Learn English with Downton Abbey | British Accents

Downton Abbey is a British historical drama set in the early 20th century. We use it to learn all about the difference between two British English accents: the traditional received pronunciation of Violet, the Dowager and the Yorkshire accent of Daisy.
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[@salvaaznar1292]

I love Downton Abbey, I have seen it several times. Lady Maggie Smith is simple the best. I love her.

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

She's hilarious, isn't she Salva! Glad you like the video

[@salvaaznar1292]

@@EatSleepDreamEnglish You should make more videos like this. There are a lot of Downton Abbey episodes. She is not only hilarious but also is a superb actress! Thank you so much for your answer!!

[@laurenstich1049]

Dan Stevens as Matthew Crawley, may be among the most eloquent examples of RP -- Received Pronunciation. The voice is elegant, resonant and simply mesmerizing. And Dan Stevens uses this in his everyday speech as well, which also makes him one of the greatest book narrators today. THANK YOU so much for your educational & highly entertaining video. Just super!

[@raisa_cherry33]

Though I've never seen this series,but the way you have put yourself into the "accent" character is pretty awesome 😆😆😆😂😂😂😂👏💖💖💖😍

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Hehehe I lived and breathed those characters Raisa ; ) thanks for the kind comment

[@jdward6048]

I would love to see part 2, 3, 4, and 5 of this. So many great accents on the show!

[@jayargonauts7428]

Anyone interested in listening to a real aristocratic accent should listen to Nancy Mitford and her sisters, Pam, Diana, Jesica and Deborah. Excellent video!

[@lorettabertoli3736]

love it!!! I'm actually taking advantage of this forced stop from work to watch Downton Abbey. Maybe (just maybe)I would've added Lady Cora's light Eastern USA accent and especially Branson's Irish accent. I have a good English comprehension so I can distinguish between accents but I would've loved to have them analyzed by someone who knows much better like you Tom. Anyway this video is truly TOP! thanks so much.

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

That's a great idea for video number 2 Loretta...thank you!

[@vincentberthelot4502]

One of my favourite English teaching youtube channels crosses over with one of my favourite British TV shows! Smashing!

[@carloszigalinistone8638]

Loved the drama, and I also love your analysis of the different accents! Thank you, Tom!!

[@marthacelisdevargas8344]

One of my favourite shows, and you do such a wonderful job. It was hilarious and at the same time so enlightening! Thanks so much and please, stay safe!

[@salmachi9836]

I watched the whole series, I really admire it. It is my favorite historical drama ever.

[@aricamp_]

Amazing video! I love Downton Abbey, it helped me to improve my English very much. I wish i had Mary's accent, it sounds so good! Thank you Tom, this was such a good video! Useful and fun as always 😌

[@receivedSE]

"Daniel Jones' ENGLISH PRONOUNCING DICTIONARY Revised by A.C. Gimson, Dent, 1977" is the most famous and the best handbook on Received Pronunciation (RP).

[@pattygalarce8019]

Thank you Tom. Interesting lesson

[@Cristinglish]

I love this!!! 😍😍😍 I'm intrigued now with this TV series...

[@silvinarazuc9093]

Wonderful explanations!!!! Very clear!!! Thanks a lot!!!

[@FabiWe91]

This made my day! The idea to use Downton Abbey and the amount of effort you put into this, fantastic... The other day I watched a couple of videos about Liz Taylor and I noticed the many accents she spoke with, both in her private life and in movies. I immediately thought of you of course. It might be an topic to analyze her different accents.

[@yuwanko3994]

This is amazingly interesting!!! Thank you very much for featuring my favorite British drama and afavorite character, Daisy!

[@queennadya1937]

Thank you, Tom! ❤ Stay safe 😊

[@MrGalpino]

In a *traditional* RP of this era, "go" would pronounced /go:/, as pronounced by the Queen's father. /gəw/ is more mid-century and is how the Queen speaks. Learnt this from Geoff Lindsey.

[@lucile1972]

Thanks for this video, Downton Abbey is a great series

[@gvivo2120]

Absolutely spiffing video! I never knew you had a knack for humor, Tom. I hope you have more of this "upstairs- downstairs" format. I just find the RP English so pleasing to hear (such great clarity!) but it's a big help to familiarize myself with the Yorkshire accent so I don't get "lost" when I listen to it (it's rather hard to understand, I admit). Thanks😀🇵🇭

[@ILOCANONGENGLISHERO]

Thanks to all your videos a lot......lots of my friends just wondering..asking me.. about my accent a lot..cheers...I been listening and watching you for years. ..really appreciate it

[@krystynachupak4303]

Great video, thanks!

[@claudiaf.9132]

Thank you Tom!! I love this video! Thanks!

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Yay! Glad you enjoyed it Claudia : )

[@MrGalpino]

Traditional RP dropped h in certain words, eg "hotel". That's why in formal writing you can find "an hotel". My pet peeve is when people read it with the h.

[@arinaberezkina2696]

Thank you very much!!! That is my favourite series!

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Glad you liked it Zeig!

[@lorenzourbini9527]

Thank you so much!!

[@ModusVivendi838]

Thank you! I love Daisy and Violet!!👏👏👏

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Daisy is great, isn't she? Thanks for watching.

[@thewildstreak1]

Your accents and character sketches are so spot on! 😂🤣

[@frfancha]

This one is really great! Thanks.

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Woohoo! Happy you enjoyed it frfancha

[@Asidders]

This is brilliant!

[@thungo5990]

I understand .Thank

[@Ricardo-xg6gx]

Hi Tom, I've just found out your channel and I am grateful surprised for the quality, I am only a low intermediate student but I've noticed the load materials where I can increase my level, it's evident that behind of each of your videos there is an enormous quantity of good work, thanks.

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Welcome Ricardo, great to have you with us. I hope you learn a lot from my videos and please ask questions if you have any.

[@devotee4813]

These are so good!!! Making learning fun Good job I can't pronounce the northern but, done, up sound...

[@Tweeteketje]

Very interesting. I adore Downton Abbey, I would love to see a video that analyses the accents of the other characters as well!

[@RobertJohnson-je6tx]

Loved this. Been waiting for you to do something using Downton Abby. Glad you used the Dowager Countess. Whenever she spoke I always felt serenely confident that all was right with the world or it would be if on,y everyone did as she instructed. Two words for another episode, Appreciate and Privacy. They are always pronounced so differently on British television. Keep up the good work.

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Hahaha so true Robert, she is the Queen of everything! Thanks for the ideas too : )

[@gautamsinha878]

Hello Tom....you were wonderful.....& D.A. is one of our all-time favourites. In fact,it IS addictive. Many thanks from India. From The Dowager to the Kitchen help Daisy & ALL the rest of the cast....it is an all time classic by Julian Fellowes.

[@rieke9164]

Thank you so much Tom! Great video! Happy weekend and lots of love from Germany 😊🤗

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Ahh great! Thanks for taking the time to comment Mieke. Hugs from London to Germany

[@babariaking1790]

Nice one! More on Downton Abbey please!🙏

[@randorific333]

Tom, I want to thank you so much for all of the hard work and planning you do for your videos. Downton Abbey is one of my favourite shows and admittedly I struggled at first with the accents. (I'm American - was scheduled to move to London in April but that's been delayed, obvs!) Daisy's accent was the most difficult for me to understand. But after visiting London so many times over the past few years I can actually now understand most of what's being said. Again, many thanks (or "ta muchly") for your wonderful videos. I'm so glad I stumbled upon your channel!

[@danielgardecki1046]

Except she's from *Bradford* - The worlds first *UNESCO City of Film* in the North, and speaks in her normal *Bradford* accent, so how exactly *London* in the South East helps you with her accent God's knows.

[@pamelchowdhury]

Thanks

[@eigtbal87]

I love Downton Abbey soooooo much!!!

[@lv4235]

Love it!

[@dakko7975]

Thank you Tom. Your videos, especially those on accent are so great and help me absorb English a lot. Can you make a video on Matthew McFayden accent. I sometimes find it hard to understand what he say in movies and interviews. Thank again!

[@RichardDworkin]

Excellent !!!!

[@Kkim0830]

Love your video!

[@MrBa6]

Hi Tom, thank you for your brilliant videos which are always fun! Today I thought about the different ways to pronounce the word „either“ and it would be a great pleasure to see a video about that. Cheers! Lots of Love from Germany.

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

That's a great suggestion MrBa6, thank you.

[@AYESHA-vk2uz]

Love that tv series! ꦱꦧꦂꦢꦤ꧀ꦠꦮꦏ꧀ꦏꦭ꧀

[@Luuminous_Luu]

"It is rather dizzy when saying that" love it.

[@channchannel3267]

♥️ the best modern English teacher.

[@mihira9303]

Awesome, as always! :)

[@dorothyjordan4355]

I love traditional received pronunciation. I Want to lern it.

[@Michelleilovetmills]

This is officially my favourite english video ever. I love English and I love Downton Abbey

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Wowowowow! High praise indeed Michelle : ) Thanks so much!

[@MMmk1]

Gordon Bennett, you're so much of a better actor than most youtubers, wow!

[@katherinemcmahon924]

This is awesome 👏🏼 thank you!!!! Love this show ! I always thought Daisy had a bit of a speech impediment? Lisp? Changing her accent even more. Is that right ?

[@zaydoonal-lamy5125]

Your character is absolutely awesome.

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Cheers dude! Glad you enjoyed it :)

[@Travelogues_Arunava]

I have seen this entire saga of Mr. Julian Fellowes & quiet enthralled & been a part of the family. Hugh Bonneville was excellent & I have always been a fan of his dialogue delivery. The English Game is another magnum-opus & you could make one video related to that show.

[@jacquilf4613]

Bloody brilliant mate!!! Enjoyed your video. From a fellow native.

[@heliofurusawa6761]

Great!!!

[@LinaM-np6fg]

Like your method of teaching. Stay safe and secure.

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Cheers L Ghosh, you too : )

[@rudolfblaha7701]

hey tom, youve made another enjoyable video. im watching poirot tv series in english. its very popular in slovakia

[@Lunalorenz]

I loooove your video !! You’re a good actor as well! (I’m an ESL teacher and teacher trainer- I watch and look for lots of videos for my students. 😊your videos are being shared)

[@ebrahim234]

That's great mate keep up the good work

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Cheers Ebrahim : )

[@toddperman8265]

Americans love Downton Abbey, Thank You PBS for airing it.

[@zeynepyayla3131]

I want to thank you for the channel.🎈

[@mamymimma]

Tom, you're formidable👏

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Ha! Bless you Mamy, always happy to hear from you : )

[@SuperSafariGirl]

My most beloved Downton Abbey! ❤🧡💚

[@ALINA-fc5qu]

can you analyze "Peaky Blinders"?

[@ladyhamiltonxoxo3137]

yes it would be amazing. There are a lot of "f*ck of" and "bloody animals"

[@rand1486]

Actually he did it , it's on the channel .

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Here you go A L I N A just for you ; ) - kzbin.info/www/bejne/kInXd4N3r79sgas

[@alicerossi_ap]

😄 Spectacular! Lovable both Toms and hurray for the A (æ) of the Northerners! Thanks much Tom, you made me laugh 😃 👍

[@ScarlettOcean92]

This is why I was always a huge fan of the accents in Game of Thrones - almost every male Stark from the north had a NORTHERN English accent - the only exceptions are Catelyn (who is not a northerner by birth) and Sansa (to a certain extent, also Arya) who were likely tutored to have more of a refined 'southern' accent that is less rough.

[@joseeduardotorrezaban8310]

Me parece genial tu Canal!!!

[@mahasabeaayon3902]

More downtown abbey abd tom all accrnts suit u how useful a video this is

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Glad you enjoyed it Maha : )

[@bibiderennes]

Merci Tom ! from Britanny (France) See you soon !

[@michela8836]

I love this😍😍😍

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Thanks Michela, so glad to hear it : )

[@franloa7678]

I watched all the seasons in a row in Christmas two years ago. And the film as well,of course. I absolutely adore this TV Show. However, I have to say that the TV Show is better than the film,in my opinion, don't be offended!!! Thanks a lot for this video. I would like to recommend this TV show ,tons of vocabulary, expression and super posh accent. Love it!!!

[@ClaudC]

5:44 You're hilarious! "My mouth won't allow it" :🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@azmaeenaaupar9833]

I had been waiting for this episode for years...

[@sebastianpablovecchiorodriguez]

Love it Tom! This reminds me a BBC series: Upstairs Downstairs, ages ago, when I was a child. A great hug from South America!

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Hehe oh yes, I'd totally forgotten about that. Cheers Sebastian

[@danielgardecki1046]

*Upstairs Downstairs* and *Downton Abbey* have nothing to do with the *BBC.* Both of them are *ITV* shows.

[@ninjakeks9326]

I think my English teacher in a German Grammar School may taught us a mish-mash of modern PR, traditional RP, and some American English... I say "suit", "suitable" and similar words with a j-sound.

[@haithammk1558]

Seems an interesting TV serie!!

[@ralph5450]

I thought you were Daniel Radcliffe.

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Hehehe not this week Ralph ; )

[@moirbasso7051]

@@EatSleepDreamEnglish Not with that speech impediment. He needs orthodonture, seriously.

[@manjirabanerjee7169]

Gonna watch Downton Abbey...thnks

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Great! Let me know what you think Manjira

[@manjirabanerjee7169]

@@EatSleepDreamEnglish watching the first episode right nooooooow...yippee

[@manjirabanerjee7169]

I am an anglophile and very much interested in the British aristocracy. Watched The Crown and how I loved it.

[@randerson7723]

Amazing video! what's the accent of 'Sarah O'Brien' played by 'Siobhan Fenneran' in Downton Abbey..?

[@dewopras6905]

I hope you can analyze "Line of Duty"

[@slavicagrujanic3911]

Brilliant! Greetings from Serbia!

[@nellielaroy4]

Rob James-Collier has the BEST accent in Downton Abbey (I think he’s from near Manchester)... I could listen to him for hours and hours...😁

[@Angelissinging963]

Oh my, that’s the reason why I’m following this channel and looking forward, now we have it, Maggie Smith is the best 😍😍😍, I love her the most, Would we have more Dowager’s accent?

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

Yay! I'm very happy you enjoyed it Ansel : )

[@Angelissinging963]

Eat Sleep Dream English thank you, I’m looking for it 😍

[@RichardDCook]

As an American, it's fascinating when listening to the Yorkshire accent to hear a random familiar vowel sound in the midst of several unfamiliar ones, ditto with the posh, or West Country, or Scottish, or Irish. This makes the American accent seem not so much a blend as a smorgasbord, as if the Colonists said "I'll have one of these, and one of these..."

[@EnglishforFOOTBALLFANS]

Such a good video as always... The English Game is written by the same writer.

[@danielgardecki1046]

*Sophie McShera* from *Bradford* *Downton Abbey* (2019) partly filmed in *Bradford* *The English Game* mainly filmed in *Bradford* by the look of it, although I've not seen it yet.

[@holger_p]

Not sure, if it's a good choice, to go with actors, who all only imitate certain accent's, it's not original speakers - but it might be good for motivation. No sound is wrong, but it may sound strange if you change the accent from word to word, as some foreigners unwillingly do. Billy Elliot is also good sample for a strong Yorkshire accent, although it's actually from Durham.

[@galian151]

Hi ! So what is Matthew's accent, which quite different from Lady Mary's accent ?

[@nelllorimer86]

Is part 2 up yet?

[@monimure2249]

Hi Tom! Great video👍👍👍 thank you so much😁👍 Where could I find and download this drama?

[@EatSleepDreamEnglish]

I'm not sure about where to download it but you'll find loads of clips on KZbin

[@monimure2249]

@@EatSleepDreamEnglish ok😁👍👍👍

[@lucreciap8359]

Downtown!! 🤍

[@cynhwon]

I once had a colleague from Yorkshire and she used to say 'see you on MOOOOONNDday' to us. I think it sounds very cute. :P

[@itchigo]

Is the conservative rp the same as the traditional rp?

[@vsepr2]

"...yod dropping. Hm, hm, hm..." :D ♥

[@Sebsen13]

I luv it!!! You might truh to get a propuh microphone - we could hear ya be'er ;)

[@berostar5637]

Mr upstairs and Mr downstairs is really great and amusing idea

[@ghlscitel6714]

I learned the suit j here at school. What this lady pronounces is pretty much close to our school standards (Germany)