Varieties of English Flashcards
British English
Description: The variety of English spoken in the United Kingdom, including England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Characteristics: British English exhibits regional accents and dialects. Examples include Received Pronunciation (RP), the accent traditionally associated with British prestige, Scottish English, characterized by distinct Scottish features, and various regional accents such as West Country or Geordie.
American English
Description: The variety of English spoken in the United States.
Characteristics: American English has its own set of accents and dialects. Examples include General American, a neutral accent often used in the media, Southern American English, known for its distinctive features in the southern states, African American Vernacular English (AAVE), a variety with unique grammatical and phonological characteristics, and regional variations like New York or Texan English.
Australian English
Description: The variety of English spoken in Australia.
Characteristics: Australian English includes distinctive features such as the use of colloquialisms and a unique accent. Examples include the broad Australian accent and variations across different regions, such as the Melbourne or Queensland accent.
Canadian English
Description: The variety of English spoken in Canada.
Characteristics: Canadian English reflects influences from both British and American English. Examples include the Canadian raising phenomenon in pronunciation and regional variations like Newfoundland English or Western Canadian English.
New Zealand English
Description: The variety of English spoken in New Zealand.
Characteristics: New Zealand English has its own accent and vocabulary. Examples include the Kiwi accent and variations in pronunciation and vocabulary across regions like Auckland or Christchurch.
South African English
Description: The variety of English spoken in South Africa.
Characteristics: South African English reflects the country’s multicultural and multilingual context. Examples include the influence of Afrikaans and regional variations such as the Cape Town or Johannesburg accent.
Indian English
Description: The variety of English spoken in India.
Characteristics: Indian English reflects the linguistic diversity of the country. Examples include the Indian accent, variations in pronunciation influenced by regional languages, and a unique vocabulary that blends English with indigenous expressions.
Singaporean English
Description: The variety of English spoken in Singapore.
Characteristics: Singaporean English is influenced by the country’s multicultural environment. Examples include the Singaporean accent, the use of Singlish (a colloquial form of English with influences from Chinese, Malay, and Tamil), and unique expressions like “lah” or “lor.”
Singlish
Singlish first emerged when Singapore gained independence 50 years ago, and decided that English should be the common language for all its different races.
Among ordinary Singaporeans, Singlish tends to be spoken in informal situations - with friends and family, taking a taxi or buying groceries. It indicates casual intimacy. English, on the other hand, is used for formal situations - at school, or at work, especially when meeting strangers or clients.
Over time, it has become a social marker - someone who can effectively switch between the two languages is perceived to be more educated and of a higher social status than someone who can only speak Singlish.
Speak Good Campaign
A Campaign created by the Singaporean government to encourage the spoken use of English as a prestigious variety.
Carribean English
Description: English spoken in the Caribbean region.
Characteristics: Caribbean English varies across different islands and territories. Examples include Jamaican Patois, a distinct Creole language with English roots, Trinidadian English with its own local flavor, and variations in pronunciation and vocabulary across the Caribbean islands.
Nigerian English
Description: The variety of English spoken in Nigeria.
Characteristics: Nigerian English reflects the linguistic diversity of the country. Examples include the Nigerian accent, variations influenced by native languages such as Yoruba or Igbo, and a unique blend of English with Nigerian Pidgin, a creole widely spoken in the country.
Valley Talk
The sound of Valleyspeak has these main habits: nasal sound; fast-paced run-on sentences; breathiness; uptalk, or the sound of a question; and vocal fry. High rising terminal (also called “up speak” or “uptalk”) is a defining feature of Valleyspeak.
