<Li> As in Scotland, the vowels / ʊ / and / u / are merged, so that look and Luke are homophonous . The vowel is a high central rounded vowel, (ʉ). </Li> <Li> The diphthong / aʊ / is pronounced approximately (əʉ), but wide variation exists, especially between social classes in Belfast </Li> <Li> In Belfast, / eɪ / is a monophthong in open syllables (e.g. day (dɛː)) but an ingliding diphthong in closed syllables (e.g. daze (deəz)). But the monophthong remains when inflectional endings are added, thus daze contrasts with days (dɛːz). </Li> <Li> The alveolar stops / t, d / become dental before / r, ər /, e.g. tree and spider </Li>

Why do we have accents in the uk