated with the British ruling class – Kings, Dukes, Duchesses. Its first citation dates all the way back to 1553.
King’s English appears to be truly fading away, but Cockney lives on in its influence on more modern English dialects. One of the dialects identified by researchers in the study is estuary English, spoken by celebrities such as Adele. Researchers say this dialect could be considered similar to Cockney, but less extreme.
Meanwhile, multicultural London English combines working-class London accents with influences from Black British and Asian British communities. British rapper Stormzy is provided as an example of this form of dialect.
Researchers say the drift towards new dialects “occurs as a result of the increased movement of people resulting in greater contact between dialects, the growth of universal education and literacy, and people buying into the idea that there is a 'correct' or 'standard' way of speaking.”