PHONOLOGICAL FEATURES OF

AUSTRALIAN ENGLISHBy Daysha

WHAT IS PHONETICS AND PHONOLOGY?PHONETICS is the study of the production of speech sounds.

PHONOLOGY is the study of the sound system of languages.

Metalanguage under phonetics and phonology: International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)

Pitch, Volume, TempoAccents

Australian English:Features of Broad, General and Cultivated accents

Phonological Patterning: AlliterationAssonance

ConsonanceOnomatopoeia

Rhythm and rhyme.

AUSTRALIAN ACCENTS The Australian accent can be loosely split up into three main types: Broad, General and Cultivated. Each type of accent comes with a variety of social perceptions as well as phonological differences.

Cultivated General Broad

Phonetics Rounded vowels Carefully enunciated

speech Formal tone Fluent Articulate Easily mistaken for

British

No distinguishable characteristics

Flat Nasal Monotone Drawn out vowels Frequent use of

diminutives (A suffix added to a common or proper noun, that indicates smallness and usually expresses affection, e.g. as in Tassie or Salvo)

Add infixes regularly

Social Perceptions Upper class Snobby Posh Old fashion Appropriate etiquette Refined and up tight Wealthy Courteous

Approachable Lives in suburbia Middle-class Average Australia Majority of

population

“Bogans” Working-class Aussie battler Easy-going Laid back Can’t be taken

seriously

BROAD AUSTRALIAN ACCENTSBroad Australian English is the furthest from British received pronunciation (The opposite of the cultivated Australian accent). It is considered overseas as the stereotypical Australian accent. It is sometimes identified as working-class or rural Australians, especially males.

Example - Steve Irwin VIDEO

GENERAL AUSTRALIAN ACCENTSThe accent characterising most Australians and it lays between cultivated and broad on the accents continuum.

Example – Carrie Bickmore VIDEO

CULTIVATED AUSTRALIAN ACCENTS An accent in that part of the continuum that is closest to British received pronunciation. It is sometimes identified with the educated middle and upper-middle class, especially females.

Example – Cate Blanchett VIDEO