Cultural organisations across Notts – including museums, libraries, theatres, schools and more – are being asked to sign a pledge to protect the local lingo.
The campaign, launched by Professor Nicola McLelland from the University of Nottingham and Professor Natalie Braber of Nottingham Trent University, aims to celebrate the county's unique accents and colloquialisms as part of its intangible cultural heritage, as well as celebrating other languages that are spoken in the city.
The campaign – which allows individuals and organisations to sign a pledge on the Nottingham Lingo website – hopes to raise awareness that language, though invisible, is a powerful vessel for heritage, carrying jokes, poems, crafts, and community identity.
The website and Nottingham Voices app allow users to explore the rich tapestry of Nottingham's accents, dialects and languages through an interactive illustrated map which reveals audio clips of local voices.
And a soundscape – a spoken word composition – was created as part of the campaign by composer Chris Hope to showcase the Nottingham Lingo archive.
Chris's sonic fusion of Nottingham's local sounds and languages is a wonderful mindful listen - a wonderful invitation to reflect on and celebrate Nottingham's various heritages. I am sure people will really enjoy listening out for familiar and unfamiliar sounds and words."
Clips used in the map and soundscape were gathered from numerous museums, churches, tram-stops, pubs, shopping centres, parks, the National Ice Arena and more to provide a rich tapestry of sounds.
"Language is often taken for granted," added Professor Braber, of Nottingham Trent's School of Social Sciences. "Unlike objects in museums, you can't see it – but it's deeply embedded in who we are. It's how we tell stories, share jokes, and pass down traditions.
"These linguistic practices are especially vital in communities with strong industrial histories, such as mining towns in the East Midlands, where expressions tied to coal and craftsmanship are fading. So we wanted to show how important it is to protect and celebrate our local accents and languages. Language is a vehicle for heritage and if we don't protect it, we risk losing the stories, humour, and identity that make our communities unique."
The campaign aligns with the UK's recent ratification of the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage – one of the last countries in the world to do so.
The initiative encourages not just individuals but cultural organisations – museums, libraries, archives, theatres, community groups, schools, and even tourist boards – to sign a pledge to protect and celebrate local dialects in their work.
Chris Hope said: "The Nottingham soundscape was a real privilege to create. By fusing, slowing and warping the sounds of 13th Century clocks, lace-machines, mechanical punches, trams, diesel engines, church bells and the glide and cut of skaters, the rhythm of the city emerged – like its voices – as a fusion of cultures old and new.
"And, like the City's topography – where ancient meets industry; magnificence and grit cohabit; modern architecture is rung-over by timeless bells – Nottingham inhabits a liminal space of practical beauty."
