Your accent is obviously a good representation of which part of a country you’re from, but it can reveal much more than that. UK-based transcription agency McGowan Transcriptions put together an infographic on the stereotypes surrounding UK accents, and there are a number of notable findings.
Based on information derived from a number of sources including The Guardian and The Independent, this infographic introduces us to the term ‘accentism,’ i.e. prejudice surrounding an accent. Accentism is widespread across the UK and particularly prevalent in the workplace — 80 percent of employers admit to making discriminating decisions based on regional accents. Consequently, those from working-class backgrounds, who are more likely to have a regional accent and thus more likely to be victims of accentism, earn an average of £6,800 ($8,919 USD) less per year than those with no noticeable regional accent. As a result, many aspiring employees try to shutter their accent during a job interview, with one in three feeling ashamed at having done so.
