Patterns of Evaluation to R.P., South Welsh and Somerset Accented Speech

Lambert (1967) has shown in many cultures that regional dialect is a significant cue in assessing personality from voices. Similar research in Britain, however, has been limited to two studies. Strongman & Woosley (1967) studied the reactions of northern and southern English listeners to the male ‘matched‐guises’ of Yorkshire and London accents. Although no group differences emerged, judges agreed that the London speakers were more self‐confident, while the Yorkshire voices seemed more honest and reliable. The northern judges themselves perceived their own group as significantly more generous, goodnatured and kindhearted. Cheyne (1970), studying evaluations to Scottish and English voices, found that both Scottish and English listeners rated male English speakers as possessing more leadership, intelligence, ambition and self‐confidence. The Scottish listeners, like the northern judges, were also accent loyal , evaluating their own group as more generous, good‐hearted, friendly, humorous and likeable, with the English judges also conceding friendliness to the Scottish voices.