Received Pronunciation - the RP Accent

Standard or Neutral sounding English

Most non-native speakers of English want to speak a neutral or standard kind of English. If people wish to reduce a native regional accent, it is normally towards this same standard English. This is sometimes called BBC English, the Queen's English, even Oxford English. But the most common name is Received Pronunciation, commonly shortened to RP.

The name 'Received Pronunciation' suggests an accent that is acquired rather than regional. It is also sometimes called BBC English, as the BBC initially adopted this accent for its clarity and non-regionality. It is the accent described in dictionaries and taught to foreign speakers.

Historically RP came from the royal court. 'Received' actually refers to being received at court (allowed to visit). This is why it can be referred to as the Queen's English, although the current queen has an accent almost unique to her alone. As the court was based in London, RP has a lot in common with the speech of the south east of the country.

The accent further developed in the private schools and universities of the 19th century - why it can occasionally be called Oxford English. People increasingly felt obliged to adopt the accent in order to be successful in society. Prestige is still attached to this accent, and people usually assume speakers have a high level of education.

Nowadays sharp divisions in class are going, and the accent is widely spoken. When people lighten their regional accents, they always lighten it in the direction of RP, so it is felt to be standard English. All English dictionaries and English as a Second Language (ESL) materials use RP as the standard. There is now a whole range of RP, from the very posh accents of the royal family, down to a more neutral sounding modern version.

The modern version of RP is therefore the most appropriate accent to learn, the most widely understood, and what most people ask for when they ask for neutral. It also has the benefit of producing very clear, well-balanced and articulate speech.

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