Dublin English

Dublin English refers to the diverse varieties of Hiberno-English spoken in the metropolitan area of Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland. Modern-day Dublin English largely lies on a phonological continuum between two extremes (largely, a broad versus general accent distinction). The more traditional, lower-prestige, working-class, local urban accent on the one end is known by linguist Raymond Hickey as Local Dublin English. On the other end, a more recently developing, higher-prestige, more widely regional (and even supraregional) accent exists, New Dublin English, only first emerging in the late 1980s and 1990s. As of the 21st century, most speakers from Dublin and its suburbs have accent features falling variously along the entire middle as well as the newer end of the spectrum, which together form what Hickey calls Non-Local Dublin English, employed by the middle and upper class. The strict middle of the continuum is called Mainstream Dublin English, spoken by the middle class.

Mainstream Dublin English has become the basis of a standard accent of Ireland that is no longer regionally specific, becoming widespread everywhere except in the north of the country, where Ulster English persists. However, the majority of Dubliners born since the 1980s (led particularly by females) have shifted towards New Dublin English, the most innovative in terms of its accent and the most extreme variety in rejecting features associated with Local Dublin English. New Dublin English may be in the process of overtaking Mainstream Dublin English as the national prestige variety.