Ellen Ryan
MLE, known to millennials and boomers as Multicultural London English, is a multiethnolect hybrid language mainly spoken by the younger generation. It emerged in the late 20th century and was originally found in the East End of London. So, why is everyone so pressed about the way ‘youtes’ chat these days?
It’s no secret the way teenagers speak has always been unpopular amongst older generations. Changes in words and abbreviations can cause elders to feel old and left out of conversations. However, language isn’t a fixed thing. New experiences and inventions mean we need new words. Changes in society and culture mean different groups create new vocabularies to describe their identities.
The English language has never been and never will be constant – it is forever changing.
You Got A Problem?
“Blud needs to calm it. What’s wrong with the way man chats? Tryna cause bare beef out of nofin.”– what they said.
MLE is simply a form of communication, much like cockney, in which the two branches of English share common ground.
The way we speak forms part of our identity. It says something about who we are and where we come from. For young people, feeling like they belong to a group creates a sense of identity and certainty as to how they fit into the world. Teenagers are changing their speech to help better establish themselves in society – how could this be a bad thing?
“It provides a distinct gap between those who are and aren’t in the MLE group”
According to The Sun, 21 per cent of adults felt it was difficult to relate to young people because of the vocabulary they use, but generations experience different things. Cultures and behaviours between generations will always be different, simply because times change. People evolve, new things are generated and as a result, new forms of communication arise.
Part of the reason MLE is so popular is because it provides a distinct gap between those who are and aren’t in the MLE group, creating connection and belonging for those who understand it. This shared dialect provides a space away from the constraints of following the Queen’s English and speaking in the ‘proper way’.
@bbcnews What’s the one accent you’d save? #ReliableSauce #Accents #EastLondon #MLE #MulticulturalLondonEnglish #LondonAccent #Estuary #CockneyRhymingSlang #BBCNews
Misconceptions About MLE
MLE is a bad version of English; it’s just kids not knowing how to speak properly
Wrong – MLE is a branch of the English language.
Like other dialects, its grammar, phonetics and vocabulary extend beyond simply being ‘slang’. Some words have been around since the Middle Ages, such as ‘ends’.
Many misconceptions about MLE are rooted in class. For example, speaking in a regional dialect instead of the Queen’s English can provoke prejudice. This can lead to people code-switching, changing the way they speak, in interviews or when speaking with elders. Those who speak MLE are also able to do this, depending on the circumstances.
It’s possible people feel they need to code-switch because of negative representations of regional dialects in the media.
Only Black people speak MLE
Wrong – MLE is now so widespread that many young people see MLE as part of ‘teenage English’ rather than ‘Black English’.
From ‘blud’ to ‘hench’, MLE has become the way to speak amongst teens.
“Having common ground when meeting new people creates familiarity”
The MLE dialect is available to anyone of any race or ethnicity – despite often being associated with Jamaicans, hence the nickname ‘Jafaican’. So how can one ethnic group be tied to this branch of English when the M in MLE stands for multicultural, meaning a mix of cultures?
Some of the confusion comes from the words MLE has in common with Jamaican Creole. Before the term MLE was formed, young African Caribbean people spoke a mixed version of Jamaican Creole and Cockney English to each other. It was like a secret language for those who faced discrimination.
However, dialects are more than just words and as the popularity of MLE increases, so has its reach.
“Identifying a branch of English as ‘wrong’ is potentially emotionally damaging”
MLE is just trouble
Wrong – MLE provides a bridge between people of all ethnic and cultural groups.
Having common ground when meeting new people creates familiarity and relationships with other MLE speakers. Identifying a branch of English as ‘wrong’ is potentially emotionally damaging to a person, instilling fear and even shame in talking the way they feel best resonates with who they are.
Get Used To It
Attitudes need to change, for the sake of future generations.
The Queen’s English is not the only way to speak English and many misconceptions about MLE are rooted in classism and racism. MLE is a dialect which helps today’s young people express their identity and connect with others.
So, to all you haters out there, it’s time to get used to it!
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Featured image courtesy of Volodymyr Hryshchenko on Unsplash. No changes have been made to this image. Image license found here.
