In Irish English, the “r” after vowels is pronounced. In British English it is often dropped. The sound for “e” in Irish accents is more like “e” in “bet,” instead of like “ei” in “bait. " The sound for “o” in Irish accents is more like vowel sound in the “paw” instead of like the “ou” sound in “coat. " The sound for “th” in Irish accents usually sound more like “t” or “d” sounds. “Thin” sounds like “tin” and “this” sounds like “dis. “[1] X Research source
Irish people say “be” or “do” instead of “usually. " I do work. . . = I usually work. Irish speakers use “after” for things that just happened. Instead of “I had just drank the beer,” “I was after drinking the beer. " Irish people use “don’t be” as an imperative, as in “Don’t be worrying about that. " Irish speakers leave out “if,” “that,” and “whether,” as in the sentence, “Tell me did you see the show. " Irish speakers begin sentences with “it is” or “it was,” as in “It was Sam had the best wife. " Irish speakers will often use the definite article where British speakers wouldn’t. For example, “I’m going to the Malone Road. “[2] X Research source
You will hear Irish people say “what’s the craic?”, or explain that they are doing something “for the craic. " “Craic” basically means “fun,” but “what’s the craic?” is another way of saying “how are things?” or “what’s going on?” Irish people may also ask you “where’s the yoke?” This is nothing to do with eggs, “yoke” is a general word for “thing,” but you are very unlikely to hear a British person using it in that way. An Irish person might ask you not to “give out. " This basically means “complain,” so if someone is always “giving out,” they are always complaining. [3] X Research source
You might hear somebody ask “how’s tricks?” meaning “how are things?” If you hear somebody say “owt” or “nowt,” it probably indicates that they are from Yorkshire. If you hear somebody say “you’re ‘aving a bubble!” they are probably from London. “Having a bubble” is rhyming slang for “having a laugh,” bubble bath = laugh. If someone says “ye cannae be serious,” as in “you can’t be serious,” they are probably Scottish. [4] X Research source
Choose your favorite celebrities from Britain and Ireland and listen to them speak in their normal accents. Just search online for a particular accent and listen to what you find, but always try to listen to a native speaker for the most authentic accent. There are useful online audio databases you can use to listen to recordings of regional Irish accents and regional British accents. [5] X Research source [6] X Research source
Listen to English accents at this page from the Dialects Archive. Listen to Irish accents at this page from the Dialects Archive. This page has sample voices from all over the British Isles. Sometimes listening to how numbers are pronounced is a good way to highlight differences in accents. Numbers like three, seven, and eleven are pronounced differently in Ireland and Britain.
Practising reproducing the distinctive sounds of certain accents can help you understand how the sounds are formed in the mouth and recognise them more easily in the future. Lyrical uses of language and accents in songs and poetry is perhaps the best way to be exposed the distinctiveness and beauty of a particular accent.
