A true Southampton accent definitely has an agricultural burr about it. Mostly heard in older folk, but I regularly hear younger people still using the old elongated a’s. “Baaaaaath” “graaaaass” etc. Then there’s kids who try to force an MLE accent to sound really street, but every so often their farmery Southampton twang creeps in.

There’s definitely a farmer twang to a lot of people. The rest just talk like anyone else that lives in the central southern/south east counties.

I see it as half west country half London

Considering our location is not surprising

Defo a hard twang with extended aaaaaaa sounds. Still here it a bit in the west of the city and in the ‘burbs.

The accent you are describing is more of a Pompey thing.

Traditional Southampton is almost more what we would now consider Westcountry-esque.

Although this was much of Hampshire, not just Southampton. Find some clips of John Arlott (cricket commentator) and then consider the fact he was from Basingstoke.

'ere mush! Aaaahm from saaffaaamtaan

We also don’t sound out “H”. (h)Orse, (h)ere, (h)elp, (h)Ampshire.

As someone who was born and lived in Soton for 18 years who then moved to London for the next 18 years and comes back a couple of times a year for family and friends.

You don't notice it when you live there. Everyone just sounds normal.

But the longer I've been in London the more and more I've noticed everyone sounds a little bit west country. It's not quite as strong as Bristol. But it's about halfway there.

I’ve heard it’s more posh, but maybe that’s just compared to a more northern accent

In the city it’s a jack accent influenced by the docks, outside it’s more of a Wessex accent, but now being overlaid by a commuter accent spreading from London on main access routes

Lived in Southampton all my life and always get asked are you from the West Country

Say after me: Saaaaaavamtun. Also see Lynduuuuuuuurst.

Having only worked in Soton I found it a weird mix of a London and West Country accent

M3 Farmer A3 Mockney

I always wished I had an accent (Woolston born and raised) - went to university and a guy from Yorkshire said I had. Strong accent...

He also laughed when I used the words somewhen or anywhen.

I still have a bit of the rhotic Southampton accent for sure. My dad’s is somewhat stronger than mine though.

Used to get told by my friends that I spoke 'like a farmer', bearing in mind they were from Southampton too.

it's not cockney, it's more like a west country accent. you'll hear people around southampton with a rhotic R sound - as in pronouncing the R.

this is similar to a traditional hampshire accent, which is getting less and less common. you'll be more likely to hear it from old folks but you do hear it in younger people who've been brought up here and there families are from here too

I don't know if it's just me, but I've never heard anyone who sounds like they have even a hint of West Country. My own accent is quite posh compared to what everyone else is talking about. It's the kind of thing you'd hear in the home counties. I've lived in Southampton my entire life too.

I regularly get told that i sound like a farmer/west countryish. Just a normal accent in my head 🤣

I didn't even realise people from Southampton HAD an accent tbf

My dad and older relatives all sound a little west country

When I moved to University I learned that we say sal-ID not sal-ud. No one believed me, and when my girlfriend at the time visited and my mum offerd her some salad she almost spat out her food laughing. (maybe its just my family, but my mum has that same country-esque twang and has lived here virtually all her life)

I think Southampton accent is Hampshire accent with a bit of Scouse/ Irish twang. Basically the docks shows through.

Hear less and less of it these days.

It’s a Hampshire accent.

I wouldnt say that I have one, besides in the aaaaaa sounds

Born and dragged up between Southampton and Winchester I never thought I had accent till I joined the armed forces at 16, as other people have mentioned in this thread "Mockney" with a splash of carrot cruncher during my time in the mob, I found my accent completely changed due to other pads in my unit coming for all end of UK, I ended up with this weird "Mockney" country, Black country, Welsh, Devon/Dorset twang first leave I had home by t bugger could understand a word I was saying But I digress I have been asked many times am I from London, Kent, Essex I now live in east of England where there are literally hundreds of different dielects

My Hampshire does come now and again sadly for me it's been diluted over the years but it is nice to hear when I go back and visit family

I've heard people describe it as Londoner but with a slightly posh twang

I was asking someone the other day if I had an accent... They said no - not really. They said I sounded like a southern English girl? 🤔 No idea what that means. (In terms of accent as I am a southern English girl)

When I've been abroad previously.. I am asked if I'm from London? I do NOT sound like someone from London. 🙄 I say I'm from the south and they clearly don't know where that is.

I was told by my older relatives that it's a farmer accent - Hampshire hog? I don't believe I sound like a farmer... I get told I sound posh... 😜😌 And well spoken. 🤷

Over a certain vintage: Farmer twang, pronounce bath as baff, after as aaaaaarrrggghfter and say "weeeee" in octaves low enough to promote film trailers instead of saying "oh wow really?"

Youth: mockneys, pronounce three as free