The Nottingham accent, affectionately known as “East Midlands English,” flows through the historic streets of Robin Hood’s hometown and across the broader Nottinghamshire region. This distinctive dialect bridges the gap between northern and southern English accents, creating its own unique sound that reflects the city’s rich industrial heritage and its modern urban culture, from the historic Lace Market to the vibrant streets of Hockley.
The accent carries distinctive features that set it apart from other Midlands dialects, with its characteristic short vowels and unique phrases that echo the city’s proud working-class roots. While sharing some similarities with neighboring Derby and Leicester accents, the Nottingham dialect maintains its own identity, influenced by both its industrial past in textiles and mining, and its contemporary position as a major cultural and educational hub.
Notable Nottingham voices include award-winning actress Vicky McClure, who proudly maintains her accent in roles including “Line of Duty,” and filmmaker Shane Meadows, whose works often showcase authentic Nottingham dialogue. The accent gained wider recognition through the BBC’s “This Is England” series, which featured genuine Nottingham voices and helped challenge stereotypes about regional accents.
The dialect varies across the city and county, from the urban tones of St. Ann’s and Bulwell to the softer accents of West Bridgford and the rural communities of Sherwood Forest. While modern influences and increased mobility have impacted traditional speech patterns, many Nottingham residents maintain their distinctive way of speaking with pride, particularly the characteristic use of words like “duck” as a term of endearment and the unique grammatical constructions that make the accent instantly recognizable.
Vowel Characteristics
Short Vowels
- “A” sounds are typically northern and short
- “Bath” and “path” use short ‘a’ like in “cat”[1]
- “Bus” often pronounced with “oo” sound like in “put”[1]
- Words ending in -er often pronounced with “or” (Leicester becomes “Leicestor”)[1]
Long Vowels
- “House” pronounced like “aaas” with dropped H[1]
- “PRICE” vowel has a very back starting point[2]
- Words like “happy” often pronounced as “happeh” by younger speakers[1]
Consonant Features
H-Dropping
- Common feature where H is dropped at start of words
- “House” becomes “‘ouse”
- “Head” becomes “‘ed”[1][2]
Yod-Dropping
- “News” pronounced as “nooz” rather than “nyooz”
- “Duke,” “tuna” and “Stuart” lose the ‘y’ sound before ‘u'[1]
TH-Fronting
- “Three” becomes “free”
- More common in younger speakers[1]
Grammar Patterns
Pronouns
- “Yourn” instead of “yours”
- “Ourn” for “ours”
- “Ern” for “hers”
- “Missen” for “myself”[3]
Common Expressions
Greetings and Basic Phrases
- “Ay up miduck!” – Hello (most common greeting)[4]
- “Allreet” – Are you okay?
- “Tarrah thenn” – Goodbye
- “Intitt koad?” – Isn’t it cold?[4]
Local Terms
- “Cob” – bread roll
- “Jitty” – narrow footpath
- “Mardy” – whiny or complaining
- “Tabs” – ears
- “Beer-off” – off-license shop[3]
Regional Sayings
Weather Related
- “It’s Derby Road” – it’s cold (local rhyming slang)
- “Bit black over Bill’s mother’s” – storm coming[5]
Common Phrases
- “Gizza” – give me
- “Yer got the hump” – are you annoyed
- “Mard arse” – stop feeling sorry for yourself
- “Ayup” – exclamation of surprise[5]
Remember to use these features judiciously in writing. The goal is to suggest the accent without making the text difficult to read. Consider using a mix of standard spelling with occasional dialect words and grammatical patterns to create an authentic but accessible Nottingham voice.
Sources
[1] Nottingham accent – An Interview with Professor Natalie Braber https://englishcoachonline.com/blog/nottingham-accent-natalie-braber-interview/
[2] East Midlands English – Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Midlands_English
[3] 11 words and phrases from Nottingham – Collins Dictionary Blog https://blog.collinsdictionary.com/language-lovers/11-words-and-phrases-from-nottingham/
[4] A Beginner’s Guide To Nottingham’s Dialect – Visit Nottinghamshire https://www.visit-nottinghamshire.co.uk/blog/read/2017/07/speak-in-nottingham-to-me-a-beginners-guide-to-nottinghams-dialect-b5498
[5] Nottingham sayings and their meanings. Do you know any? – Reddit https://www.reddit.com/r/nottingham/comments/rm2add/nottingham_sayings_and_their_meanings_do_you_know/
[6] Nottinghamshire dialect / slang – YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLXvHLX_EZw
[7] Nottingham colloquial translations to regular English https://mumblingnerd.com/2010/06/23/nottinghamenglish-phrases-in-idiomatic-form/
