Is Cockney accent stigmatized in English-speaking countries?

Guest   Sun Mar 30, 2008 4:44 pm GMT
Cockney seems to be stigmatized, doesn't it?
Skippy   Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:55 pm GMT
In the UK, yes, but in the United States many find it charming. Americans find most accents pleasant or attractive.
Damian in Edinburgh   Sun Mar 30, 2008 9:49 pm GMT
Outside of London, the Cockney accent is not held in any high regard at all. In fact, to many people far from the environs of the UK capital city, Cockneys are seen as fast talking, over confident con merchants, ready to take advantage of less quick witted, less slick tongued provincials in any way they can.

Besides, it's not really called the Cockney accent any more. The true Cockney accent died a slow lingering death sometime in the late 1960s, early 1970s. Londonspeak can be a mixture of Cockney, Estuary and RP standard South Eastern English English Kosher Cockney went the way of all the East End wideboys and spivs (sort of criminally minded opportunists and ex cons (ex prisoners) people could not help feeeling a sort of strange affection for). Two such that figured very prominently in the annals of the East End and the Metropolitan Police were the famous Kray twins. Lovable rogues, apparently, yet in reality proper scumbags, perfectly willing to do you over as soon as your back was turned.
Guest   Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:50 pm GMT
It may be stigmatized in the UK, but it is not here in the United States. We really don't stigmatize any British accents here.