The Yorkshire accent is the most intelligent-sounding, according to new research.
A study matching accents with perceived intelligence found that the accent was rated as more intelligent than the clipped vowels and precise diction of what is popularly known as the Queen's English.
Scientists asked 48 volunteers to look at photoADVERTISEMENTs of female models while listening to recordings of women with different accents describing their lives. They were then asked to rate the pictured models for intelligence, giving them marks out of 10.
Scores were given for Yorkshire, Birmingham and RP (received pronunciation, or "Queen's English") accents, and volunteers were also asked to give an intelligence rating when no voice was played.
To avoid participants being influenced by appearance, models of roughly equal attractiveness were chosen for the photos, and the accents attributed to them mixed up.
The researchers found that accents made no difference to perceptions of attractiveness, but had a significant impact on whether or not a particular model was seen as intelligent.
Speaking "Brummie" gave an even worse impression than having nothing to say.
Dr Lance Workman, who led the research at Bath Spa University said times had changed since the days when Received Pronunciation was seen as the language of the elite.
"Thirty years ago 10% of the population went to university," said Dr Workman, who presented his findings at the British Psychological Society's annual meeting in Dublin. "If someone had RP you'd probably think they had gone to university. Today, 44% of young people go to university. I think there's been a shift in what we expect from somebody who is educated. There's been this change from elite education to mass education."
At the same time Yorkshire is no longer associated with collieries and 1980s industrial unrest, said Dr Workman. Yorkshire folk are seen in a positive light today, being perceived as "wise, trustworthy, honest and straightforward".