Learn English – Word for someone who adopts lower class mannerisms

single-word-requests

I wonder if there is a word for someone from an upper-class background who deliberately adopts some lower-class mannerisms (such as using words associated with lower social status or putting on an accent).

Best Answer

In the UK this is often called 'Mockney' from mock+Cockney.

Cockney
Linguistically, Cockney English refers to the accent or dialect of English traditionally spoken by working-class Londoners. In recent years, many aspects of Cockney English have become part of general South East English speech, producing a variant known as Estuary English.

Several British politicians are guilty of this, in feeble attempts to make themselves more appealing to the working classes.Here is Conservative MP George Osborne at it, as recorded by The Telegraph newspaper.

Ex-Prime Minister Tony Blair was also guilty of it.