Kids Are Speaking With British Accents Thanks To “Peppa Pig Effect”
LONDON, ENGLAND - JUNE 25: A boy holds a 'One Upon A Time Princess Rose' Peppa Pig toy at Hamleys on June 25, 2015 in London, England. This Peppa Pig, which will sing by having its hands held, sells for £20. The Hamleys toy shop have made their predictions for the top selling toys for Christmas 2015. (Photo by Rob Stothard/Getty Images)
Uhhh this is TRUE! My son Cash says “daddy, bird, and come on” all with a British accent!
Since the pandemic hit, many parents have lifted screen time limits for their kids and it seems a lot of youngsters have been using their bonus time to watch more of the British cartoon “Peppa Pig.” So many of them are binge-watching the show that it’s led to a surprising side effect – they’re developing English accents. And it’s happening so much that there’s even a name for it, the so-called “Peppa Effect.”
Kids in the U.S. are mimicking their adorable pig pal from across the pond, with parents reporting their young sons and daughters are saying things like “Father Christmas” instead of Santa Claus and “telly” rather than television. Preetika Rana recently My 5-year-old niece in NYC had an American accent before the pandemic. Now she has a posh English accent after spending a year at home watching Peppa Pig. This phenomenon is so widespread that it’s a trending hashtag #PeppaEffect @peppapig 🐽🤯
— Preetika Rana (@Preetika_Rana) June 28, 2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">posted on Twitter that her five-year-old niece in New York City had an American accent before the pandemic, but now she “has a posh English accent after spending a year at home watching ‘Peppa Pig.’”
California resident Matias Cavallin On a recent VACATION, my 5-year-old dared tell me that she was loving her HOLIDAY. I told her, we speak American in this house...and Spanish too. 😂
— MC (@MatiasCavallin2) June 28, 2021" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">replied, “On a recent VACATION, my 5-year-old dared tell me that she was loving her HOLIDAY.” And loads of other parents chimed in, sharing that their kids now use British words like “petrol station” instead of gas station and one Rhode Island mom shares that her six-year-old is now referring to the bathroom as a “water closet.” The show’s owner, Entertainment One Ltd, explains the “Peppa Effect” like this: “Young Peppa fans see her as a friend … and, as we do with friends that we admire, pick up some of their characteristics.”
LauRen Merola Strager is a former NFL & NBA cheerleader turned radio host. LauRen is a former Miss Pennsylvania USA and is a proud wife and mother of two. She is the owner and chief editor for her fashion and lifestyle Blog “All Of The F-Words” and is a champion for the Autism community. You can read all about LauRen’s thoughts on motherhood, pageant life, and everyday life through her online content.
