Attitudes towards the Potteries dialect in Stoke-on-Trent and its connection to local identity

Hidden in a post-industrial Midlands city, the Potteries dialect is ‘distinctively different from the (dialects in) areas around it’ (Trudgill 1999: 42) and yet there has been little research done into this unique dialect with its rich history. I aim to fill this gap in the research by exploring the attitudes towards the Potteries dialect in Stoke-on-Trent and the relationship between dialect usage and identity as a Stoke-on-Trent citizen. I will be discussing these topics with five intergenerational focus groups of local residents who have volunteered to share their thoughts on local language use. In particular, the questions that my research will aim to answer are:

In which contexts do residents believe it is appropriate/inappropriate to use the dialect?

Are there differences in attitudes across generations towards the dialect?

How do residents feel about the current status of the dialect, its past, and its future?

My research will provide an insight into if and why the dialect may be changing and how local attitudes contribute to its maintenance or decline. Sociologists and linguists may be interested in discovering how much of a role language plays in community identity and sense of belonging in the city, and how residents’ views about the future of the dialect may impact how and when they use it.

Stoke-on-Trent is made up of six towns that are collectively often referred to as ‘The Potteries’ due to the pottery industry that dominated the city in the 20th century. The local dialect is often referred to as the ‘Potteries dialect’ and although still present in the city, there is concern from residents that the dialect is being ‘diluted’ (Birks 2007b). Many participants may have either worked in the pottery industry or have a member of the family who did: in the 1970s around 30% of residents worked in the pottery industry (Imrie 1989) and its decline from the 1970s may have affected attitudes towards the dialect over time and across generations. I hope to understand how the usage of the Potteries dialect may influence how local residents view others, especially in regards to their local identity and whether or not dialect usage is a good indicator of how “true” of a Stoke-on-Trent citizen a person is.

This study will provide a unique perspective into how contemporary residents in Stoke-on-Trent view the Potteries dialect and the ideology behind those who encourage its maintenance or decline. It will also offer insight into how opinions amongst generations may differ and to what extent the city’s industrial past impacts this and their connection to regional pride. Thoughts concerning the future of the dialect will be valuable when evaluating how much they influence its usage and its impact on local identity, as well as aiding future researchers interested in dialect maintenance or revival. Overall, I hope to discover what attitudes towards the Potteries dialect say about its link to identity for Stoke-on-Trent residents.

Bibliography

Birks, Steven. 2007b. Dialects - Potteries - Stoke-on-Trent. www.thepotteries.org. http://www.thepotteries.org/dialect_qa.html (13 November, 2022).

Imrie, R F. 1989. Industrial Restructuring, Labour, and Locality: The Case of the British Pottery Industry. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space 21(1). 3–26. https://doi.org/10.1068/a210003.

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Trudgill, Peter. 1999. The dialects of England. 2nd edn. Oxford: Blackwell.