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Learn more about British West Country voice overs
Ooh arr! Renowned for its strong and pronounced “r” sound, the West Country English reminds us of farmers... and pirates! It's often associated in the UK with rustic simplicity, and identified in the movies as "pirate speech". A British West Country voice over is the best option to convey the lifestyle in the West Country and 18th-century pirate ships.
Frequently asked questions
British West Country voice over info
The West Country accent is probably most identified as the stereotypical "pirate speech". The legendary Blackbeard himself was a native of the West Country. With intense "r" sounds, this accent portrays both the legal and outlaw seafaring tradition of West England.
Where does the British West Country accent come from?
Unlike standard English, which derives from the Old English Mercian dialects, the West Country dialects have their roots in the West Saxon dialect. Their origins are in the expansion of Anglo-Saxons into the west of England. Although the English language started spreading into Cornwall after the 13th century, a complete shift to English took centuries.
Where do people speak British West Country English?
The West Country is an area located in south west England. Even though their limits are loosely defined, it often includes the counties of Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset and Bristol, and sometimes is extended to include Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.
How to recognize a British West Country voice over?
Unlike most accents of British English, which have non-rhotic pronunciation, West Country accents are noticeable because they pronounce the "r" sound like American and Irish accents. The West Country speech also shows h-dropping, meaning the omission of the "h" sound at the beginning of words, so that "hair" often sounds like "air." The word-final letter "y" is pronounced with an "ei" sound, so "party" sounds more like "partei".
When to use a British West Country voice over?
Robert Newton's performance in the movie "Treasure Island" popularized the West Country accent as the stereotypical "pirate voice". So if your character is a pirate, British West Country voice over is the best choice! Blackbeard himself was a native of the West Country. The West Country accent has also been associated with farming and rustic simplicity. Hagrid, from the Harry Potter fantasy novels, also has a West Country accent.