iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 1h

I was on the Archers podcast recently, recorded live at the BBC Contains Strong Language Festival, and they asked me to write a Haiku to introduce myself 😁 I listen to speech In Manchester and Ambridge And call this my job. Thankyouverymuch www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

bbc.co.uk

The Archers Podcast - 103. Interrogating Harrison Burns at BBC Contains Strong Language festival - BBC Sounds

Emma Freud interrogates James Cartwright - Harrison - at Contains Strong Language festival

010

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Manchester Voices on WoM with @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social We spoke about: 🐝 How many people you can fit in the back of the Accent Van 🐝 happY, lettER, and SQUARE vowel sounds 🐝 Whether the 1990s Oasis-inspired Manchester accent is real or fake and lots more! www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

bbc.co.uk

Word of Mouth - Voices of Manchester - BBC Sounds

Rob Drummond talks to Michael about the ways people talk in Manchester.

173

Reposted by Rob Drummond

Ian McMillan @imcmillan.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Early stroll. Rows of grey bins waiting to complete the next part of their cycle. A watering can on the back of a flatbed truck. I hear an owl by the bridle path. A passing car seems to kickstart time. A dropped pencil, scribbleless.

010716

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Apparently there’s a big hold up at CUP due to a cyber threat issue! It’s getting sorted, but books have been delayed 😬

200

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

A great chat with @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social about the accents of Greater Manchester! Listen on 20th September here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m... For more info about the Manchester Voices project (and access to lots of videos, maps and project findings) visit manchestervoices.org

0247

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

On my way to London to talk to @michaelrosenyes.bsky.social on Word of Mouth about all things (Greater) Manchester Voices! *yes I am making notes from my own book on the train, and yes I do realise how that looks 😂😂

2406

Reposted by Rob Drummond

Defne @defneci.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Just realised I’m matching with my new book by @robdrummond.bsky.social - excited to finally read it!

I’m holding the book „You’re all talk“ by Rob Drummond. The book has a bright blue cover. I’m wearing a jumper in a very similar colour.

141

Reposted by Rob Drummond

Lane Greene @lanegreene.bsky.social · 17/08/2026

Last week I wrote about Andy Burnham, the first man in Number 10 to have an accent like millions of his countrymen: a northern English one. Thanks to Amanda Cole, @robdrummond.bsky.social and Geoff Lindsey for their insight. www.economist.com/britain/2026...

economist.com

Andy Burnham and the politics of accents

His way of speaking marks him out in a long line of posh-sounding PMs

3113

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Yes true! But an unlikely reading I think. Unless there are other one consonant +aff words…? 🤔

100

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

Product names that work better in the north of England

1142

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

I believe this is Professor John Honey, a not uncontroversial figure in debates around standard english and education

320

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

One more. Definitely the last one! Going out with a bang

251

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Last one from that BBC documentary in 1985. This is about talking to machines

060

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Another clip from that documentary. Peter Bowles on the effect on his sense of identity of losing his Nottingham accent at drama school

280

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Featuring a young Peter Trudgill!

130

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 28/07/2026

Just came across this amazing documentary. Expect some more clips today!

1146

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

The book is out in late August. More details here: www.cambridge.org/9781009518659 And a re-designed and updated project website here: manchestervoices.org

120

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

...anyone with an interest in the way people speak (especially in Greater Manchester), and how that relates to who they are and where they live. Some very kind linguists have said some very nice things about it (thank you!), so that's gone some way to reassuring me that the book works!

121

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

The book tells the story of the Manchester Voices project. Alongside the findings, it offers an insight into the process of carrying out research of this kind. It's written in a way that I hope is both academically rigorous and accessible, and is aimed at...

110

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

I've got a new book coming out soon - Manchester Voices: Accents, Dialects and Identities - published by @cambup-linguistics.cambridge.org. And right now @waterstones.bsky.social are offering 25% off if you pre-order it! Use the code SUMMER26 today or tomorrow. #WPreorder #ManchesterVoices

1179

Reposted by Rob Drummond

Andrew McCallum @andrewemc.bsky.social · 21/07/2026

‘the fall in teenagers opting for literature is linked to an unimaginative GCSE (surely something that a new prime minister with an English degree could fix)’ Easy win here, Mr Burnham! www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

theguardian.com

The Guardian view on humanities cuts in universities: academic departments are more than cost centres | Editorial

Editorial: Literature, the arts and social sciences must not be sacrificed as higher education funding is squeezed

12814

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

Don't get me wrong, I like working there, but this is a bit much

1140

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 11/07/2026

It’s generally true that certain linguistic fillers (like), or speakers of those fillers (young people especially women) get singled out for criticism more than others. So maybe it’s a good thing that John Humphrys gets pointlessly irritated by everything equally? www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

290

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

Thanks Tom. What a bizarre interview!

030

Reposted by Rob Drummond

Tom Rank @tomrank.bsky.social · 25/06/2026

I understand that Claire Fox was once an English teacher - and so should know that this is utter nonsense - technically accentism (though no doubt she'd dismiss this as wokery). There are dozens of Manchester accents - explore.manchestervoices.org has the receipts. @robdrummond.bsky.social

explore.manchestervoices.org

Manchester Voices

Manchester Voices is a research project run by a team from Manchester Metropolitan University, exploring the accents, dialects and identities of people from across the ten boroughs of Grea...

241

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 20/06/2026

It’s really good! Thanks again 😊

010

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 19/06/2026

Just been sent this by an English teacher (along with a postcard with the line “Keep upsetting the Daily Mail - this means you’re doing a great job!”) 😁 I can see who sent it, but have no way of saying thank you. If you see this, then thanks very much! (Very good) book by Simon Griffin.

260

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

just checking the index proofs for the Manchester Voices book, and bizarrely this isn't a typo 😀

030

Reposted by Rob Drummond

Dr. Hannah M. King @hmking-linguist.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

"English doesn't belong to one country or one accent. It's shaped by us all." 🗣💬 It's great to see the @britishcouncil.bsky.social engaging w/ #English varieties, accents, ideologies, hierarchies, etc. Thanks @robdrummond.bsky.social! #langsky #ELT www.britishcouncil.org/english-language-day

An image from the website with the title Global accents in middle, with the words Variety, Culture, Community, and Adaptation in four boxes. The top menu reads: What is an accent?, In the media, Global accents, Language innovation, Switching voices, the 'right' accent myth

0215

Reposted by Rob Drummond

EngLangBlog @englangblog.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

I've written this piece for @natecommunity.bsky.social about accent prejudice based on some of the work done by @teachertapp.bsky.social last year and from discussions with ace linguists @dramandacole.bsky.social and @robdrummond.bsky.social

More than words: what do teachers need to know about accent prejudice?

We all have an accent: that's just a simple linguistic fact.

01411

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I do have the complete set, but some had to be moved to make room for a miniature version of me as crocheted by my daughter 😁

200

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

As well as the obvious product placement…

110

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 23/04/2026

I did some work with the British Council for English Language Day. The result is a really nice website exploring some of the diversity in English! www.britishcouncil.org/english-lang...

1215

Rob Drummond @robdrummond.bsky.social · 14/04/2026

That was fun. Especially nice to see @clrnance.bsky.social on screen while I was waiting to start 😁

1151