Estuary English - Regional Variation Flashcards
When was the term “Estuary English” first used?
1980s
What sort of accent is it and where does it originate from?
Regional accent
From the Thames Estuary (London, Kent, North Surrey, South Essex)
What accent is it very similar to?
A blend of Cockney and RP
Is Estuary English found to be spoken elsewhere?
Yes, it has been found to be spoken in other parts of England such as Liverpool and Scotland
What are some features of Estuary English?
H-dropping : 'ot = hot Pronouncing th as f : toof = tooth Glottal stops : bo'le = bottle Yod-dropping : noos = news L vocalisation : miwk = milk
What has been a big impact on the way that Estuary English has spread?
A lot of people in the media speak with this accent as it is deemed to be “commercially acceptable”
What are two other reasons for the spread of Estuary English? (more social)
- Londoners movement away from capital
- Some Cockneys move their accent more towards RP due to acquiring a higher social class or moved area
What is it called when someone moves up in social class and changes their way of speaking because of it?
Upwards convergence
What is the opposite of upwards convergence?
Downwards convergence
Why does downwards convergence happen?
People with an RP accent lose some of its features so that they are able to fit in with the rest of society
What social class is Estuary English?
Classless
It is also considered fashionable
What has happened to Estuary English due to more and more people using it outside of its origins?
It has become a widespread accent as you now can’t really tell where a person with the accent comes from
What do many linguistics believe about Estuary English?
They think it is replacing and causing the death of RP
What is yod-dropping?
The process of making longer vowel sounds by making the sound towards the front of your mouth
e.g. changing an “ew” sound to “oo”
What is l vocalisation?
Replacing the consonant sound of an ‘l’ with a vowel or semi-vowel (usually ‘w’)
