The first use of the term ''brogue'' ( ) originated in 1463-1529? to refer to an Irish accent by John Skelton. It still generally refers to a Southern Irish accent. Less commonly, it may also refer to any other regional forms of English today, in particular those of

American English American English, sometimes called United States English or U.S. English, is the set of varieties of the English language native to the United States. English is the most widely spoken language in the United States and in most circumstances ...

"Ocracoke Brogue,"

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or the English

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. Although historically Scottish accents were referred to as Burrs, due to scottish accents rolling Rs. Multiple

etymologies Etymology () The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p. 633 "Etymology /ˌɛtɪˈmɒlədʒi/ the study of the class in words and the way their meanings have changed throughout time". is the study of the history of the form of words an ...

have been proposed: it may derive from the Irish ''bróg'' ("shoe"), the type of shoe traditionally worn by the people of Ireland hence possibly originally meant "the speech of those who call a shoe a 'brogue.' Alternatively it may originate as an Irish-English word. The word was recorded in the 1500s to refer to an Irish accent by John Skelton. There is also a recording of it in 1689. Multiple

have been proposed: it may derive from the Irish ''bróg'' ("shoe"), the type of shoe traditionally worn by the people of Ireland and the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland ...

, and hence possibly originally meant "the speech of those who call a shoe a 'brogue.'" It is debated that the term comes from the Irish word ''barróg,'' meaning "a hold (on the tongue)," thus "accent" or "speech impediment." A famous

false etymology A false etymology (fake etymology, popular etymology, etymythology, pseudo-etymology, or par(a)etymology) is a popular but false belief about the origin or derivation of a specific word. It is sometimes called a folk etymology, but this is also a ...

states that the word stems from the supposed perception that the Irish spoke English so peculiarly that it was as if they did so "with a shoe in their mouths."

References

Irish culture English phonology Language varieties and styles {{phonology-stub

See also

References