Follow Us!
Subscribe to Blog via Email
-
Recent Posts
All-Time Most Popular
1. The Accents in Downton Abbey
2. The 5 Best Irish Accents on Film
3. Arrr, Matey! The Origins of the Pirate Accent
4. The 3 Types of Australian Accents
5. Canadian Raising: Nobody Says Aboot
6. South African or Kiwi or Aussie?
7. Top 10 American Accents by Non-Americans
8. Mom Mum Mam
9. When Did Americans Stop "Talking British?"
10. The Wild World of the English "r"Recent Comments
For the Uninitiated
Sites I Love
Categories
Archives
- April 2015
- February 2015
- January 2015
- December 2014
- October 2014
- September 2014
- August 2014
- July 2014
- June 2014
- May 2014
- April 2014
- March 2014
- February 2014
- January 2014
- December 2013
- November 2013
- October 2013
- September 2013
- August 2013
- July 2013
- June 2013
- May 2013
- April 2013
- March 2013
- February 2013
- January 2013
- December 2012
- November 2012
- October 2012
- September 2012
- August 2012
- July 2012
- June 2012
- May 2012
- April 2012
- March 2012
- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
Monthly Archives: February 2011
Dialect Profile: The Brummie Accent
In this series, we discuss different dialects using actual video or audio samples. NOTE: This page uses the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For information about this notation, please visit my page of IPA Resources. In case you didn’t know, “Brummie” … Continue reading
Dialect Blog Site Update #1
See that menu bar at the top of the screen? There’s a whole bunch of stuff up there. Stuff about accents, dialects and related topics. I am constantly expanding and refining this content. As such, I am going to post … Continue reading
Comments Off on Dialect Blog Site Update #1
Posted in Uncategorized Comments Off on Dialect Blog Site Update #1
North America’s Strange “Island” Dialects
One of my missions in life is to convince non-Americans that we do not, in fact, all speak alike. Sadly, the media are against me: most foreigners get their ideas of how we speak from American television, where accents are … Continue reading
Comments Off on North America’s Strange “Island” Dialects
Posted in Miscellaneous Accents and Dialects Tagged American Southern Accents, dialects in TV, Newfoundland Accent, unusual accents and dialects Comments Off on North America’s Strange “Island” Dialects
Speech Impediment vs. Dialect
In yesterday’s post, I talked a bit about Jonathan Ross’s famous pronunciation of “r,” and how I believe this is actually a dialect feature rather than a speech disorder or impediment. It’s worth taking a look at the overlap between … Continue reading
Jonathan Ross and the Letter R
For many years, Britons have mocked television host Jonathan Ross for his pronunciation of the letter “r.” Ross seems to replace this letter with a “w,” so it appears to oustiders that he pronounces his own name “Jonathan Woss.” In … Continue reading
Cockney: going the way of New York?
As I mentioned yesterday, Harry Mount of the Telegraph suggests that Cockney isn’t dying, but rather has migrated to the suburbs. I won’t comment just yet, but there is an obvious parallel here: the classic New York City dialect. Much … Continue reading
Comments Off on Cockney: going the way of New York?
Posted in British English Tagged Cockney, New York Accent Comments Off on Cockney: going the way of New York?
Saturday News Roundup: Bad Boston Accents
A few dispatches from the word of accents and dialects: Americans prefer British accents to their own. Gothamis reports that New Yorkers hate their own accents. New York Magazine eviscerates the Boston accents in the new Kennedy miniseries Indian … Continue reading
Posted in Uncategorized Tagged Boston accents, Brummie, Cockney, dialects in TV, New York Accent, News Roundup 6 Comments
Definition of the Day: Phonology
(In this series, we will look at linguistic terms that are important for studying dialects and accents) Merriam-Webster defines phonology as the following: the science of speech sounds including especially the history and theory of sound changes in a language … Continue reading
Comments Off on Definition of the Day: Phonology
Posted in Uncategorized Comments Off on Definition of the Day: Phonology
AusTalk
As per Melbourne’s Herald Sun, a pair of Australian universities are working on a project called “AusTalk,” which will compile a database of 1000 speakers of Australian English. When finished, it will be one of the most comprehensive English accent … Continue reading
“Incomprehensible” Accents
On occasion, I may refer to a certain accent as “incomprehensible” or “inscrutable” or some other questionable attribute. I would like to take a moment to clear up what I mean. I love the dialects of English. I think they … Continue reading
Comments Off on “Incomprehensible” Accents
Posted in Miscellaneous Accents and Dialects Tagged class and accent, dialects and comprehension Comments Off on “Incomprehensible” Accents