Scotland's accents that were named the most and least desirable

Four Scottish dialects were ranked by their attractiveness.

There are many things that Scotland is famous for, whether it be our whisky or our landscapes. However, few things are as known around the world as the Scottish accent.

Across the globe, people have been introduced to a 'Scottish accent' in movies like Shrek and Braveheart. However, these attempts have been widely criticised by actual Scots.

In fact, there is no one single 'Scottish accent'. There are actually many different dialects all around Scotland, each of which have their own unique qualities.

As previously reported by the Daily Record, Scotland's accents were ranked by their desirability as part of a UK-wide study. A total of 50 dialects from across the nation were included in the research.

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Carried out by experts at online language platform Preply, accents were evaluated based on comprehensibility and likability. Four Scottish accents were singled out as part of the study, which made use of public surveys and AI technology.

Coming in as the number one most 'desirable' accent for Scotland is Edinburgh's. According to Preply, the dialect has certain characteristics that make it appealing.

The experts stated that the Edinburgh accent features distinctive softly pronounced 'r' and unique 'ch' sounds. These help give it a soothing and rhythmic sound.

Additionally, the Edinburgh accent is also appealing thanks to being "clear" and "educated-sounding". On the other hand, Preply stated that some may consider it to be "too formal".

Following behind as the second most appealing Scottish accent according to the study was Glasgow's. The Glasgow accent also placed at number 12 on the overall list.

The Glasgow dialect is known for its unique guttural quality, as well as its rolled 'r' sounds and dropped vowels. According to the experts, the most appealing aspect of the accent is its distinctiveness.

Placing third out of the four Scottish accents included in the study is the Highland accent. While the Scottish Highlands cover a large area, and are therefore home to many people with varying dialects, in general the accent features rolling 'r' sounds, elongated vowels, and a soft and melodic quality.

Generally speaking, accents are thought to be more desirable if they possess qualities such as a fluid rhythm and a melodic tone according to Preply. Those that personify a particular region's characteristics are also more attractive.

The bottom-placing accent on Preply's list is the Hebridean, which was found to be the 41st most desirable accent in the British Isles. The dialect can be picked out by its dominant 'r' and broad 'i' sounds.

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The Hebridean accent can be heard around Scotland's Western Isles, including Lewis and Harris. Its relatively low placement is due to the fact that it can be "difficult to understand".

According to Preply, dialects that are harder to understand as a result of powerful linguistic characteristics are generally less desirable. The experts also found that accents that have an association with specific negative stereotypes are also not as desirable as others.

See below for the full list of the most desirable accents in the British Isles according to Preply.

Most to least desirable accents in the British Isles

1. Southern Irish
2. Queen's English / Received Pronunciation
3. Edinburgh
4. Geordie
5. Mancunian
6. Yorkshire
7. Cockney
8. Essex
9. Scouse
10. Cardiff
11. Northern Irish
12. Glaswegian
13. Lancashire
14. Sheffield
15. Estuary English
16. Norfolk
17. Kentish
18. Highlands
19. Somerset
20. Durham
21. Brummie
22. Wolverhampton
23. Bristolian
24. West Country
25. Cornish
26. Salford
27. Leicester
28. Hampshire
29. Devon
30. Coventry
31. Nottingham
32. Bolton
33. Preston
34. Crawley
35. Norwich
36. Sunderland
37. Bradford
38. Middlesbrough
39. Northumberland
40. Stoke-on-Trent
41. Hebridean
42. Multicultural London English (MLE)
43. Gloucestershire
44. Cheshire
45. Hull City
46. West and South-West Irish
47. Cumbrian
48. Surrey
49. East Anglian
50. Manx