Received Pronunciation, often shortened to RP, is an accent of British English regarded as the standard accent of England, carrying high social prestige since the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It describes pronunciation alone, not vocabulary, grammar, or style, which sets it apart from a full dialect. RP grew out of the speech of prestigious universities such as Oxford and Cambridge and elite boarding schools in southeastern England, and though it began in a particular region it became associated with a social class rather than a place. The term itself dates back to at least 1710 and was used by the linguist Alexander John Ellis in the 1860s to describe the general, unmarked pronunciation used by educated speakers; the phonetician Daniel Jones formalized the idea in 1917 as public school pronunciation, later adopting the name Received Pronunciation by 1926, and the BBC adopted the accent as its broadcasting standard in 1922. Its prestige has declined since the 1960s, and it is now sometimes seen as a symbol of unearned privilege or of southeastern political dominance rather than simple correctness.
Facts
RegionDeveloped as a non-rhotic accent of southeastern England, emerging among the 'Golden Triangle' of the universities of London, Oxford and Cambridge and the prestigious fee-charging public schools that fed them, such as Eton, Harrow and Rugby. 1 Speaker CommunityRegarded as the standard accent of England, carrying high social prestige since the late 19th and especially early 20th century; the BBC, formed in 1922 under Sir John Reith, selected educated southeastern English as its broadcasting standard, promoting it as 'correct' spoken English. 1 Distinguishing FeaturesThe 'long' high vowels in RP, /i:/ and /u:/, are slightly diphthongised and are often narrowly transcribed in phonetic literature as diphthongs. 1 Classification
Variety Kind Sources
1. Wikipedia: Received Pronunciation
Wikimedia FoundationEtymology and history section
RP developed during that time, emerging as a non-rhotic dialect of southeastern England, developing among the Golden Triangle of universities composed of London, Oxford, and Cambridge, as well as the prestigious fee-charging public schools that fed them, such as Eton, Harrow and Rugby.
Lead and Etymology and history sections
In 1922, the BBC formed under Sir John Reith, selecting educated and aristocratic southeastern English as its broadcasting standard, citing its being widely understood globally as the reason.
Phonology, Long and short vowels section
The vowels called "long" high vowels in RP /iː/ and /uː/ are slightly diphthongised, and are often narrowly transcribed in phonetic literature as diphthongs [ɪi] and [ʊu].
Variety kind, Received Pronunciation entity page
RP grew out of the speech of prestigious universities such as Oxford and Cambridge and elite boarding schools in southeastern England, and though it began in a particular region it became associated with a social class rather than a place.
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