01355383 Varieties of English and Cultures of English Native Speakers 07 | Page 10

However, the attempt to regulate the English language
was not entirely successful.
While the prescriptivists have managed to establish the
rules of written English, standardising spoken English is a
whole different matter. It is estimated that the RP speakers
make up only 3% of the UK’s population and 19% of the
British speak Standard English (Trudgill, 1974). The RP
accent has long been associated with the privileged, like
the Queen and her family (hence, the term ‘the Queen’s
English’), the upper class and those attended prestigious
schools. Therefore, the RP accent has become an
indication of the person’s poshness (high status and
richness).