Theory: Regional and National Varieties Terminology

Question 1

What is the matched guise?

Answer 1

An experiment, where one speaker speaks in a range of different accents in order for people to pass a judgement about an accent.

Question 2

What is a shibboleth?

Answer 2

A collection of features based on how language is used in a place.

Question 3

What is yod-coalescence and example?

Answer 3

The pronunciation of the /j/ sound, e.g. in words like Tuesday.

Question 4

What is G-dropping and example?

Answer 4

The word-final /g/ sound gets dropped, e.g. ‘goin’ instead of ‘going’.

Question 5

What is H-dropping and example?

Answer 5

The word-initial /h/ sound gets dropped, e.g. ‘appy’ instead of ‘happy’.

Question 6

What is receive pronunciation (RP)?

Answer 6

An accent which is typically described as ‘posh’ - it uses all the prestigious pronunciations. It’s association with the Queen and the BBC lead it to be viewed as ‘correct’. It is characterised by features like the long ‘a’ in words like ‘bath’, not dropping any letters or sounds and yod-coalescence. Only about 2% of the UK speak it.

Question 7

What is the glottal stop and example?

Answer 7

The missing out of the /t/ sounds in words, e.g. ‘button’ between the /t/ and the /n/.

Question 8

What is TH-fronting and example?

Answer 8

Pronouncing the ‘th’ at the start and f words as /f/, e.g. ‘fing’ instead of ‘thing’.

Question 9

What is a rhotic accent and example?

Answer 9

Pronounces the ‘r’ after vowels, e.g. in words like ‘car’.