Amanda Cole, University of Essex
As English dialects go, cockney is one of the most influential. Long considered the preserve of working-class communities in east London, it has shaped the way people speak across the country, from Reading, Milton Keynes and even Hull all the way to Glasgow.
John Williams, University of Leicester
Along with 27,444 other people, I was in Milton Keynes for the Women’s European Championship semi-final between Germany and France on Wednesday night. It was a high-quality, hard-fought contest, the Germans eventually toughing it out over the more skilful French, winning through to the final where they meet the host nation, England, in a highly anticipated match.