Received Pronunciation (RP) is the accent of Standard English in England with a relationship to regional dialects. Only about 2% of Britons speak in this manner. Although there is nothing central about RP that marks it as superior to any other variety, there are certain linguistic factors which give Received Pronunciation particular status in the United Kingdom. It is believed that both the RP and Standard English are accent less and without any dialect. However, in some cases it can be taken to extremes that move it outside the boundaries of SE or RP. For example, “my friend bought a nice hice in Surrey with flahs greying round the door.” Here the words house, flowers and growing are mispronounced in an effort to push SE and RP to their limits.
A comparison can be made between Standard English and non-Standard English and the context in which it is used. In many different regions of the United Kingdom, different words have different meanings to them. Words which are used in one region and not in another or are not in the dictionary, is non-Standard English. For example, the word “canny” used in the North East of England can mean several things depending on the context in which it is used. A canny bairn means attractive child. A canny price means expensive.
Whereas Standard English, is universally understood. For instance, if someone were to speak Standard English in New York, Glasgow, London or Sydney, they would be able to be understood because they are speaking without using any dialect or heavy accent.
There are some benefits of speaking Standard English. These include the points listed above, that Standard English is universally understood, whether it’s in the UK or worldwide. Also, Standard English can be influential and may promote linguistic quality by being exemplary. For instance, if someone were to speak Standard English to another person then it may encourage that person to speak in a better quality.
However, there are also some drawbacks to speaking Standard English. It can be resented by others for class conscious reasons. It can also be counter-productive to good relationships and can provoke a negative reaction. Some see Standard English as sounding superior or patronising.
There are also drawbacks to speaking non-Standard English. For instance, it can provoke segregation between the upper class and lower class, educated and not educated. Non-standard English may lead to misunderstandings and embarrassment rather than the cut crystal delivery of Standard English. However, non-Standard English can be colourful and expressive. It has also been said that it is vocabulary that you can “get your mouth round”. For example, a popular song sung by The Music-Hall entertainer, Sir Harry Lauder, is “Foo the Noo” (Full Right Now in SE). It is about the joys of heavy drinking and when sung in SE sounds bland compared to the non-English version.
On balance the drawbacks of Standard English are outweighed by the benefits. SE promotes quality in speech and written language and is readily understood by all classes and English-speaking peoples regardless of nationality. In some people’s opinion, English is one of the four most beautiful languages in the world (French, Italian, Spanish being the others). This imposes an obligation to be spoken well. Standard English can be an instrument of power in debate and argument. It has been said that Standard English does not have to rely on swearing to make the point or to be humorous. However, caution must be exercised in order to avoid unnecessary offence or disagreement. The use of SE must be driven by moral goodness and not used as a weapon without sufficient cause. It should also be remembered that non-Standard English has its place in our culture. It is a spoken art and can be used to convey a message in an entertaining, if not enlightening, way. To appreciate this, listen to “To A Haggis” by Robert Burns recited by a Scot on Burns Night (25 January).
