Is there such thing as a Sussex, or even Brightonian accent?

[GoldWithFalmer]

I've traced our family back to around 1890. Before that it seems to be divided between Brighton and the local Sussex area. I intend to find time to pursue it back further.

The town experienced a spike in population after the railways, and I would imagine before that the accent would have sounded quite rural. I've often wondered what a Brightonian would have sounded like a couple of hundred or so years back. Probably much like many people from the outlying country regions of Portsmouth and Southampton do now, but the dialect would have been much thicker and less understandable.

It's fascinating the history of Brighton,the Railway changed everything...would love to know mine,i will have to get around to it.

 

[kevo]

There was definitely an old Sussex rural accent - listen to old Bob Copper and the songs of the Copper family, who lived in Rottingdean for hundreds of years. My grandad had it too. I think you'd be hard pushed to find it these days, everyone's speaks Mockney, innit?

 

[Brighton Mod]

There is definitely a Brighton accent, as well as a west Sussex and an East Sussex accent, both of which tend to have a country slant about them.

In Brighton we have Twittens, Sea Frets, tawockas {spelling may not be correct.

 

[Sussaxon]

The guys from Burwash are hard to understand.

I think you'll find that's 'Burrish'!

 

[Sussaxon]

Most Sussaxons end a question with "then" ie. "Is it stoolball practice on Sunday then?" and "Are you walking up the twitten then?"
Also, we are always saying "Alright then!"


...You'll notice it now when you're out and about tomorrow!!!

 

[Eeyore]

It's fascinating the history of Brighton,the Railway changed everything...would love to know mine,i will have to get around to it.

At the start of the 1800s the population is believed to have been under 10,000. By 1900 it was over 100,000. So if your family were here before 1800, you are part of a very unique group of people.

 

[Eeyore]

Most Sussaxons end a question with "then" ie. "Is it stoolball practice on Sunday then?" and "Are you walking up the twitten then?"
Also, we are always saying "Alright then!"


...You'll notice it now when you're out and about tomorrow!!!

Something we have in common with the Welsh, then..

 

[Coach_Carter_92]

I thought the Brightonian accent sounded like we dropped the middle of words, and making the letter t soft. At least that's what my friends from other parts of the country say

 

[robinsonsgrin]

as others have stated re their elder relatives - my granddad had a real earthy sussex accent....my father can use the same tone intermittently with certain words...I love it, as been a good few years since we lost granddad. it is a shame everything has become so sanitised - bring back the accent!

 

[MissGull]

I would love to hear it. Living and working in the South, with the majority of born and bred Southerners - i never feel like I have an accent.

 

[glasfryn]

we heard a young lady talking on the TV while we lived in Wales and both immediately said she was from Brighton, we had to re-watch the news later to be sure
it really is more obvious in the ladies though
blokes do sound like they are from London or Landon

 

[skipper734]

At the start of the 1800s the population is believed to have been under 10,000. By 1900 it was over 100,000. So if your family were here before 1800, you are part of a very unique group of people.

 

[lawros left foot]

The three words with most Sussex dialect for me is Saturdee, miwk, foive ( Saturday, or any other day if the week tbf, milk, and five)

 

[Eeyore]

Hello, don't think we've met.

 

[Weatherman]

My grandparents and great aunts and uncles were from the piddinghoe ( pronounced pidnoo )/ newhaven area originally and had very distinctive accents. Slightly different to west Sussex, i haven't heard it for many years.
I remember my grandad saying versen instead of soon. e.g. it will versen be christmas.
When i worked in london 25 years ago they thought i was a country boy even though i grew up in Hollingbury.

 

[luppers]

We are all ex Palace .........well actually i am a 13th century original Brighton peasant,lower town fisherman,i fought the French on the beaches you know..

You must then remember that it was not called Brighton when you originated but Brighthelmstone !

 

[Creaky]

I noticed whilst in Hampshire the other week, that they seem to have a slight regional accent, then as you move into Dorset and across it gets more pronounced. Essex also has a distinctive accent.
Kent and Surrey seem to speak broadly with the same accent as we do in Sussex.

However, I have a Northern friend that reckons there is a definite Brighton accent, and we can be spotted a mile off.

What! - we is posh in Surrey don't you know.

 

[skipper734]

My lot have been in Brighton since before the start of census records 1700 and something, my mums lot are all over Slindon Church yard and another branch, has a house named after them in Rye. I can't get any more Sussex.

 

[Notters]

Can't believe people are saying there isn't one! There are plenty of "poyple" in "ployces" like Uckfield with a strong Sussex accent. They pronounce nearly all of their vowels as "ooooyyyyy".

 

[Puppet Master]

Brighton accent is just mockney. I'm born and bred and always being placed as Essex or East End.