The Localist in England - S1E5: The sound of Dorset

For her role as fossil hunter Mary Anning in the film “Ammonite”, actor Kate Winslet listened to recordings by a Lyme Regis local.

But what is a Dorset accent and how did it develop? As our world becomes increasingly interconnected, how are such accents changing?

Multicultural British English or MBE has emerged from the multi-cultural, multi-ethnic communities in cities like London and Manchester.

Adopted by those who live in urban and rural areas - like Dorset - speakers use MBE and mix it with their local variety to create a new linguistic identity.

In this episode Ollie explores how accents are a constantly evolving part of our culture. He also attempts to master a Dorset accent. Will he succeed? Probably not.

Thanks to Lizzie Wiscombe, Jonnie Robinson at the British Library and Dr Rob Drummond at Manchester Metropolitan University

Hosted and produced by Ollie Peart and Ian Ramsdale
Executive Producer Kathryn Morrison

Extract from Kate Winslet as Mary Anning in the film Ammonite, written and directed by Francis Lee. BBC Films/British Film Institute/See Saw Films

Published on Tuesday, 20th July 2021.

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