40 min
Accents:
AmE / BrE / AusE
AmE / BrE / AusE
2 topics
3 tasks
fact sheet
Why do we need to know the distinctive features of native accents (dialects)?
а) listening comprehension:
b) speech:
(In a weird way, that's the key thing about losing your Russian accent).
Today we'll discuss two major dialects:
North American/Canadian (AmE) and British (BrE).
а) listening comprehension:
- to distinguish between words in any pronunciation and not confuse COLD with CALLED in different varieties of English.
b) speech:
- to speak and not mix Alabama with Manchester.
(In a weird way, that's the key thing about losing your Russian accent).
Today we'll discuss two major dialects:
North American/Canadian (AmE) and British (BrE).
WATER
/wo-ta/
· The R is not pronounced after the vowel;
· The letter A sounds like "О".
· Just like you were taught at school.
· The letter A sounds like "О".
· Just like you were taught at school.
WATER
/waddr/
· The R is pronounced after the vowel;
· The "О" sound resembles an "А";
· The T between the vowels sounds like "dd".
· The "О" sound resembles an "А";
· The T between the vowels sounds like "dd".
1.
American and British accents
Now we will promptly learn how to distinguish between a Yank and a Brit. Let’s take the word water as an example.
The spelling is the same but the pronunciation is quite different:
The spelling is the same but the pronunciation is quite different:
2.
Instruction:
How to identify an accent without fail?
a) Do the visual reconnaissance.
b) If those features are nowhere to
be seen, we’ll have to make do with the listening.
It all boils down to literally 5 points:
a) Do the visual reconnaissance.
- A dude in sunglasses, carrying a rifle and wearing his overalls and a baseball cap? 100% American.
- He’s wearing a top hat and a monocle and carrying a cup of tea? An Englishman.
b) If those features are nowhere to
be seen, we’ll have to make do with the listening.
It all boils down to literally 5 points:
RHOTICITY
Reading (and pronouncing) the "R" after vowels is called rhoticity (or "r-coloring").
Take a look at the word WORKER and its pronunciation.
AmE: "worrkerr" – rhoticity is present.
BrE + AusE: "woka" – no rhoticity.
AmE: "wadder"
BrE: "wota"
P.S.
AusE: "wodda".
Take a look at the word WORKER and its pronunciation.
AmE: "worrkerr" – rhoticity is present.
BrE + AusE: "woka" – no rhoticity.
AmE: "wadder"
BrE: "wota"
P.S.
AusE: "wodda".
FLAP T,
…or more simply, "T between vowels." An American thing.
The "Т" between vowels turns into something like a D/R sound.
Remember the Boney M line: "Варвара жарит кур" (= What about it, Daddy cool).
In the word "Варвара" (What about it) you hear exactly this sound.
AmE (+AusE):
• WATER ≈ "wadder",
• BETTER ≈ "bedder",
• PARTY ≈ "pardy",
• CITY ≈ "cidy",
• GET OUT ≈ "gedaut",
• And even BRITISH ≈ "briddish".
In British English, this phenomenon does not occur.
The "Т" between vowels turns into something like a D/R sound.
Remember the Boney M line: "Варвара жарит кур" (= What about it, Daddy cool).
In the word "Варвара" (What about it) you hear exactly this sound.
AmE (+AusE):
• WATER ≈ "wadder",
• BETTER ≈ "bedder",
• PARTY ≈ "pardy",
• CITY ≈ "cidy",
• GET OUT ≈ "gedaut",
• And even BRITISH ≈ "briddish".
In British English, this phenomenon does not occur.
NT-cluster
Another feature specific to AmE:
NT ~ NN (nasal)
If you’ve ever wondered why WANT TO gets reduced to WANNA... you may have noticed that North American speakers tend to pronounce "NT" kind of like slightly nasal "NN" sound (especially in fast speech).
AmE:
• ATLANTA ≈ "atlanna"
• INTERNET ≈ "innernet"
• TORONTO ≈ "toronno"
• WINTER ≈ "winner"
• TWENTY ≈ "twenni"
This can also be observed in Australian English (+AusE).
Again, this doesn't happen in British English.
NT ~ NN (nasal)
If you’ve ever wondered why WANT TO gets reduced to WANNA... you may have noticed that North American speakers tend to pronounce "NT" kind of like slightly nasal "NN" sound (especially in fast speech).
AmE:
• ATLANTA ≈ "atlanna"
• INTERNET ≈ "innernet"
• TORONTO ≈ "toronno"
• WINTER ≈ "winner"
• TWENTY ≈ "twenni"
This can also be observed in Australian English (+AusE).
Again, this doesn't happen in British English.
trap/bath split
Americans also tend to use this "æ" vowel where the British tend to say /ɑː/. That’s how you can spot them.
Words that you were taught in school to pronounce with an "ɑː" - can't, last, fast, past, path, vast, dance, are pronounced with an "æ" sound in AmE.
Læst, pæst, and so on:
AmE:
• CAN'T: /kænt/. Yes, "kænt," not "kɑːnt".
• LAST: /læst/
• FAST: /fæst/
• AFTER: /'æfter/
• ANSWER /ænsr/
• DANCE /dæns/
*In more extreme cases, /æ/ sound may shift toward something like "eə": MAN = MAYUN.
"What if I cayunt?". More on that later.
Words that you were taught in school to pronounce with an "ɑː" - can't, last, fast, past, path, vast, dance, are pronounced with an "æ" sound in AmE.
Læst, pæst, and so on:
AmE:
• CAN'T: /kænt/. Yes, "kænt," not "kɑːnt".
• LAST: /læst/
• FAST: /fæst/
• AFTER: /'æfter/
• ANSWER /ænsr/
• DANCE /dæns/
*In more extreme cases, /æ/ sound may shift toward something like "eə": MAN = MAYUN.
"What if I cayunt?". More on that later.
ɑː-like pronunciation, a.k.a. «father–bother merger»
Americans can also be recognized by the fact that they often use an ɑː sound in words where you were taught to pronounce an "o" in school.
AmE:
• COP /kɑːp/
• LOT /lɑːt/
• CLOCK /klɑːk /
• BOSS /bɑːs /
• STOP /stɑːp/
• BOTHER /ˈbɑːðər/
Basically: "ай гAт за пауэр", so "ю'д бэддр стАп".
P.S. By the way, GET-GOT-GOT.
If you see the form "GOTTEN" instead of "GOT" as the past participle (3rd verb form), it’s most likely American English.
AmE:
• COP /kɑːp/
• LOT /lɑːt/
• CLOCK /klɑːk /
• BOSS /bɑːs /
• STOP /stɑːp/
• BOTHER /ˈbɑːðər/
Basically: "ай гAт за пауэр", so "ю'д бэддр стАп".
P.S. By the way, GET-GOT-GOT.
If you see the form "GOTTEN" instead of "GOT" as the past participle (3rd verb form), it’s most likely American English.
3.
VIDEO
Below are some vids with cool stories by WW2 veterans or their descendants.
Recognise which country each of them fought for and do the test below.
Recognise which country each of them fought for and do the test below.
NB!
Remember that there are R-sound British accents and non-R-sound American ones out there.
Apart from the rhoticity (RRR), keep the other features in mind.
Apart from the rhoticity (RRR), keep the other features in mind.
ROUND TO THE TASK!
AmE vs BrE
Old man #1:
NO WAY. Can't = /kænt/, а не /kɑːnt/. Sat on ouR seats; ten foRDDy-one.
RIGHT ON! Sat on ouR seats; ten foRDy-one; сan't = /kænt/.
Old man #2:
EXACTLY! "Lot" with an O; "farmers", "permission" without R. Definitely British.
YOU'RE KIDDING? "Lot" with an O; "farmers", "permission" without R. Definitely British.
Old man #3:
WRONG! Everything is clear from the word WATER, but if that's not enough – listen to "engineers," as well as the specific pronunciation of YOUNG, STRUGGLING, BLOOD, and BECOME.
WELL DONE! Everything is clear from the word WATER, but if that's not enough – listen to "engineers," as well as the specific pronunciation of YOUNG, STRUGGLING, BLOOD, and BECOME.
Old man #4:
NOPE! In some places there’s no rhoticity (METERS), whereas in some places it is present (geRman). But foRDY-two, maDDer, as well as the "ah"– like got /ɡɑt/ and top /tɑp/ give the old man away at once.
PRECISELY! In some places there’s no rhoticity (METERS), whereas in some places it is present (geRman).But foRDY-two, maDDer, as well as the "ah"-like got /ɡɑt/ and top /tɑp/ give the old man away completely.
Are you sure you've read the text above?
Do it over ASAP.
Are you sure you've read the text above?
Do it over ASAP.
Not so bad.
But not so good either.
We are proud of you.
But there's still room for improvement.
Fabulous!
Nice work, keep going!
BrE
/ai/ ≈ /oɪ/
/ei/ ≈ /aɪ/
/ou/ ≈ /ɜɪ/.
/ei/ ≈ /aɪ/
/ou/ ≈ /ɜɪ/.
E.G.:
Oi Tom! You’d bettah stay hoim, it’s rining outsoid.
Oi Tom! You’d bettah stay hoim, it’s rining outsoid.
AmE
/ai/ ≈ /a:/
/æ/ ≈ /eɪə/
/au/ ≈ /eo/
/æ/ ≈ /eɪə/
/au/ ≈ /eo/
E.G.:
Hey ah dunnow whatchar tahkn abeot, ah've lived in this layund a:ll mah la:f.
Hey ah dunnow whatchar tahkn abeot, ah've lived in this layund a:ll mah la:f.
4.
diphthongs
Let’s now distort the diphthongs a bit and we can easily imitate the American or British accent.
NB: to be taken in moderation!
NB: to be taken in moderation!
5.
Do the task:
- Pick your old man from one of the videos above;
- Transcribe (write down as text) everything he says;
- Mark the distinctive features of his accent (rhoticity, father-bother merger, FLAP T/D, etc.);
- Mark how he pronounces the diphthongs (e.g. FIRE = /fa:/ instead of /faɪər/).
END OF THE GUIDE
Don’t relax just yet — graded assignments are coming up.
Go ahead and move on to the task; you need to reinforce what you’ve learned.
Go ahead and move on to the task; you need to reinforce what you’ve learned.
Field Practice
…Using the video and transcript, make your own imitation of the accent of the veteran you picked. Make an audio recording of the result.
Send a report of this task to YOUR SUPERVISOR.
Attach your transcript and recording.
- Convey the main features (the ones you marked in the transcript) and the manner. Take account of the intonation, rhythm and pauses!
- You don’t have to imitate the marbles in the old man’s mouth.
Send a report of this task to YOUR SUPERVISOR.
Attach your transcript and recording.
Below is an additional segment of the mission focused on the Australian accent. If you did not participate in previous intakes of Battle for Britain, you do not need to complete it now.
NB!
4.
What about Australia?
Australian English is a variation of 19th-century British English. It has several "American" features — for example, the FLAP T. To the ear, it may sound like something of a mix between AmE and BrE.
Let’s go through the same 5 points in comparison with BrE:
Let’s go through the same 5 points in comparison with BrE:
Other examples:
Additionally, Australians are easily distinguished by their vowels:
And finally, the long and short /i/. Those are almost indistinguishable. When spoken by an Australian, ‘ship’ and ‘sheep’ sound the same.
- /eɪ/ = /aɪ/. "G-day, mate" sounds like "Gdie, mite!"
- /aɪ/ ≈ /ɒɪ/. "My life" sounds almost like "moy loyfe".
- /aʊ/ ≈ /eo/. "My home is down under!" sounds like "Moy home is deon undah!"
And finally, the long and short /i/. Those are almost indistinguishable. When spoken by an Australian, ‘ship’ and ‘sheep’ sound the same.
3.
VIDEO
Below are video recordings with the purest Australian accent. Find all 9 features (5 general + 4 vowel features) listed above in the speech of the characters in the video.
