Neighbours Does in Queens English Mate!

Apparently saturation coverage of Neighbours is destroying the hallmark BBC English.

The traditional refined English accent is in danger of disappearing, and the hit Australian TV soap Neighbours could be partly to blame.

Casting directors for a range of plays, TV shows and films in Britain are struggling to find actors who can speak proper English.

The problem appears to stem from a drop in the number of young people brought up to speak with the clipped English accent known as received pronunciation (RP), The Times newspaper reported.

Known as "the accent of educated south-eastern England" and famously used by BBC announcers, RP is gradually being replaced by the classless estuary English, which is based on non-regional and south-eastern English pronunciation and intonation.

And Australian accents could be filtering into the mix.

TV producer Suzan Harrison said she had found casting children in British dramas difficult because many had picked up "an Antipodean lilt from watching Neighbours".

Having lived around the world, I can identify with this. My somewhat bland original Scottish accent has been manhandled out of existence by having to interact with all these foreigners and their bloody accents. New words, phrases, pacing, accents have been incorporated into my communication patterns.

The worst culprits were Americans, which places me in Canada for many people trying to guess where I am from. People often don't pick up my Scottish accent. I am rarely picked for English, but often Irish. No idea on that one. I can certainly revert to my Jocko mode if necessary, especially after a few beers. When I talk to my family at home in the Motherland now, their accents seems somewhat foreign and intensely Scottish. The kids love to make jokes about Scottish accents now.

Now I am surrounded by bloody Antipodeans, including my family and have picked up some of their lingo and I suppose some pronounciations. In the end I am comfortable with whatever comes out.