5.7.1

Accent & Dialect

Test yourself on Accent & Dialect

Test your knowledge with free interactive questions on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

Accents and Dialects in Blood Brothers

As a key element of the play is the difference in social class between the working class characters and the middle class characters, Russell uses dialogue to create a contrast.

Accents

Accents

  • An accent is a particular way of pronouncing certain words, which tends to reveal where a speaker comes from. For example, Linda says, “Y’ better hadn’t or I won’t be in love with y’ any more!”. (Act Two)
  • Russell uses abbreviated words and phonetic spelling to make it clear that Linda has a strong Liverpudlian accent. This strong accent would be associated with working-class people, and therefore reveals information about her character’s position in society.
Dialects

Dialects

  • Dialect refers to words which are only used by a certain group of people, normally people from a particular area or social group.
    • For example, Sammy says to Mickey and Edward, “you’re soft.”
  • The word “soft”, in Liverpudlian dialect, means ‘weak’ or ‘foolish’, and this use of dialect signifies to the audience that Sammy is a member of the working class.
Types of dialogue

Types of dialogue

  • Slang:
    • Informal language which might often be considered rude: “bunk under y’fence” and “poshy”.
  • Phonetic spelling:
    • This is when a word is spelt in the way it is pronounced, rather than how it might be found in the dictionary: “Yeh”.
  • Abbreviation:
    • This is when words are made shorter by removing letters and replacing them with an apostrophe: “Nothin’”.
  • Contraction:
    • This is when words are merged together to show how they are pronounced by the characters: “Y’ ma”.
Style of dialogue

Style of dialogue

  • The dialogue in Blood Brothers is intended to be realistic in order to show the audience that the characters in the play are just like ordinary people who are facing everyday struggles.
  • Throughout the play, almost all of the characters speak in an intentionally realistic way, and this means that there is very little imagery or figurative language to be found. This is helps us to empathise with the characters because it adds to the feeling that these are ordinary people, just like us.
The Narrator

The Narrator

  • The exception to this is the Narrator.
  • He remains outside the main action of the play, and is often at the side of the stage commenting on what is happening. Russell has used far more imagery and figurative language for this character.
  • This could be because the Narrator plays a much more mysterious role. He arrives on stage always as the bearer of bad news, and his appearances create an ominous atmosphere with his allusions to “the devil” and the imminent doom facing the main characters.
Jump to other topics
1

Context & Author

1.1

Context

1.1.1Setting1.1.2Political Background1.1.3Education & Work1.1.4Marilyn Monroe & Pop Culture1.1.5Family
1.2

Author

1.2.1Willy Russell1.2.2End of Topic Test - Context & Author
2

Plot

2.1

Act One

2.1.1Overview: Introduction to Mrs Johnstone & Lyons2.1.2Analysis: Introduction to Mrs. Johnston and Lyons2.1.3Overview: The Birth of Mickey & Edward2.1.4Analysis: The Birth of Mickey & Edward2.1.5Overview: Mickey Playing at Home2.1.6Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds2.1.7Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds2.1.8Overview: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 22.1.9Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Seven-year-olds 22.1.10End of Topic Test - Act One2.1.11End of Topic Test - Act One 2
2.2

Act Two

2.2.1Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers2.2.2Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers2.2.3Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 22.2.4Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 22.2.5Overview: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 32.2.6Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Teenagers 32.2.7Overview: Mickey & Edward as Adults2.2.8Analysis: Mickey & Edward as Adults2.2.9End of Topic Test - Act Two2.2.10End of Topic Test - Act Two 2
3

Characters

3.1

Mickey

3.1.1Mickey3.1.2Mickey as a Damaged Adult
3.2

Edward

3.2.1Edward3.2.2Edward 23.2.3End of Topic Test - Mickey & Edward
3.3

Linda

3.3.1Linda3.3.2Linda 2
3.4

Mrs Johnstone

3.4.1Mrs Johnstone3.4.2Mrs Johnstone 2
3.5

Mrs Lyons

3.5.1Mrs Lyons3.5.2Mrs Lyons 23.5.3End of Topic Test - Linda & Mothers
3.6

Mr Lyons

3.6.1Mr Lyons
3.7

Sammy

3.7.1Sammy
3.8

The Narrator

3.8.1The Narrator
3.9

Minor

3.9.1Minor Characters3.9.2End of Topic Test - Other Characters
3.10

End of Topic Sessions

3.10.1Grade 9 - Key Characters
4

Themes

4.1

Parents & Children

4.1.1Parents & Children
4.2

Growing Up

4.2.1Growing Up
4.3

Friendship & Brotherhood

4.3.1Friendship & Brotherhood4.3.2End of Topic Test - Parents, Growing Up, Friends
4.4

Fate & Superstition

4.4.1Fate & Superstition
4.5

Nature vs. Nurture

4.5.1Nature vs. Nurture
4.6

Social Class

4.6.1Social Class4.6.2End of Topic Test - Fate, Upbringing & Class
5

Literary Techniques

5.1

Structure

5.1.1Structure
5.2

Tragedy

5.2.1Tragedy
5.3

Dramatic Irony

5.3.1Dramatic Irony
5.4

Imagery

5.4.1Imagery
5.5

Character & Voice

5.5.1Character
5.6

Music & Lyrics

5.6.1Music & Lyrics
5.7

Accent & Dialect

5.7.1Accent & Dialect5.7.2End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques5.7.3End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques 2

Practice questions on Accent & Dialect

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    Which of the following terms refers to words which are only used by a certain group of people?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    Style of dialogue in _Blood Brothers_:True / false
Answer all questions on Accent & Dialect

Unlock your full potential with Seneca Premium

  • Unlimited access to 10,000+ open-ended exam questions

  • Mini-mock exams based on your study history

  • Unlock 800+ premium courses & e-books

Get started with Seneca Premium

Music & Lyrics

End of Topic Test - Literary Techniques