Regional Identity

Theories

Theorist Andrew Higson (1998) writes; "Identity is generally understood to be the shared identity of naturalised inhabitants of a particular political-geographic space- this can be a particular nation or region."

Benedict Anderson (1983) maintains that the media play a vital role in constructing a national/regional identity a in reality the nation if too big for everyone to know each other yet they often have shared values; "The unification of people in the modern world is achieved not by military but by cultural means, in particular the media system enables people (of a nation or region) to feel part of a coherent, meaningful and homogenous community."

Higson (1998); "Stereotyping is a form of shorthand... a way of establishing a character... that often reducing the character to the most basic form so that the stereotype often becomes comic." 

Higson (1998); "No wonder then that a particular characterisation may be criticised for being stereotypical meaning it lacks a realistic dimension, it fails to match up to the reality of identity."

Stereotypes

Birmingham (Brummie)

• "Buuuurmingham"
• Lack of intelligence
• Working class
• Tea and curry
• The accent, made famous by the likes of Ozzy Osbourne, Jasper Carrot and Adrian Chiles, was received so negatively it was ranked “less intelligent” than silence
• As far as TV and film are concerned, modern Birmingham might as well not exist
• Heavily obsessed with football

Cornwall

• Pasties
• Farmers
• Fields
• Beach weather
• Holiday
• Miners
• Tractors
• Pirates
• Fish and chips
• Cider
• Uneducated
• Inbred/backward
• "Me 'ansom", "Me lover"

Devon

• Everyone lives in a cottage
• Uneducated 
• Inbred
• Farmers
• Confused with Cornwall

Essex

• Chavy/cockney accent
• Blonde with fake tan
• "Shut up" and "Well jell"
• 'The Only Way is Essex'
• Alcoholics who party a lot
• Unintelligent

Geordie

• Is both a regional nickname for a person from the larger Tyneside region of North East England and the name of the Northern English dialect spoken by its inhabitants. The term is associated with Tyneside, south Northumberland and northern parts of County Durham
• Women going out to clubs in underwear- no one brings a coat
• "Pet"
• Don't feel the cold
• "Neet" = "Night"
• Slags
• Friendly
• Gregg's round every corner
• 'Geordie Shore'
• Alcoholics/partiers
• Attention seeking

Liverpool (scouser)

• Obsessed with football
• "Ya ma"- best comeback ever
• People in Tesco wearing pyjamas and ugg boots
• "You'll never walk alone"
• 'Hollyoaks'
• Most popular accent for mimicking for comedic effect
• Chavs and drug users
• Rough schools
• Full of criminals
• Cheesy chips
• Hair rollers in hair
• "Birds"
• Swear a lot
• Thieves
• Argumentative- get in a lot of fights
• Tracksuits/shellsuits
• Thick accent- unintelligent

London

• Crime
• Chavs/'Roadmen'
• Grime
• Tourists
• Gangsters
• 'Eastenders'
• Rude
• Rich
• Drug users
• Rough area
• West London- posh

Manchester (Manchunian)

• Lower working class
• Rude and loud
• Two halves- 'casual' who enjoys music like Oasis or a 'chav' who wears tracksuits and gets pregnant at 16
• "United or City"- football fans
• Council flats
• 'Shameless'
• Wannabe hipster
• Fake tan, hair and nails
• Living on benefits

Wales

• All play rugby
• Herd sheep/mine coal
• Sing in choirs
• "Sheep shaggers"
• Bad temper
• Whine about the English

Yorkshire

• Yorkshire puddings
• Crude pessimists
• "Eh up"
• Bossy women
• Stupid
• Yorkshire tea
• Don't use the word "the"
• "Our lass/lad"
• Swear a lot
• Brutally honest

Scotland

• Bagpipes
• Gingers
• Men all wear kilts (regardless of the weather)
• Haggis
• Hate the English
• All know the cry to Braveheart
• Drink a lot (whiskey)
• Proud of their culture
• Traditional

Colloquial Dialect- An area's slang terms
Cornish-
Oggy: Pasty
Call me dreckly: Call me later
Proper job: You've done well
Wasson?: greeting, What's up