Varieties of English in English-speaking countries

Australian English

l Divergence of Australian English from BrE can be dated back to 1788 when the first penal colony for British convicts was set up. They spoke mostly Cockney. In 1827 when the speech of Australian residents was described, strong Cockney impact was noticed.

l During Australian gold rushes in the 1850s Australian English borrowed increasingly from external sources.

l Americanization of Australian English occurred during massive influx of American troops during WWII and increased later in the 1950s due to television, movies and mass media.

Australian English has a lot in common with New Zealand English, however the difference is obvious to a speaker from either country.

n There is Australian Corpus of English

n British spelling prevails, correlation of British and American spelling in 3:1 (-ise VS ize)

 

n There is some influence of Hiberno- English as many people are of Irish descent. Irish impact is seen in the use of me instead of my: What’s me hat?

n Some words in Australian English are unique like bush – remote, sparsely-populated areas.

n Some elements from Aboriginal languages (places, flora, fauna) were incorporated like kangaroo.

Pork products are known

in South Australia as fritz

In Victoria as stras

In New South Wales as devon,

In Western Australia as polony

In Queensland as windsor

In Tasmania as belgium

Stereotypically Australians have a rising tone/ questioning intonation known as high rising terminal. There are lots of regional patterns

 

Sociolinguistic approach in Australian English studies:

n Broad Australian English

n General Australian English

n Cultivated Australian English

 

Cultivated Australian English (CAE) is similar to RP. 3 -10 % population speak CAE. Common among public figures.People speaking CAE are ridiculed as aloof, snobby, affected. General Australian English - stereotype of Australian English, the language of movies & TV. Broad Australian English is a recognizable variety due to accent, known for long diphthongs and nasal drawl.

 

Distinctive characteristics of Australian English

Diminutives which end in –ie or – o:

Abo – aborigine

Arvo – afternoon

Doco – documentary

Servo - service station/ petrol station

Bottle- o - liquor store

Rego /dz/ - vehicle registration

Compo – compenasation

Leso/ lesbo - lesbian

Ambo – ambulance

Filo – Filipino Americans

 

Barbie – barbecue

Bikkie – biscuit

Bikie - bycycle

Brekkie - breakfast

Brickie – brick layer

Mozzie – mosquito

 

New Zealand English (NewZild)

· NewZild = New Zealand English/ NZ= New Zealand

· Influence of Australian English, of Maori speech.

· Some traits of old dialects of low-class English of the 19th c. survived in NewZild

· Wellington Corpus of New Zealand English

 

· Major difference with Australian English is flattened /i/: pan →pen, pen → pin, pin →pun.

· Bull /buwd/, milk /muwk/

· British spelling is found universally in New Zealand

· -ise is used exclusively

· But American spelling creeps: through →thru

Maori impact

in flora & fauna (kiwi a bird, a NZ-er)

Community consultation

Health, education

government

Kia ora = be healthy/ hello, greeting

Haere ra = goodbye

Kia kaha - be strong/ moral support

Makariri nē? = cold isn’t it?/ greeting in the morning

Nē – isn’t it?

Half-pai (pai – means good) = half standard

Super – old age pension scheme

Sweet as - fine with me

Choice! = excellent idea

Cuzzie bro – close friend

Flatting = sharing a flat

Flash – stylish, expensive

Fulla – guy, taken from fella, fellow

Hard case- a person with a good sense of humour

Scarfie – a university student

Bring a plate = ads of self catering

Box of Birds, Box of Bees – fell very good

Having you on = pull sb’s leg

 

Indian English

British English and Scottish English are taught, the latter influenced Indian English with rhoticity and thrilled -r-.

RP is encouraged and promoted

Indian English has established itself as an audible distinct dialect with specific phrases

Obsolete forms of English, antiquated phrases which were fashionable 50 years ago

Indian English is an object of jokes due to ruined Grammar

BrE is popular with older generations, AmE – with younger, there are debates about variant to be adopted:

70% BBC English, 10% General American English, 17% Indian English

AmE grows popular due to TV, pop-culture, visits to the USA

AmE gradually dominates within academic, technical publications, mass media

/v/ < > /W/

Impact of Bengali, Hindi, Tamil → Benglish, Hindish, Tanglish

Progressive tense in stative verbs: I’m understanding, He is knowing the answer

Variation in number: he likes to pull your legs

Prepositions – to pay your attention on, discuss about

Tag questions: isn’t it? / no? in general questions; He’s here, no?

Word order: They’re late always. My all friends are waiting. Yes, I didn’t.

Past tense form: I had gone = I went

But & only as intensifiers: I was just joking but.

Open/ close = turn on/off

Overuse of words actually, basically, obviously in the beginning of the sentence

Overuse of the word different – different: We had gone to different different places.

Omission of the article: Let’s to ______city

Your good name please? = what’s your name?

Deadly = intensive (That movie is deadly)

Hi-fi = stylish (Your shoes are hi-fi)

Sexy = excellent & extremely cool (That’s a sexy car)

Hello! What do you want? = in telephone conversations

Back = ago: I met him 5 years back

Mr/ Mrs as common nouns: My Mrs is not feeling well

Uncle/ aunt to refer to someone significantly older

Repair = of a broken object: The TV became repair

Healthy = to refer to fat people

Dress - to refer to any clothes for men/ women/ children

Bath and bathe are interchangeable

Interjections

High-end-= of very high quality (sarcastically of work and people)

Oof! = distress& frustration

arey! Acchha! = to express range of emotions

Words from India in English

Jungle, bungalow, banana, pajamas, guru, shampoo

 

Canadian English

Close to AmE

Commonwealth spelling

Pronunciation is closer to AmE

Many words known as americanisms are also found in Canada

 

Major dialects are Newfounland, Eastern Canadian, Quebec, Central / Western, Ottawa Valley Twang