Survey of English Dialects

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Listen to 288 extracts from the Survey of English Dialects, a groundbreaking nationwide survey of the vernacular speech of England, undertaken by researchers at the University of Leeds. More.

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• Welwick, Yorkshire

  Welwick, Yorkshire: Miss Dibnah explains how to make white bread, brown bread and spice bread. Read a transcript of this recording on the British Library's 'Sounds Familiar' website .

• Hackney, Middlesex

  Hackney, Middlesex: Mr Kent recalls various forms of horse-drawn public transport. Cambridge Heath (just to the south of Hackney) Bloomsbury (to the southwest) Dalston (just to the west) and Pentonville (just to the southwest) are all nearby areas of...

• Ronague, Isle of Man

  Ronague, Isle of Man: Amanda expresses her dismay at the lack of discipline she sees in children at the time this recording was made in the 1950s compared with the strictness of her upbringing in the closing years of the 19th century. Ballabeg is a...

• Weare Giffard, Devon

  Weare Giffard, Devon: Dick recalls the treatment he received from three different farmers as a young farm hand. Monkleigh is a village just to the southwest of Weare Giffard.

• Sheffield, Yorkshire

  Sheffield, Yorkshire: The speaker describes the process of making steel. The original recording appears to have been paused on one occasion. Rotherham is a large town to the northeast of Sheffield.