Bristolian
A Bristolian is a person from Bristol, and the name of the city's distinctive West Country dialect. The dialect is sometimes jokingly written "Bristle", which is how the city's name sounds in the accent.
In practice
Bristolian shares the rolled "r" of the West Country and adds features of its own: the "Bristol L" added to words ending in a vowel, "to" used for "at" ("where's it to?"), and words such as "gert" and "lush". It is strongest among older and working-class Bristolians, but phrases from it are used across the city by people of all backgrounds, often with affection and pride. Bristol is also a large university and creative city, so you will hear accents from everywhere.
Why it matters to newcomers
Bristolian phrases come up quickly on buses, in shops and pubs. Understanding a handful of them makes everyday conversation easier, and Bristolians are usually happy to explain.
Related
- Bristol L - the city's most famous accent feature
- Gert lush - the classic Bristol compliment
- Where's it to? - the local way to ask where something is
- Cheers drive - the local bus etiquette
Source: Wiktionary: Bristolian.