Difference Between British and Irish Accent: The English language has a rich history and varies greatly from region to region. In regions where English is a secondary language, people tend to introduce the intonation and phonetics of their mother tongue to English speech. In places where English is the primary language, people tend to show variability through different accents.
UK and Ireland are both English-speaking countries yet there are stark differences when it comes to the accents of the Natives. In this blog, we have written about the difference between Irish and British accents, so that the next time you hear someone speak English from any of these countries, you can easily figure out whether that person is from Ireland or Britain.
This Blog Includes:
Pronunciation
Although the consistency of Irish and British accents is quite apparent, there are still differences between the pronunciation and sounds. When you hear someone speaking make sure you look for the differences mentioned below:
- In Irish English the ‘r’ after the vowels are pronounced while in British English it is often dropped for instance, Brits pronounce ‘water’ as ‘wata’ with an accent.
- In the Irish accent, the sound of an ‘e’ is more like the sound of it in ‘bet’ instead of the sound ‘ei’ in ‘bait’.
- In the Irish accent, the sound of ‘o’ is similar to the vowel sound in ‘paw’ instead of the ‘ou’ sound in ‘coat’.
- The sound of ‘th’ in Irish accent sounds more like ‘t’ or ‘d’. For example, ‘Thin’ is pronounced as ‘tin’ and ‘This’ is pronounced as ‘dis’ in the Irish accent.
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Word Usage
Compared to British English, Irish English has different word usage and sentence structure. If you are staying in student housing in Ireland and are exposed to these accents for a long time then you will be easily able to differentiate between these two. The difference in diction and syntax provides these accents with their unique meter and qualities.
- Instead of ‘usually’, Irish people prefer to say ‘do’ or ‘be’. For example, they say “I do work” which implies that “I usually work”.
- Irish people often use definite articles whereas Brits wouldn’t. For instance, “I am going to the Malone Road”.
- Irish speakers often start their sentences with “it is” or “it was”. For example, “It was Sam who had the best wife”.
- For the things that have just happened, Irish speakers prefer using ‘after’. For example, instead of saying “I just drank the beer” they will say “I was after drinking the beer”.
- Irish speakers use “don’t be” as an imperative, for example, “Don’t be worrying about that”.
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Different Phrases
Since there are many accents across various regions of Ireland and Britain, different phrases and sayings can signify where the person is from. For example, if you have a mate in your student housing in United Kingdom, and they have a soft accent then you can easily identify the phrases, on the basis of which you will be able to differentiate between Irish and British accents.
Irish Phrases
Mentioned below are some of the well-known phrases which Irish English speakers use:
- Irish people are often heard saying “What’s the craic?” and when they have to explain that they are doing something they will say, “For the craic”. Craic means fun and “What’s the craic?” is a way of saying “How are things?” or “What’s going on?”
- You will quite often come across Irish people asking “Where’s the yoke?” interestingly, it has nothing to do with eggs. “Yoke” is a general word that is a substitute for the word “thing”. It is very unlikely that you will hear this word from any British person.
- You may hear Irish people asking you not to “give out” which basically means “complain”. So if an individual is always “giving out” then they are always complaining.
British Phrases
Mentioned below are some of the common phrases used by a British person:
- You will often hear a British person saying “How’s tricks?” which basically means “How are things?”.
- If you hear someone say “owt” or “nowt”, then it probably implies that they are from Yorkshire.
- If you hear someone saying “You’re ‘aving a bubble!” then they are most likely from London. “Having a bubble” is rhyming slang for “having a laugh” and bubble bath means to laugh.
- If a person uses the phrase “ye cannae be serious,” as a substitute for “you can’t be serious” then it probably means that they are Scottish.
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FAQs
The Canadian accent is the closest to American English as it follows similar rules of pronunciation and accent.
The transatlantic accent or Mid-Atlantic accent is closest to the British accent. It is a consciously learned English accent and was mostly used in the late 19th and 20th centuries by the entertainment industry and the American upper class. This accent is the blend of the finest features of American and British English.
Euro is the official currency of the Republic of Ireland.
‘Hiya’ or ‘Hey up’ are the two informal greetings popular in the North of England which mean Hello.
Ireland is regarded as the friendliest country and is known for offering a high standard of living to its residents.
We hope you liked this blog where we covered the difference between Irish and British accents. For booking the best accommodation abroad to start your study abroad experience you can contact Fly Homes at 1800572118.
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