Q&A for How to Speak with a Cockney Accent

When I say these words in a cockney accent, I sort of imagine that I have a large piece of apple in my mouth. You have to expand your mouth in a more "o" ish shape when you get to the "igh" part. Don't enunciate the "t" as much if at all. Drag out the "igh" a little bit. Don't say the "r" in right. I hope this helps. Or should I say," Ay 'ope dis 'elps."

"Mother" should sound something like "movah," along with "brother" which sounds like "bruvah." For example, "Movah, I'm goin' out wiv me bruvah."

Because they pronounce "brother" as "bruvah," so "bruv" is a shortened version of that.

'The', 'this' and 'them' are pronounced the same, while 'these' sounds more like you're saying 'they's'. With 'those' you have to enunciate the 'o' a bit more, and with 'there' just don't say the 'r' sound.

Depending on your skill in language interpretation, it may take you a few hours to a year.

Try watching the UK soap opera Eastenders for a modern cockney accent. Be sure to study the born-and-bred characters, not the incomers. Watch BBC London news if possible, again studying the accents of those who feature in the news who are from the East End of London.

Dodger is a cockney Londoner, so probably not much for the pronunciation. His accent is very strong, so he would be quite loud and sound obnoxious and emphasize words. For slang used, many of Fagin's gang use slang to avoid being caught. So, instead of saying "You are stupid!" he would say "You are green!" which is used in many adaptations of the book. Slang like 'beak', meaning magistrate or judge, would be used.

It's a common accent for people to imitate, many people find it funny.

If you watch Les Miserables, the kid Gavroche has a cockney accent. His accent is pretty spot-on, although he doesn't use it in other movies.

Cockney people who originally, habitually spoke this way lived in the East End of London. Some say that to be a true Cockney, you have to have been born within the earshot of the chimes of bells of St Mary le Bow Church. Today, many Londoners have Cockney-type accents.

Try listening to music from Mary Poppins and My Fair Lady so that you can get an idea and practice a lot.

Replace the "th" with an "f," so like "froat," nearly like "float.0" Emphasize the "oa" as well, and cut off the "t" at the end.

You would pronounce "you" just as you would in a British/RP accent, dragging out the "ou" a bit.

It sounds like a mix of "stay" and "stoy".

Pronounce it as follows: Te-cha. Tay (as in Taylor) and cha (as in charm).

Instead of just saying the actual word (such as 'believe' instead of 'Adam and Eve'), people with Cockney accents may use different words; for example, if someone asked you what time it was, they might ask 'what does your kettle and hob say?' instead of 'what does your watch say?'. If this still isn't clear, watch the movie 'Mary Poppins Returns', since there is a whole song about this that makes it fun to learn.

This is not how most people talk in England. There are many dialects in England. Some people speak the way their friends and family do and others mimic accents from people they admire.

No. Mancunians (people raised in Manchester) do not speak with Cockney accents. The accent of someone from Manchester sounds nothing like a Cockney accent to others that speak British English. The Manchester accent is certainly not a Cockney accent.

Yeah, yer doin' pritee good China. Try to focus on the content of your book though, don't get caught up in writting an authentic Cockney accent.