'In this multicultural country you'll hear many languages spoken. Of course English is the official language of the UK and the many regional accents and dialects make language one of the most interesting and colourful aspects of UK culture.'
Even if you are a straight-A English language student – in fact even if you are a native English language speaker from a country such as the USA or New Zealand! – you might find it challenging getting used to the local accents when you first arrive in the UK.
Don’t worry – this is perfectly normal. With a little practice you will soon get comfortable with this.
English, the UK's official language, is one of many languages that are spoken in the UK, as it is a very diverse country. In London alone you could hear over 300 languages!
A person's accent is the way they pronounce words. In the UK you'll find that native English speakers have a wide variety of accents.
For instance, someone from Scotland may sound very different from a person who has grown up in Cornwall, in the south-west of England.
To get used to these new accents, it is a good idea to watch UK television programmes and listen to UK radio.
You can also explore UK accents online - on the BBC’s interactive voices map. But the best way is simply to listen to the people that you meet – and don’t be afraid to ask them if you don’t understand.
A person's dialect is their pattern of speech, reflected in the words and phrases they use and often influenced by a particular region.
Don’t worry – this is perfectly normal. With a little practice you will soon get comfortable with this.
English, the UK's official language, is one of many languages that are spoken in the UK, as it is a very diverse country. In London alone you could hear over 300 languages!
A person's accent is the way they pronounce words. In the UK you'll find that native English speakers have a wide variety of accents.
For instance, someone from Scotland may sound very different from a person who has grown up in Cornwall, in the south-west of England.
To get used to these new accents, it is a good idea to watch UK television programmes and listen to UK radio.
You can also explore UK accents online - on the BBC’s interactive voices map. But the best way is simply to listen to the people that you meet – and don’t be afraid to ask them if you don’t understand.
A person's dialect is their pattern of speech, reflected in the words and phrases they use and often influenced by a particular region.
You will often hear native speakers of English in the UK use dialect words to describe the same thing. For example, you might find a bread roll called:
- a bap (in the Midlands and the North)
- a barm cake (in Lancashire)
- a cob (in East Midlands)
- a batch (in Coventry)
- a bread cake (in Leeds)
- a muffin (in north-west England)
- a tea cake (in Yorkshire).
Most of these terms are regional variations on Standard English - the 'accepted' or 'standard' mode of grammar and vocabulary, as well as spelling. If you take an English language course before coming to the UK, or you come to learn English at a language centre in the UK, you'll almost certainly be taught to speak and write using Standard English.
Again, the best way to get used to dialects is simply to read UK newspapers, watch TV, listen to local radio and chat with local people.
You can find out about UK slang here.
Welsh and Gaelic in the UK
If you choose to study in Wales or Northern Ireland, you will find that nearly everyone speaks English, and for the majority of people it is their first language.
But from time to time, you may also hear people speaking Welsh in Wales or Irish Gaelic in Northern Ireland.
These languages are very different to English – they sound beautiful and are often described as being ‘musical; so it is a great idea to listen out for the language.
But don’t worry, you won't need to speak either Welsh or Gaelic as your courses will be in English - unless, of course, you choose a specialist course that focuses on either of these languages!
As English is the main language of all four countries in the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) you'll find that all signs, menus, bills and tickets are always written in English. You may also find in Wales and Northern Ireland that they show Welsh or Gaelic equivalents as well.
The history of the English language
The history of the UK is a huge influence on the language. Officially it is considered a West Germanic language that arrived with the Anglo-Saxon settlers in the 5th century.
The invading Normans in the 11th century brought a lot of French words into the language, and over the centuries other influences have contributed to the extraordinarily rich language English is today. If you trace the origin of lots of everyday words in English now you'll find words from European languages such as Italian, Spanish, Scandinavian, and further afield from Asia, Africa and the Americas.
More about language in the UK
You can find out more about studying English language courses in the UK on our Study English pages.
Find out more about the different regions of the UK, and see what international students have to say about them on the Education UK interactive map and calendar.
Again, the best way to get used to dialects is simply to read UK newspapers, watch TV, listen to local radio and chat with local people.
You can find out about UK slang here.
Welsh and Gaelic in the UK
If you choose to study in Wales or Northern Ireland, you will find that nearly everyone speaks English, and for the majority of people it is their first language.
But from time to time, you may also hear people speaking Welsh in Wales or Irish Gaelic in Northern Ireland.
These languages are very different to English – they sound beautiful and are often described as being ‘musical; so it is a great idea to listen out for the language.
But don’t worry, you won't need to speak either Welsh or Gaelic as your courses will be in English - unless, of course, you choose a specialist course that focuses on either of these languages!
As English is the main language of all four countries in the UK (England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland) you'll find that all signs, menus, bills and tickets are always written in English. You may also find in Wales and Northern Ireland that they show Welsh or Gaelic equivalents as well.
The history of the English language
The history of the UK is a huge influence on the language. Officially it is considered a West Germanic language that arrived with the Anglo-Saxon settlers in the 5th century.
The invading Normans in the 11th century brought a lot of French words into the language, and over the centuries other influences have contributed to the extraordinarily rich language English is today. If you trace the origin of lots of everyday words in English now you'll find words from European languages such as Italian, Spanish, Scandinavian, and further afield from Asia, Africa and the Americas.
More about language in the UK
You can find out more about studying English language courses in the UK on our Study English pages.
Find out more about the different regions of the UK, and see what international students have to say about them on the Education UK interactive map and calendar.
