IN response to Mr A Walmsley (Letters, January 3), the English language is not spoken "in hundreds of corrupt dialects." Each dialect of English has evolved in parallel over centuries.
Unfortunately, many English regional dialects have died out in the last couple of centuries, leaving regional accents as their major relic.
The dialect of the rich and powerful in London and the South East became the "Queen's English" and its pronunciation has been promoted as "proper English." But this is simply an accident of history.
Had the centre of political power in Britain been in Edinburgh the "Queen's English" would be a version of Scots English; had it been in Manchester, the "Queen's English" would be a form of Lancashire dialect.
As the linguist Max Weinreich truly said, "a language is a dialect with an army and a navy."
I welcome the fact that regional accents are now heard regularly in the media, and especially if they are Lancashire accents. The Lancashire accent is a key part of our culture and heritage in this part of the world. Long may it continue.
COUNCILLOR DAVE HOLLINGS, Sudell Road, Darwen.
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