Scottish accents may be 'hard to understand' but they could help you learn Dutch

Scottish accents are notoriously hard to follow but they could help you learn a new language faster
The Scottish accent is known for being one of the hardest in the world to understand. Whether it's rolling your 'R's speaking in harsher, guttural sounds, or using too much slang, we can certainly leave a lot of people flummoxed.
Half of Americans say the Scottish accent is the toughest to get their head round, with the Glaswegian accent always coming up as the one most likely to raise an eyebrow and leaving an out-of-towner particularly confused.
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However, new research from Preply is turning that perception on its head. The study suggests that the Glaswegian accent could actually offer an unexpected advantage - learning languages faster, thanks to its characteristics.
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The distinct rhythm and cadence of Glaswegian speech align with languages like German, and Dutch, where strong emphasis on syllables and guttural sounds can be important in conveying meaning.
This makes it easier for Glaswegian speakers to adapt to languages with similar speech patterns. The Glaswegian accent has been showcased on the world stage many times by the likes of comics Billy Connolly and Kevin Bridges.
But how might region accents improve language skills?
"Generally, accents can help with language learning because they train your ear to recognise and reproduce sounds," Anna Pyshna, spokesperson at Preply, explained.
"At the beginner level, language is mostly oral-oriented - you don't need perfect grammar, but it helps to know how to pronounce common words.
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"Ultimately, accents are not just about how we speak, they shape our ability to produce certain sounds."
Three other British accents - Geordie, Scouse, and Brummie - were also highlighted in the study, each offering unique phonetic traits that support language learning in different ways.
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Folk from Newcastle have a glottal stop - a sound made by closing the vocal chords.
This helps with languages including Danish, Czech, and even Hebrew, and Thai.
Liverpool residents speak with a rolled 'r' sound, like in Spanish, Russian and Italian. Scouse speakers find it easier to master the trilled 'r' pronunciation. Its rising and falling tones are also well suited to Welsh, Irish, and Cantonese.
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Elsewhere, over in Birmingham, people speak in a monotone nature with long stretches on the same note.
This will help if Brummies want to have a stab at Finnish or Russian.
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What's more, to expose more people to different accents, Preply has launched a unique Spotify series of accent-based sleep soundscapes, using Geordie, Scouse, Glaswegian, and Brummie voices.
This is designed to boost language retention through passive auditory learning, as studies show that during deep sleep, the brain can keep forming new linguistic associations, especially when exposed to familiar phonetic rhythms.
Not only will this help Glaswegians pick up new languages more intuitively, but it will help others tune their ear to the Glaswegian accent and appreciate its linguistic value - and make misunderstandings a thing of the past.
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