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1. The first specimen is of Received Pronunciation (RP). It comprises the test passage*, spoken by
Susan Ramsaran.
RP is the standard accent of English in England, and the accent taught to overseas learners of English
in many countries. Some of its phonetic characteristics are as follows, with examples from the test
passage.
.
LOT has a rounded vowel, []: o'clock, stopped, vodka.
Non-rhotic distribution of /r/, historical /r/ having been lost except before a vowel: work,
hour, later, started, earth tremor, utterly [tl i].
Linking /r/, though, before a vowel: after I'd had, quarter of; also intrusive /r/ between // and
a following vowel: vodka or.
Centring diphthongs in NEAR, SQUARE, CURE: steering, air, fury, experience, there, during.
Weak suffix in -ary: momentary /mmntr/; but not in -ile: hostile /hstal/.
Broad vowel, //, in BATH: after, past, vast, ask.
The vowels of THOUGHT, NORTH and FORCE are all identical: awesome, horse, force.
GOAT is a diphthong with a central starting point, []: drove, local, momentary.
"Smoothing" may make a diphthong monophthongal when before another
vowel: throwing /r/ [r], diabolical [da-]; /i/ and /u/ may become [, ] before a
vowel: two o'clock [tklk].
The yod semivowel /j/ is retained after /t, d, n/, sometimes after /s, z/: during, new,
supernatural.
Words such as really, fury, utterly, fiery end in []. (Compare [i] in many other accents.)
Here is my discussion of the RP specimen.
2. The second "reference accent" is General American.
"General American" is the label which may be applied to the speech of the majority of Americans
whose speech has neither Eastern nor Southern characteristics. The speaker on the tape is from
Seattle, Washington state, in the Pacific Northwest.
LOT has an unrounded vowel, [].
Rhotic distribution of /r/: /r/ is pronounced wherever the spelling includes r. No intrusive /r/.
No centring diphthongs as distinct phonemes: experience has the same [-pr-] as spirit.
Suffix vowel strong in -ary /-ri/, weak in -ile /-l/.
BATH has the same // as TRAP.
GOAT ranges from a monophthongal [o] through [o] to an almost RP-like [].
Often no /j/ after /t, d, n/: during. No /j/ after /s/: super-.
Tapping and voicing of /t/ between vowels: unforgettable (rhymes with incredible), quarter,
later, sitting, waiting, started.
Here is the test passage.
17. New Zealand. New Zealand speech is very similar to Australian. As well as the points mentioned
under 16. above, note in the NZ version of the test passage
the pronunciation of KIT as a central vowel, [], rather than front, [] (sitting).
the use of an [e] quality in NEAR (steering, merely). Many New Zealanders do not distinguish
NEAR from SQUARE (steer = stare, as also in the West Indies).
the use of // rather than /e/ before /l/ (felt; elf = Alf).
L Vocalization, the use of a vowel or semivowel in place of dark /l/ (gentle) widespread
also in England.
intrusive /r/ as in RP (vodka or).
18. South Africa. There are resemblances between a South African accent and an Australian, reflecting
the similar date of settlement by English-speakers. Note, however, the following points of difference:
START has a very back quality, almost []-like;
/p, t, k/ are sometimes unaspirated in positions where RP, etc., aspirate (colour);
/r/ is often a fricative rather than an approximant (red);
the KIT vowel splits in two, having an [i]-like quality at word boundaries and next to velars,
but a []-like quality elsewhere (sinks; minute).
All southern hemisphere accents share a closish quality in DRESS (red).
19. India. Indian English is generally a second language rather than the first, and tends to be coloured
by the phonetics of the first. Note:
/v/ and /w/ are merged, often with a [w]-like or intermediate quality ([]) for both (always,
dividing, where);
/p, t, k/ are unaspirated (telling, people);
dental plosives, [t , d], are used for /, /;
FACE and GOAT are monophthongs [e, o] (station);
word stress sometimes deviates from that of other accents (acquire [ka]).
20. Africa: Nigeria. In black Africa, too, English is typically coloured by the phonetics of the first
language. The recording is of a Nigerian whose first language is Yoruba. Note in particular the vowel
system: [] is rarely used, and certain standard vowel contrasts, such as that between KIT and FLEECE,
are not always made.
The th sounds tend to be replaced by /t/ and /d/ (rather [rada]; compare no. 15 above).
There is voicing of certain consonants which are voiceless in RP (looked, the fact that).