Norwegian 12-year olds: “British English is cringe”

"Basically."

"Literally."

"Girl…!"

Like imitating accents

The English words, pronounced with a strong American accent, appear frequently when friends Synne, Maksymilian, and Rania talk in the garden after school. They are 12 years old and spend a lot of time on YouTube and Netflix, as well as gaming and using Pinterest.

Much of their conversation is in English. They are currently too young for social media.

“I actually speak American English the most. But if I want to joke around, I speak British English,” says Rania.

Still, they think it's perfectly fine for others to speak British English.

The mood in the garden rises when the friends imitate accents, especially accents from Texas and the southern United States.

They also imitate British and Australian accents.

“The reason I speak English a lot is because of a YouTuber named Lazye. He’s really funny but not very good at English,” says Synne.

Maksymilian says that he and his friends play Roblox together, and that he writes in English with the other players.

“But if I call someone, I’ll speak Norwegian,” he says.

Young people mostly hear American English

"American English in films and on YouTube is perceived as normal and accordingly as a 'correct' form of English pronunciation. British English is still associated with prestige and the upper class," says Ulrikke Rindal.

She is an associate professor at the University of Oslo's Department of Teacher Education and School Research.

Rindal researches English-language learning and has recently interviewed sixth- and tenth graders about how they use English and their perceptions of the language.

“The pupils I interviewed want to speak American English because it’s what they hear most often and are most familiar with. And if they speak American English, they are perceived as proficient in English because that’s how English should be spoken. But they don’t associate the accent with American culture. It’s completely separate,” says Rindal.

The pupils say they watch TV shows, game, watch movies, and read books in English.

British English is trying too hard

“British English still has the same status as elevated, academic, and nice, but it is less common among young people. It's a more active choice to use this accent. The pupils I spoke with say that British English is 'try-hard,' meaning it’s for those who try too hard,” says Rindal.

A bit like how they speak in the TV series Bridgerton. At the same time, young people associate this way of speaking with prestige. When King Charles visited the White House this spring, Donald Trump described his accent as beautiful.

“This way of speaking English still has a historical allure. Admittedly from the colonial era when England took over the world by force,” says Rindal. 

Her previous research shows that British English is what used to be taught in schools, and those who spoke it got good grades. But even then, British English was perceived as try-hard.

“The pupils I spoke with now say, 'You do you,' speak British English and be yourself. At the same time, phrases like this are often used ironically and somewhat derogatorily,” says the researcher.

English as an everyday language

Rindal says that for many people, English has become an everyday language.

“The pupils use it not only to communicate, but also to express who they are through the language. In the same way as they do in Norwegian,” she says.

Back in the garden with Synne and her friends, we get an example.

“I speak to my friend in English and as a character. There are characters we’ve created that have different accents. We call them OC, Original Character. Sometimes I can switch between characters all of a sudden,” explains Synne.

“British English is so cringe!” Maksymilian exclaims as he tries to imitate the accent.

Rindal says that in her research, she sees that some actively use English as part of constructing and expressing their identity. Synne, in the example above, is one of them.

English becomes a kind of toolbox

“For those who actively use English, the language becomes a kind of toolbox to play roles. For example, they might pretend to make a makeup video. One of the girls I spoke with stood in front of the mirror and said, 'Hello, welcome to my channel,' because she had seen it on YouTube. Or they imitate the accent in Bridgerton to feel elegant,” says the researcher.

But not everyone puts as much into their English use.

“There is a developmental process happening for the language right now. For some of those I spoke with, English is just something they speak during English class. For example, 'Andrew' says it’s fine to sound Norwegian when speaking English because it can signal that he might need help with the language,” explains Rindal.

Rania and her friends are also concerned that their English should sound good and that they don’t use a Norwegian accent. However, she still emphasises that Norwegian is the most important.

“I’d rather speak perfect Norwegian because I live in Norway and because I feel that I know enough English to get by," says Rania.

Rindal emphasises the importance of pupils being aware of their linguistic repertoire.

“What do I need to know? Why do I need English and how do I get there? English teachers can help young people reflect on this. Then they will become more aware of what skills they need to develop further,” the researcher says.

Reference:

Rindal, U. You do you: English-language media influence in the everyday linguistic repertoires of young Norwegians, International Journal of the Sociology of Language, 2026. DOI: 10.1515/ijsl-2025-0168

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