Bristol accents.

[198x]

I work in Bristol and the majority of people will add an L to words ending in 'ea'. For example idea becomes ideal (which can be confusing) and the funniest I've heard is Diarrhea is Diarrheal.

Does anyone know as to why this happens as I've asked a couple of work colleagues and they have no idea.

Also does anywhere else in the country use this or is it just Bristol folk?

[Goodsoulette]

I have only ever heard it added to idea. Its just because it helps them finish off the long vowels which are really long in a Brizzle accent. Its quite sweet really, I think its a very friendly city. West country accents will never ever be cool, unfortunately.

[warpig1]

Don't know anyone with a bristol accent so can't comment but to use your example some people say idear and diarrhear, have you noticed this? Where do they come from?

[Goodsoulette]

exactly warpig, i think the Bristol thing is just an exaggerated version of this.

[semolina]

I have lived in Bristol for ten years now.

I think Bristol used to be called Brigstow, but in usual Bristol fashion, if there isn't an L on the end of word, they add it, and if there is an L, they sometimes ignore it.

Hence, area becomes areal, premature dementia is premature demential. And a TV aerial becomes TV aeria.

I worked in an office where Theresa was Theresal, Pamela was Pamelal.

Why, I don't know, but it is rather quaint. A small book was published on the Bristol dialect which was very funny. I can't remember the author/title.

[pixie_woo]

My Father works in Bristol and shared an office with a man who named his daughter Jessica. She has been and always will be Jessical.

[Peter Pedant]

Damn someone else ahs pointed out that Bristol used to be spelt Bristow on oldmaps

and they put an el on the end of that

When Bristol played Bury at home in the sixties, the Bristol lads ran around, mimicking the Northern Bury a ccent and shouting Burrell ! Burrell !

PP

[SteveD]

While searching for a website referring to the bristol accent, I came across this:

http://www.wikihow.com/Speak-in-a-British-Acce nt

I love the warning at the bottom!!

Anyway, here is reference to the "Bristol L" in an Australian site:

http://www.webwombat.com.au/travel/articles/br istol.htm