The Science of Accents

Taylor Swift has changed her accent over the years – and science can prove it. A quirky new study from the University of Minnesota analysed hours of Swift interviews to show how her voice shifted depending on what era she was in. For Professor Luke O’Neill, it’s the perfect excuse to dive into one of his favourite subjects: accents and dialects.

From the five distinct dialects of Ireland to the 30-plus versions of English spoken worldwide, this week’s podcast looks at why we sound the way we do – and why accents change over time. He explains how Elizabethan English is still alive in pockets of North America, why Irish “borrow words” like galore, slew, baloney and hooligan have shaped English, and how the Beatles made regional accents cool in the 1960s.

There’s science, history, and plenty of fun in this trip through the way we speak – with Luke revealing his two favourite English accents (spoiler: think West Country warmth and Southern US drawl). And yes, he’s very happy that the Irish accent now ranks among the coolest in the world.

Got an accent story of your own, or an idea for a future episode? Drop Luke an email at [e-mail].