Scouse

Scouse (/skaʊs/ skowss), more formally known as Liverpool English or Merseyside English, is an accent and dialect of English associated with the city of Liverpool and the surrounding Merseyside. The Scouse accent is highly distinctive, as it was heavily influenced by Irish and Welsh immigrants who arrived via the Liverpool docks, as well as Scandinavian sailors who also used the docks. People from Liverpool are known as Liverpudlians, but also called Scousers; the name comes from scouse, a stew originating from Scandinavian lobscouse eaten by sailors and locals.

Liverpool's development since the 1950s has spread the accent into nearby areas such as the towns of Runcorn and Skelmersdale. Variations of Scouse have been noted: the accent of Liverpool's city centre and northern neighbourhoods is usually described as fast, harsh, and nasal, while the "Beatles-like" accent found in Liverpool's southern suburbs is typically described as slow, soft, and dark. Popular colloquialisms have shown a growing deviation from the historical Lancashire dialect previously found in Liverpool, as well as a growth in the influence of the accent in the wider area. Scouse is often considered by other Britons one of the country's least popular accents due to its difficulty, but it also performs very well in polls of British accents that people perceive as happy and friendly.