Earlier this week we uncovered the huge divide between Northerners and Southerners in Lincoln – it wasn’t pretty. 

Aside from the pronunciation of ‘bath’, nothing makes the North/ South divide more obvious than choices of slang.

Call a stranger ‘pet’ in the South and they’ll have the SWAT team at your house before you have time to put t’ kettle on. On the other hand, ask for ‘a Britney’ in a Northern pub and you better pray the worst they do to you is shave all your hair off.

We asked students their thoughts on the never ending battle.

On Southern slang:

Jammil Ahmed, from Yorkshire:

“Maybe it is more pretentious, but it might just be a way for them to relax around people they know.”

Anna Scott, from Worksop added: “Southern slang reminds me of TOWIE.”

Becky Rutter, from Lincoln:

“I think it’s all very endearing. I love it when the Americans come over and can’t understand it.”

Reece Horsley, from Litchfield, Staffordshire:

“Southern slang almost sounds a bit forced, like the South has just discovered they can make new words up.

“Slang is better when it’s old and has some meaning – I prefer Northern slang.”

Shannon Gilmour, from Doncaster:

“They don’t have slang. It’s very snobby. They pronounce every single letter, it’s not natural.”

On Northern slang:

Chloe Thompson, from Cambridge:

“It’s ridiculous, why can’t they just talk properly!”

Hassan Khan, from Reading adds: “I never understand it. It kind of divides everyone a bit.”

Ben Moores, from Chichester:

“It’s shit. Northern slang has the ability to make uncultured people sound like uncultured animals.

“It brings out the aggression in the English language.”

William Harris, from Ipswich, calls Northern slang “Too shit for words.”

We thought the final word should go to a non-biased observer, so naturally that meant asking a Scot.

Fraser Kelly, from Edinburgh:

“Northern slang and insults are more rustic, whereas when Southerners insult you it feels like they’re wiping your arse with silk.

“Fucking English, why can’t you just stop being weird?”

So to conclude, in the battle of Northern slang vs Southern slang, it seems Scottish people still don’t give a shit.