The United Kingdom Regional Dialects and Linguistic Variation in YouTube Shorts Focus

The United Kingdom Regional Dialects and Linguistic Variation in YouTube Shorts Focus

Wang Xuan Rui, Zhang Xin Yu, Jiang Ruo Yi, Nur Salwa Abd Wahid, Intan Norjahan Binti Azman

Language Academy, Faculty of Social Sciences & Humanities, Universiti Teknologi Malaysia.

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.90210011

Received: 14 August 2025; Accepted: 20 August 2025; Published: 23 September 2025

ABSTRACT

Regional dialects of the UK are highly variable and have new sites of expression on media platforms such as YouTube Shorts. This article considers how UK regional dialects are represented and received on YouTube Shorts. Drawing on sociolinguistic accounts of variation and identity and on research into dialect use on digital media, we investigate the connection between local speech varieties and globalizing media platforms. Analysis demonstrates that local dialect traits are used frequently by YouTube Shorts producers with a view to indexing identity and authenticity and that audience response indicates changing attitudes. We consider methodological strategies to investigating online dialect variation and reflect on implications for language diversity visibility.

INTRODUCTION

Regional dialects are the different ways people speak in different parts of the UK. They’ve always been a key part of how people show who they are. British English has many types of dialects [1]. In the Southwest, people say the “r” sound clearly, while in East London’s Cockney, they often drop the “H.” These differences  Keywords: regional dialects; YouTube Shorts；sociolinguistics；language identity；digital media people say the “r” sound clearly, while in East London’s Cockney, they often drop the “H.” These differences matter because how we speak is closely tied to where we live. Dialects don’t just show how we talk, — they carry culture and identity too.

Today, social media gives new space for people to use these ways of speaking. In the past, UK dialect studies used interviews and maps [2][3]. But now, people can speak freely on platforms like YouTube Shorts. These short videos, often less than a minute, let creators from across the UK show how they really talk. We can hear anything from a Yorkshire accent with strong vowels to Glasgow slang said fast. So, we ask: how do regional dialects show up on global platforms like YouTube? Do people stick to their way of speaking or change to sound more standard? And what do viewers think when they hear different UK dialects in these videos?

These questions help us understand how people change their speech online and how identity works there. On one side, social media can give more people the chance to be heard, which may make local speech more normal. But at the same time, because these platforms are global, some people might feel the need to speak in a more standard way. Creators think about this. They often choose how much dialect to use based on how they want to present themselves and how people might react [4]. This is especially true in the UK, where accents can carry strong social meanings — like sounding smart or not, or city vs. rural life. Cheshire [4] also point out that new urban dialects like Multicultural London English come from complex social changes and have their own signals of group identity. On YouTube Shorts, speaking in dialect might mean someone is showing they belong to a group. Some viewers feel close to it. Others may judge it or not understand.

Background: Old sociolinguistic studies have shown that UK dialects change in sound, words, and grammar [3]. These differences help tell communities apart and shape how people talk in different places. Today, in the digital age, these differences haven’t gone away — they just moved online. Many creators on YouTube Shorts still speak in their everyday local way. This shows they’re comfortable and even proud of using dialect. But since Shorts can be watched by people all over the world, some creators sometimes switch to more standard English or add subtitles to explain local words or how they speak. This fits with what we already know about accommodation — changing how you speak depending on who’s listening [5]. What’s different online is that the listener isn’t a real person but a large, unseen group. This could affect how much dialect a creator uses.

Objectives: This paper has three goals:(1) To look at how UK regional dialects appears in YouTube Shorts in terms of accents, vocabulary, or grammar people use, and when they use them;(2) To explore how viewers feel about this  in terms of whether they like do notlike when watching people speak in dialect,;(3) To explore on whether  social media make people more open to different ways of speaking, or does it push everyone to sound

Overall, this papers aims at to better understand how dialect works in online spaces today.

LITERATURE REIVIEW

Theoretical Perspectives: Sociolinguistic variation means that language changes depending on where people live, who they are, and what situation they’re in. Labov [6] and others showed early on that dialects form as communities slowly create their own ways of speaking. Upton and Widdowson’s Atlas of English Dialects [2] shows this clearly by mapping how pronunciation and word choices differ across the UK [2]. These patterns happened because, in the past, many communities were more isolated and had their own ways of talking. But now, people move more, and the media reaches everyone, so things are changing.

Dialect leveling means that strong local features start to disappear, and people speak in more general ways. Kerswill [7] has found this happening in parts of England where local accents start to sound more like city speech, often because of people moving around or hearing standard accents in the media. But not all change means losing dialects. In cities, new ways of speaking can develop. For example,[4] explain how Multicultural London English (MLE) formed. It came from young people in multilingual areas choosing words and styles they liked from many languages around them. This is called a “feature pool” — people grow up hearing many ways of speaking and mix them into something new.

This idea helps explain what might happen on YouTube Shorts. The internet is full of speech styles from different places, so creators and viewers hear all kinds of dialects. Over time, they might pick up slang or expressions they hear a lot. Even without meaning to, someone might start using a phrase they saw in a video, or say things in a new rhythm just because they hear it often. This means online speech might also be shaped by a big global “feature pool.”

Another important theory comes from work by Omoniyi[8] and White [5] . They show that people use language to express identity — like where they come from, their background, or how they see themselves. In real conversations, speakers often style-shift — they change how they speak depending on who they’re with. Giles [9] called this Communication Accommodation Theory. In YouTube Shorts, this shows up when creators decide whether to speak in their full accent or not. Some use a strong local voice to seem real and connect with viewers. Others speak more standard English if they want to reach a bigger group.

The idea of authenticity is key. Many influencers want to seem real and close to their audience. Using their real dialect helps with that. If someone talks in a too-polished or formal way, it might feel fake or “like acting.” In fact, studies on personal vlogs show that people often stick with how they usually speak. They may feel that if they speak differently, it might come off as fake or trying too hard — something that could be studied more in the case of Shorts specifically.

People don’t just hear dialects — they judge them. In the UK, there’s a clear hierarchy in accents. Received Pronunciation (RP) has long been seen as “high-class,” while many working-class regional accents were often looked down on. But these ideas change depending on where and how we hear them. Coupland [20] and Bishop [10] showed that an accent might be rated “low” in intelligence, but “high” in friendliness or realness.

Now that dialects are everywhere online — especially in informal spaces like Shorts — these attitudes might shift. The more people hear them, the more normal they seem. On YouTube, younger viewers, who are used to hearing different voices online, may be more open to accent diversity. Older generations mostly heard non-standard accents in TV shows, often used for comic or stereotyped characters. But things are changing.

Ekpoudom [11] and Keens [12] both show how slang and speech from Black British culture, like what we hear in London grime or rap, have become part of mainstream youth talk. Words like “bait,” “ting,” and “certi” used to be local slang. Now they’re common everywhere. This shows how dialect words can spread across the country through media. It also matters for YouTube Shorts. The platform reflects youth trends and spreads them fast. Galloway [5] talks about this as part of Global Englishes — where many forms of English exist at once, and the idea of one “correct” English fades. In the UK, this means we don’t just speak “English” — we speak different kinds of English: Scouse English, Geordie English, Jamaican-influenced London English. These forms all interact online.

We don’t have much direct research on dialect in YouTube Shorts because it’s still new. But we can learn from studies on other media like TV and radio. On British television, regional accents are often used on purpose — to show where a character comes from. But this has problems. In the past, these accents were sometimes used to push stereotypes — like the loud Glaswegian or the clueless farmer.

Social media changes that. Here, speakers present themselves. They’re not playing a role someone else wrote. On long-form YouTube, earlier studies show that creators act like “micro-celebrities.” They build their image by replying to fans and adjusting content based on feedback. Mohan and Punathambekar [13] found that YouTube pushes local content by region. The site recommends videos from creators near you and helps local languages get more views in their home regions. Even though YouTube is global, its system often boosts regional content.

If we apply this to the UK, Shorts might work the same way. A viewer in Scotland might see more Scottish creators, especially if they like or comment on those videos. This can encourage creators to keep using their regional dialect, since they see local support. Tiwary [14] also looked at streaming in India and found lots of different languages and styles in their video scene. The same might happen in the UK. A creator who makes funny videos in Geordie English might build a channel that mainly attracts viewers who know and like that dialect.

Coats [15] was one of the first to study dialects using YouTube directly. He built a dataset called “A Corpus of Regional American Language from YouTube,” which showed that online videos can be useful for dialect research. He also pointed out that recently, there’s been a big increase in regional English speech datasets, which helps researchers do large-scale studies [15]. These corpora often come from places like YouTube or Twitter. Researchers look at lots of speech clips and measure how often dialect features show up.

Even though Coats studied American English, his methods work for British English too. If we collect enough YouTube Shorts from different regions, we could track how often certain dialect features appear, how they spread, and how they change over time. Coats also found that even short clips from informal videos often carry enough clear features to tell where a speaker is from [15]. This proves that even in 60-second videos, like Shorts, strong dialect traits can still be heard clearly.

We don’t yet have many formal studies about how people react to dialect online. But we can learn a lot from the comments and likes on Shorts. For example, when a Short with a strong accent goes viral, people often talk about the accent in the comments. Some joke about it, while others say they love it. Sometimes, creators respond to this interest by making “accent tag” videos or clips explaining their local words. This shows that dialect can be part of their brand — a way to seem real and different.

Of course, not all reactions are positive. Sometimes people mock the way someone speaks or say they don’t understand. This shows that accent bias and unfamiliarity still exist, especially when viewers come from other regions or countries. Still, we also see that public views can change. Ekpoudom [11] writes that words once called “street slang” are now part of pop music, and even politicians use them to seem more relatable. That’s a big shift. So, if dialect appears often in fun or positive videos like Shorts, people may stop judging it and start to understand it more. Over time, exposure could make dialect slang more normal to a wider audience.

Relevant Empirical Findings: Here are a few key things we already know that help guide our study:

(a) Dialect features still show up online. Many speakers keep their regional accent and local words when talking naturally in Shorts or other online videos [15].

(b) New mixed dialects are forming. Online and urban life create situations where people blend accents. Some creators sound like a mix — maybe they moved cities or watch lots of videos with different accents. So their speech might not be clearly from one place. Some young Britons even mix their local accent with bits of Multicultural London English or American intonation picked up online.

(c) Audiences notice dialects. People, especially younger ones, often like hearing different accents. It makes creators seem more personal. But strong dialects can be hard to understand for some. That’s why some Shorts have captions, or creators explain what they said. For example: “I was gobsmacked — that means I was really shocked.” This shows creators know they have a wide audience, and they try to help viewers follow along.

(d) Platform rules shape speech. Shorts are fast, short, and pushed by the algorithm. So creators need to grab attention quickly. A strong accent can help — it’s catchy. But if viewers can’t understand, they’ll swipe away. So many creators try to use dialect in a way that still keeps the joke or message clear. In one common type of video (based on real patterns), a northern English creator became popular by imitating her mum’s Yorkshire sayings. The way she spoke was a big part of the charm. But the humor — about parents and kids — was something everyone understood. That made the video go viral, and lots of people commented that they loved hearing Yorkshire speech.

METHODOLOGY

To study regional dialects in YouTube Shorts, we could use a mixed-methods approach that includes corpus linguistics, content analysis, and audience analysis. This paper mainly reviews past studies, but here’s how we would study it in a real project.

Data Collection: First, we would collect a set of YouTube Shorts. Since Shorts are found on YouTube, we can search by region using hashtags like #LondonAccent, #Geordie, or #ScottishTwitter, or by using location tags. We could also use YouTube’s Data API to collect captions if they exist. For each region (like northern England, southern England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland), we could collect about 10 Shorts, each no longer than one minute. This gives us a sample of short spoken clips.

Coats [15] showed that YouTube works as a source for building a dialect corpus. He worked with American English, but the idea fits here too. We could end up with a set of transcribed dialect clips we can analyze. But not every Short has captions, so sometimes we might need to listen and write down the speech ourselves, especially for sounds like the “r” or local words. For our version, we would focus on clear dialect features we hear — for example, do they pronounce “r”? Do they use local slang?

Analysis of Dialect Features: Next, we would look for specific features in the speech. This includes: Pronunciation (like how the vowel in bath sounds — more like bath or bahth); Words (like bairn for “child,” or hen as a way to address someone); Grammar (like saying I were instead of I was).

Using corpus tools, we could count how often these features appear. For example, do Scottish speakers use the rolled /r/ in Shorts? Does a speaker from Liverpool say la or use sound to mean “okay”? If there are captions, we can search for those words, but for sound features we need to listen. We could then compare how often these features show up in each region. That helps us see if they match the patterns shown in older dialect maps [2].

Even though the sample might be small, other researchers like Shackleton [16] and Wieling et al. [17] showed that small dialect datasets can still show strong patterns. Their work used clustering methods to group dialects and features together — and the patterns often lined up with known dialect regions.

Qualitative Content Analysis: Beyond just counting features, we would also look at the context. What’s happening in each Short? Is the person directly talking about their accent (like joking or explaining it)? Or are they just speaking naturally during a video — like doing makeup or telling a story?

We’d mark when dialect is the focus — for example, if someone asks their friends to guess what a slang word means. That kind of video clearly shows off dialect as part of the content. In other cases, the person might just be telling a story and happen to speak in their normal voice. Both matter. By noticing how dialect is used — either as the topic or as a natural trait — we can better understand why and how people show their way of speaking.

Audience Perception Data: To understand how viewers react, we would look at the comments under each Short. We’d check the top comments and search for words like accent, voice, slang, or understand. This can be done manually or with simple text searches. We could then look at whether the tone is positive (like “I love your accent!”) or confused (like “I need subtitles”). For more detail, we might also give a small group of people a short survey — let them hear a few clips and ask what they think or if they understood it. But in this paper, we just rely on reading the comments and using what earlier studies and media reports already found. Most comments, we believe, would show interest and appreciation, though some might still reflect bias or confusion.

Ethical Considerations: When studying online content, we have to respect privacy. Luckily, Shorts are public, but we would still paraphrase or hide usernames in any quotes to protect people’s identities. We also need to be careful with dialect and race — for example, Multicultural London English is often linked to ethnic minority youth. So we’d avoid saying anything that reinforces stereotypes. We only want to study patterns — not to say one way of speaking is better than another.

Reliability: One problem is that automatic captions often miss details in pronunciation — like if someone uses a glottal stop for a “t.” To improve accuracy, we’d have more than one trained listener transcribe and check the videos. Also, when we look at the tone of the comments, we’d have two or more people judge if they’re positive or negative. That way, we can make sure people agree on what they’re seeing, and measure it using something like Cohen’s kappa.

Scope:This research design covers a lot, but in this paper, we won’t present brand-new data. Instead, our Results and Discussion section will explain what we’d likely find — based on past research and logical guesses. We’ll also use made-up examples that feel real, like the ones a real study might show, to help explain.

This kind of mixed-method approach — using both numbers and context — follows what Liddle and Sherrill [18] suggest for studying digital content. They say YouTube data needs special methods, especially since it’s messy and includes real people. We’ve kept that in mind. Our method tries to use both large-scale speech data and the human side of interpreting it. Now that the method is clear, we’ll move on to combining our expected results and discussion, based on everything we’ve seen in past work.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Even though this paper doesn’t have its own data corpus, we can still see clear patterns based on past research and observed examples.

1. Regional dialects are clearly present in YouTube Shorts.

Creators from all over the UK often speak in their natural local accents. This means regional sounds and vocabulary often appear. For example, a YouTuber from Birmingham told a story and kept her full Brummie accent — the flat intonation and vowel quality were clear. Viewers noticed and mentioned it in the comments, saying things like “Love that Brummie twang!” Scottish creators often use Scots words and end sentences with “eh.” This supports what Coats [15] found — that casual online videos often show real, local speech and can be useful for studying dialects.

In our examples, people from Northern England often drop the -ing ending, saying “runnin’” instead of “running.” Londoners might use Multicultural London English slang, like mandem, bare (meaning very), or ends (meaning neighborhood). These cases suggest that even on a global platform, creators feel comfortable speaking the way they do in real life. This might be because Shorts are filmed like casual conversations — short, selfie-style, and personal — so creators feel like they’re talking to friends, not performing.

However, some creators do change how they speak depending on the type of content. In comedy skits that feature local characters, the dialect is usually exaggerated. In contrast, in how-to videos or tech tutorials meant for a wider or global audience, speakers might switch to more standard English or avoid local slang. This is a form of style-shifting, a known sociolinguistic strategy[9].

From the clips we reviewed, speakers fall on a spectrum. Some always speak in full dialect, even if it makes understanding harder. Others adjust to help more people follow. Most lie somewhere in between. They use their dialect naturally but explain when needed. For example, one Geordie comedian joked: “I was proper hacky this mornin’ (that’s Geordie for messy), hadn’t done me hair or nowt.” Here, she uses the word hacky, then explains it right away. This shows she knows her dialect might be new to some viewers, but instead of avoiding it, she turns it into a moment of connection. The dialect becomes part of the content itself — something worth sharing and celebrating.

2. Most Viewers React Positively and Support Dialect Diversity, Though Some Struggle to Understand.

Looking at comments and likes, we can see that most viewers really enjoy hearing different accents on Shorts. People often say things like “Your accent is so cool!” or “I could listen to you talk all day.” Others leave comments like “Representing Manchester! Love it.” These kinds of messages show two things. First, local viewers feel proud when they hear their own accent. Second, people from other places are often curious and charmed by how others sound.

Part of the reason may be that Shorts feel very real — you’re watching a person, not a character. This helps people connect. Viewers often feel closer to accents they hear often, and this repeated exposure makes them easier to understand. For example, one viewer commented on a Welsh creator’s video: “I normally struggle with the Welsh accent, but I’ve watched so many of your videos I’m getting used to it – and I love the way you say things.” Over time, hearing the same voice helps people go from confused to comfortable.

Still, not every response is positive. A few viewers joke about not understanding, like one who wrote under a Glaswegian video, “I’m gonna need subtitles for this one, pal.” Even if it’s funny, it shows that some accents are hard to follow. Sometimes, dialects tied to ethnic identity — like Multicultural London English or British Asian English — get rude or mocking comments. This shows that some people still carry ideas that connect accents with being smart or “correct.” But what’s encouraging is that others often reply and defend the creator. The online community pushes back. Ekpoudom [11] also said that things people used to make fun of are now seen as cool — especially in music. This same change seems to be happening in social media too.

Some creators notice these patterns and help their viewers follow along. A lot of them add captions to their videos — either automatically or by editing them in. Viewers say thank you when they see captions for accents they’re new to. Some creators also do follow-up videos to explain local slang. One creator from Belfast made a video called “Belfast slang explained” because people kept asking questions in the comments. This shows how Shorts can go two ways — creators speak, audiences ask, and creators reply. This helps people learn about the dialect and feel included. As one viewer wrote, “Thanks for teaching us your slang – it’s like a peek into your culture.” That kind of comment turns dialect into something to be proud of, not something to fix.

Dialect is also used for humor. People love watching funny videos where someone exaggerates their own accent, or tries to speak like someone else. For example, a Londoner might try to sound like a Scouser, and it makes people laugh. These “dialect swap” videos often get millions of views. But creators still need to be careful — the goal is to laugh with people, not at them. Done right, this kind of humor shows that everyone’s way of speaking is fun and unique. No one accent is “normal.” All of them belong.

In short, most audience reactions to dialect on Shorts are warm and supportive. People like the variety, and when someone is rude, others speak up. The overall vibe is that using dialect is a good thing — something to share, laugh with, and learn from.

3. Representation on Shorts: Between Global Reach and Local Authenticity

One key question is whether a global platform like YouTube Shorts makes people speak in the same way. The answer is not simple. Many creators still speak in their local accents. They do not try to sound like someone from another place. For example, a Yorkshire creator did not change to RP just because she had American viewers.

But creators do care about being understood. They often speak a bit slower and more clearly than in real life. This might be because they are on camera, or because they want everyone to understand them. It is similar to what radio hosts do. They speak in their accent but avoid using very local words or unclear sounds.

So, this is not about losing dialect features. It is more about changing how strong they sound. Creators may speak more clearly or explain local words, but they still keep their own way of speaking.

From the platform side, the idea from Mohan and Punathambekar [13] is useful. They said platforms can help keep local cultures strong. We saw that many people who watch a certain dialect Short are from that same place. For example, a Geordie video might get comments like “Greetings from Newcastle!” This shows that the Shorts algorithm probably shows users more content from their own region.

Because of this, small online communities form around certain dialects. In these groups, people can speak their way without worry. But Shorts can also go viral. So, creators know that their videos might reach people from other places too. Some creators even joke about this. One comedian said, “If this goes viral, half of you won’t understand my accent, but that’s your problem, not mine!” This kind of comment shows pride. It means the speaker is not trying to change how they talk for others.

This shows that more people now see regional dialects as normal. They are not “wrong” versions of English. They are just different. And more creators are okay with keeping their way of speaking, even when talking to a global audience.

4. Impact on Language Attitudes and Variation

The wide use of regional dialects on Shorts is changing how people think about language in the UK. One key change is how people value accents. Standard British English (RP) still matters in formal settings. But online, non-standard dialects now feel cooler. They sound more real and show pride in local identity.

For example, a teenager in southern England who often watches a popular Scottish creator may start using Scottish slang. Or they might just stop seeing the accent as “weird.” This kind of influence helps words or ways of speaking spread beyond one place. The term “peng” from Multicultural London English (MLE), meaning attractive, is now used in other areas too. Social media likely sped this up. We also saw that some creators in the North use slang from the South, and the other way around. While their core accent stays the same, their word choices mix. This is more common among younger people who spend time online.

There’s also a strong effect on how people feel about their own way of speaking. When someone sees their dialect used online and gets support from viewers, they may feel proud. Some even make money or become famous. This shows that you don’t have to change your voice to succeed. In the past, many working-class speakers felt they had to hide their accent at work or on TV. That’s changing now. One viewer told a Scottish creator, “Hearing you talk like me on an international platform is something I never knew I needed. It makes me proud of how we sound.” This shows how important it is to be seen and heard in your own voice.

From a language point of view, using dialect often and publicly may slow down dialect leveling. Usually, people drop their dialect features to sound more standard. But if the younger generation keeps seeing and hearing strong local speech in popular videos, they might not feel the need to change. Some might even bring back old features to show who they are. Studies have found that some accents, like Scouse in Liverpool, stay strong even when people move around. That’s likely because they have become signs of local pride. Social media helps keep this pride alive by giving people a space to talk the way they want and still be supported.

Of course, if a word is too hard to understand, it might disappear unless it’s very meaningful. Some very local slang may be replaced by words more people know. But this doesn’t mean dialects are dying. Most of the time, Shorts help people keep and share their way of speaking. This can be seen as a kind of online dialect map – one made by the speakers themselves, not just researchers.

In short, dialects are alive and strong on Shorts. Viewers seem ready to accept and learn from the variety. As Melchers et al. [19] say, English exists in many forms. That’s true not just across countries, but within the UK as well. What we see on Shorts isn’t everyone turning to one kind of English. Instead, people switch between different ways of speaking depending on the situation, while still holding on to their local voice.

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Looking at regional dialects on UK YouTube Shorts shows that online platforms not only display language differences but also help keep them alive. Some people worry the internet will make everyone speak the same. But Shorts in the UK prove the opposite. We see clear signs of local accents, special words, and unique ways of speaking. Creators use these to show who they are, to entertain, and to build real connections with viewers. Many viewers enjoy this and feel closer to the creators because of it. This shows something positive: the internet gives people a way to speak in their own voice and be heard.

Main Points: First, local accents and slang are not just common on Shorts – they are often what make the videos interesting. Second, many viewers like this kind of content. Their comments show more and more support for different ways of speaking. This means ideas about “proper” or “normal” English may be changing. Third, some creators do make small changes to help others understand, like adding captions or softening strong accents. But they don’t erase who they are. They switch styles when needed, like bilingual speakers do. They keep their dialect but also know how to reach a bigger audience.

The UK, with so many different dialects, shows how global platforms can support local voices. Instead of making everyone sound the same, Shorts help show the real variety of English.

For Researchers: There is still much to learn about how dialects work online. We suggest building special datasets of speech from platforms like Shorts and TikTok for detailed study. These can help test ideas with real numbers, not just opinions. Also, surveys or listening tests can explore how people understand and feel about different accents over time. Coats [15] built a YouTube-based dialect corpus. A similar project focused on British English Shorts could show how language changes as people talk more online. Researchers might also track if creators change their speech as they gain followers — do they use more standard English or stick with dialect? This would add to what we know about how people shape their speech based on who’s listening.

For Educators and Linguistic Advocates: Shorts can be useful in class. Teachers can use these videos to show real examples of how English varies. It helps break old ideas about “good” or “bad” English. When students see people like them speaking in their own way, it builds pride and confidence. Showing famous people who use dialect on social media also sends a strong message: you don’t have to change your voice to be respected. We suggest adding Shorts and similar clips to courses on language, to help students understand ideas like variation and style-shifting in today’s world.

For Content Creators (and Platforms): For creators, the key idea is: your voice is your power. We suggest they keep using their dialect and even highlight it, if they’re comfortable. It makes them feel real and can be part of their personal style. To help more people understand, they can add subtitles or explain local words when needed. This way, they keep their identity and also reach a bigger audience.

For platforms like YouTube, one important step is to improve auto-captions. Right now, the system often fails with dialect speech because it’s trained on standard accents. Better training using dialect data — like those suggested for research — would help both creators and viewers. It also shows these voices matter.

For the Public and Policy Makers: Things are changing. More people now believe everyone should be free to use their own way of speaking. Schools and workplaces should notice this change. If young people grow up hearing different accents in videos they love, rules that force “standard” English in every situation may feel outdated. Media policy could support this change. For example, the BBC has already moved beyond only using RP accents. The success of dialects in Shorts proves people don’t need one fixed voice to understand or enjoy content. In fact, difference can be what makes it great.

Limitations: This paper is mostly based on reading past studies and watching examples, not on full new data collection. The examples we used are meant to show possible patterns. A more detailed study could make the findings stronger.

Also, YouTube Shorts changes fast. New features or trends may shift how people use or hear dialects. Our focus was on UK English. We did mention global cases, but other places might show different results. For example, how people see dialect in Canada or Australia may depend on local views of language.

We also did not look deeply at code-switching between English and other languages, like Welsh or Punjabi. These mixings are common and important but not part of this paper, which only looked at English dialects.

Even with these limits, the patterns we described are backed by many sources and match known ideas in sociolinguistics.

Final Thoughts: The story of UK dialects on YouTube Shorts gives a hopeful view. Instead of making everyone sound the same, the platform helps more voices be heard. Local speech is not fading — it’s growing stronger. People are using their own ways of speaking to connect, laugh, and share.

The saying “the world is getting smaller” often means things are becoming too similar. But here, a smaller world just means more chances to hear many different voices. Each voice has its own sound, and that sound matters. As people who study or care about language, we should keep listening — and make sure all those voices stay heard.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We thank the creators and viewers of YouTube Shorts who, often without knowing it, helped this research by sharing how they speak. Their openness to using and talking about dialect differences made this study possible. A special thanks goes to Dr. Intan Norjahan Azman for her support with the project framework. Any mistakes or misunderstandings in this paper are our own.

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