Aspects of sociolinguistic variation: the case of "mockney" and standard English

Every language is subject to change, though very often innovations are not perceived in a positive way, especially when the standard is infl uenced by other varieties, considered minor and less educated. This issue is particularly debated in Great Britain, where linguistic concerns are constantly discussed: here, Received Pronunciation has been recognized as the standard because of historical and socio-political reasons. Nevertheless, non-standard varieties have prospered: an emblem is Cockney, which is gradually changing from the so-called vulgar dialect of the working classes of London, to a new way of gaining street credibility. The purpose of the article is to discuss this reverse process of prestige by analysing how British politicians (namely Conservative George Osborne and Labour Ed Miliband) seem to conveniently adopt a mock Cockney accent (i.e. mockney), in order to overcome an old class-conscious view of talking proper. The research also takes into consideration how the British press has reacted and commented on this signifi cant change and how this refl ects today’s sociolinguistic situation in Britain.