Regarding the English language, there are wide variations in pronunciation, including dialects or accents due to differences within the age, the gender, or the geographical origin of the speaker. But there are also variations that are defined as standard pronunciation. Two of them, concerning the English language, are known as the Received Pronunciation (RP), which presents the Standard British accent, and the General American accent (GA), which presents the standard pronunciation in North America. Nowadays those variations face the people amongst others by the spoken media, like television or radio. Especially English learners who were, or still are predominantly confronted with the British English Pronunciation due to their academic education tend to have an issue with the unfamiliar General American pronunciation.
To illustrate the differences between the General American accent and the Received Pronunciation in British English, this paper dwells on the individual parts that finally form a specific pronunciation type: The differences within the vowel and consonant system, as well the differences within the articulation with focus on the stress of syllables.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION
2. VARIETIES OF ENGLISH
a) Received Pronunciation – the Standard British accent
b) American English
3. VARIETIES OF THE SOUND SYSTEMS – A COMPARISON
c) The Vowels
The RP vowel system
General American English vowels: differences from RP
The missing phoneme /ɒ/
The GA consistency of the phoneme /æ/
Diphthong changes: /əʊ/ vs. /oʊ/
d) The Consonants
The RP consonant system
The General American English consonants: differences from RP
Rhotic vs. non-rhotic accent
Dark /ł/ vs. Clear /l/
Variations of /t/
e) Differences in articulation: stress
4. CONCLUSION
5. BIBLIOGRAPHY
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper aims to analyze and compare the phonological differences between the British English Received Pronunciation (RP) and the North American General American (GA) accent. By examining vowel and consonant systems as well as stress patterns, the work clarifies how these two major English varieties diverge in their pronunciation and how these differences impact learners.
- Phonological comparison of RP and GA
- Differences in vowel systems and phoneme usage
- Consonantal variations including rhoticity and the glottal stop
- Articulation patterns and syllable stress
- Implications for English language learners
Excerpt from the Book
The missing phoneme /ɒ/
One of the most obvious differences from RP to General American (GA) Pronunciation lies in the absence of the RP phoneme /ɒ/ within the GA vowel system. This causes the phenomenon that the “three RP vowels /ɒ/, /æ/ and /ɑ:/ correspond to only two vowels in [GA] - /ɑ/ [or /ɑ:/] and /æ/.” (Hannah, Trudgill 1994: 38) Consequentially words like pot, top or box (RP: /pɒt/, /tɒp/, /bɒks/) change within their GA pronunciation to /pɑt/, /tɑp/ and /bɑ:ks/. Regarding the vowel diagram it can be established that the change from the RP /ɒ/ to the GA /ɑ/ primarily affected the roundedness of the vowel o. The RP phoneme /ɒ/ is produced by fully rounded lips, whereas the GA phoneme /ɑ/ is less rounded. Furthermore, the absence of the RP phoneme /ɒ/ is counterbalanced by the GA phoneme /ɔ/ (or /ɔ:/), as in cough, long or gone (GA: /kɔf/, /lɔŋ/ ,/gɔ:n/).
Chapter Summaries
1. INTRODUCTION: Provides an overview of the linguistic disciplines of phonetics and phonology and introduces the focus on comparing RP and GA.
2. VARIETIES OF ENGLISH: Defines the historical and social backgrounds of Received Pronunciation and General American English as the two standards for comparison.
3. VARIETIES OF THE SOUND SYSTEMS – A COMPARISON: Examines specific phonological differences, detailing vowel systems, consonantal variations, and articulation patterns like stress.
4. CONCLUSION: Synthesizes the findings, noting that while phonological differences exist, they generally do not impede mutual understanding between speakers.
5. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Lists the academic sources and references used throughout the seminar paper.
Keywords
Received Pronunciation, General American, Phonetics, Phonology, Vowel system, Consonant system, Rhoticity, Glottal stop, Syllable stress, Linguistic variation, Pronunciation, Phoneme, Articulation, English language varieties, Morphophonology
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental subject of this seminar paper?
The paper examines and compares the sound systems of two major English varieties: British Received Pronunciation (RP) and North American General American (GA).
What are the central thematic fields covered in the text?
The text focuses on phonology, specifically vowel and consonant variations, as well as differences in articulation and syllable stress patterns between the two accents.
What is the primary objective of this research?
The goal is to illustrate the specific phonological differences between RP and GA to help English learners better understand and navigate the variations between these two standard pronunciations.
Which scientific methods are applied in this work?
The author employs a comparative linguistic analysis, utilizing established phonological frameworks and literature to contrast sound systems and articulation rules.
What core topics are addressed in the main body of the paper?
The main body details the RP and GA vowel systems, differences in consonant production—such as rhoticity and the use of 'dark L'—and varied stress patterns in words and place names.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Key terms include Received Pronunciation, General American, Phonology, Phonemes, Vowel systems, Consonant systems, and Syllable stress.
How does the absence of the RP phoneme /ɒ/ affect General American pronunciation?
In GA, the absence of the /ɒ/ phoneme leads to words like "pot" and "top" being produced with a less rounded /ɑ/ sound, significantly altering their phonetic realization compared to RP.
Why is the distinction between rhotic and non-rhotic accents significant?
Rhoticity refers to the pronunciation of /r/ in all positions. GA is a rhotic accent (pronouncing /r/ everywhere), while RP is non-rhotic, suppressing /r/ unless followed by a vowel, which serves as a major distinguishing feature.
How do stress patterns differ between French loanwords in RP and GA?
General American often keeps the final syllable stress of French loanwords, whereas RP speakers typically stress the first syllable, reflecting different historical influences and colonization patterns.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Agnetha Hinz (Autor:in), 2013, English and its Varieties. An Analysis of the British and the North American Sound System, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/302897
