2. NZE
New Zealand English has emerged as a distinct variety of
English
Distinctive vocabulary
Distinctive accent
Distinctive history
Some current changes in NZE
3. The origins of NZE
Number of theories
Cockney theory
Many early (but not just early commentators said that the Aus and
NZ accent sounded like Cockney!
Not a large number of Cockneys came to either colony, and was never
a prestigious accent
The Australian theory
The mixing/salad bowl theory
4. The idealised vowels
Shape represents the mouth
ROOF OF THE MOUTH
BOOT
BEAT
BIT
PUT
Frontof the mouth
BACK of the mouth
DRESS
CAUGHT
TAP
CALM
5. Raising in the vowel space
Tap->dress, dress->bit->schwa ()
BOOT
BEAT
BIT
PUT
sofa
DRESS
CAUGHT
TAP
CALM
6. diphthongs
2 part vowels are starting vowel and a target vowel Choice!
BEAT
BIT
PUT
DRESS
CAUGHT
TAP
CALM
7. NZ versions
NZ pronunciations of some English diphthongs are both markers of
social class (and gender?) and are distinct from RP
Broad NZ General NZ (Cultivated NZ)
Did you go out my gate?
gocauldron a cauldron maromani geromanit
8. 9. The new diphthong
Heard in NZE and AusE but not RP
me now has a diphthongised production
The beat vowel moving towards a 2 part vowel
Schwa or bit to beat.
Sounds like Kath n Kim
Look at me! Look at me!
We may have made a new diphthong but we are in the process of
losing one.
