Linguistics Lecture on English Accents

These flashcards cover key terminology and concepts related to English accents as discussed in the linguistics lecture.

Accents

Variations in pronunciation associated with particular regions or social groups.

Received Pronunciation (RP)

A prestige accent in British English, traditionally spoken by a small minority.

General American (GenAm)

An accent that is a mixture of various American dialects and is considered neutral.

Sociolinguistic variable

A linguistic feature that varies according to social factors like race and gender.

Non-rhotic

A feature of some accents where the /r/ is not pronounced at the end of a syllable.

Rhotic

Accents where the /r/ is pronounced in all positions.

Yod-dropping

The omission of the /j/ sound following certain consonants in some accents.

Flapped / tapped /t/

A quick, light pronunciation of /t/ as in some American accents.

H-dropping

The non-pronunciation of the /h/ sound at the beginning of words.

Vowel merger

When two vowel sounds come to be pronounced the same, as in the PEN-PIN merger.

Uptalk

A speech pattern where statements are spoken with a rising intonation as if asking a question.

African American Vernacular English (AAVE)

A variety of English spoken by some African Americans, featuring specific grammatical and phonological characteristics.

Californian accent

An accent influenced by the diverse populations of California, showcasing unique vowel and consonant features.

Estuary English

An accent blending elements of RP and London accents, often regarded as a modern standard in southern England.

Th-fronting

Pronouncing 'th' sounds as 'f' or 'v', common in certain British accents.

Glottalisation

The pronunciation of /t/ as a glottal stop, often heard in Cockney and Estuary accents.

Rhoticity

The pronunciation of the /r/ sound in all positions.

Monophthongisation

The simplification of a diphthong to a single vowel sound.

Observer's Paradox

The phenomenon where people alter their speech when they know they are being observed.