France's accent ban bill mocked as UK sport

TL;DR

French Glottophobie Bill: French MPs consider legislation against prejudice towards regional and lower-class accents, backed by gilets jaunes and PM Jean Castex's southwestern twang.
Wolverhampton Accents: Author recalls Wolverhampton locals finding humour in nearby Bilston and Darlaston accents, like "Ow om you?" or struggling with "sophisticated".
Neutral Voices Needed: While accent discrimination is wrong, thick regional accents on news would confuse most; code-switching registers is practical, not pretentious.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/oh-come-off-it-france-laughing-at-accents-is-a-national-sport-mnckp68fn)

The story at a glance

David Mills mocks a French bill to ban la glottophobie, or prejudice against regional accents, arguing in The Sunday Times that Britons cherish laughing at them as a national sport. He draws on his Wolverhampton roots, where locals poke fun at Black Country neighbours, and notes his own shift to a neutral accent at university. This responds to French parliamentary debate amid gilets jaunes support; UK surveys rank Birmingham accents worst, yet regional voices thrive despite perceptions of decline.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/oh-come-off-it-france-laughing-at-accents-is-a-national-sport-mnckp68fn)

Key points

French MPs debate a bill to curb la glottophobie, prejudice against regional and lower-class accents, with backing from gilets jaunes protesters.
Prime Minister Jean Castex has a southwestern twang, boosting the bill's chances.
Birmingham accent ranks bottom in UK surveys of most disliked; Wolverhampton differs from high-pitched Brummie or coarser Black Country speech.
Black Country towns like Bilston ("Ow om you?" — "Ar, I ay so bad") and Darlaston provide comic material, including Enoch and Eli jokes about a "whale" with no spokes.
Author lost sing-song Wolverhampton accent at university to fit in, adopting a neutral register like Tony Blair's in London but reverting at home.
Surveys show UK regional accents flourishing: 2005 BBC Voices project found more accents than before; 2018 Freiburg study noted stronger Liverpool accent.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/oh-come-off-it-france-laughing-at-accents-is-a-national-sport-mnckp68fn)

Details and context

Mills describes West Midlands culture where mocking accents defines identity: purists distinguish Wolverhampton from Black Country towns such as Willenhall, Darlaston, Tipton, Wednesbury and Bilston. The Wolverhampton accent suits blunt phrases like "bloody soft sod" but falters on academic topics like Sophoclean tragedy.

People often lament his lost accent, though fellow locals who adapted never do. Most speakers use two registers, neutral for public life and regional privately, countering ideas of standardisation.

French efforts contrast with UK acceptance of neutral public voices, as thick Geordie or Glaswegian on news would baffle listeners.

Key quotes

"Before I came to this project I had the idea that dialect words were dying out. Nothing could be further from the truth. There are far more accents than there used to be." — Mick Ord, BBC Voices project director, 2005.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/oh-come-off-it-france-laughing-at-accents-is-a-national-sport-mnckp68fn)

We should accept there is nothing wrong with having a neutral public voice and that moving between two registers is helpful, not pretentious. — David Mills.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/oh-come-off-it-france-laughing-at-accents-is-a-national-sport-mnckp68fn)

Why it matters

Accent prejudice touches class divides and social mobility in both France and UK, where regional voices signal background. Readers grasp why code-switching aids professional life without self-betrayal, and why banning mockery ignores cultural humour. Watch if French bill passes, though UK equivalents seem unlikely given Mills's defence of the status quo.

FAQ

Q: What is la glottophobie?

A: It means prejudice against regional and lower-class accents. French MPs are considering a bill to curb it, with support from gilets jaunes and PM Jean Castex's twang aiding prospects.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/oh-come-off-it-france-laughing-at-accents-is-a-national-sport-mnckp68fn)

Q: How does the author view UK accent discrimination?

A: He sees laughing at accents, like Bilston's "Ow om you?", as a West Midlands feature, though deplorable in extremes. Neutral public voices prevent incomprehensibility, and code-switching is practical.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/oh-come-off-it-france-laughing-at-accents-is-a-national-sport-mnckp68fn)

Q: Are UK regional accents disappearing?

A: No, surveys contradict this: BBC's 2005 Voices project found more accents than before, and a 2018 Freiburg study showed Liverpool's strengthening. Speakers use dual registers.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/oh-come-off-it-france-laughing-at-accents-is-a-national-sport-mnckp68fn)

Q: Why did the author change his accent?

A: At university, subconscious desire to fit in toned down his sing-song Wolverhampton speech. In London he sounds like Tony Blair; back home, vowels shorten and intonation returns.[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/oh-come-off-it-france-laughing-at-accents-is-a-national-sport-mnckp68fn)

[[1]](https://www.thetimes.com/comment/article/oh-come-off-it-france-laughing-at-accents-is-a-national-sport-mnckp68fn)