ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Received Pronunciation

Received Pronunciation (RP) is the way that some people in England talk. It's like a special way to speak that is used by some important people, like the Queen or people in the BBC.

It's like when you hear a grown-up talk just a little bit differently than you do. They use some words or sounds that are different than what you're used to. For example, they might say "water" like "wotah" or they might pronounce the letter "r" even if it's not there, like in the word "car."

People who speak RP often learn how to talk this way in school. They practice saying words a certain way so that they sound proper and educated. Some people think that RP sounds posh or fancy, but others don't like it because they think it makes people sound snobby.

Even though lots of people in England don't speak with RP, it's still important to know what it is because it helps you understand different accents and types of English.