Comparing English Accents Quiz

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Questions and Answers

Which of the following accents exhibits a contrast between the phonemes /w/ and /ʍ/?

General British English

Southern American English

Standard Scottish English (correct)

Australian English

In which phonological context is the /r/ sound limited to the pre-vocalic position?

General British English (correct)

Standard Scottish English

Jamaican English

Northern English

What is a characteristic of the /j/ sound in American English compared to General British English?

/j/ is always pronounced as a diphthong

/j/ occurs before all vowel sounds

/j/ occurs before /u/ in all contexts

/j/ does not occur before /u/ (correct)

Which of the following accents does NOT present a velarized realisation of the /l/ phoneme before vowels?

General British Signup and view all the answers

Which vowel phoneme do Northern English accents in England use for words corresponding to the BATH set?

/a/ Signup and view all the answers

Which type of difference arises when accents do not have the same phoneme repertoire?

Systemic difference Signup and view all the answers

What characterizes a distributional difference among accents?

Different allophones used in the same environments Signup and view all the answers

What difference is exemplified when the same set of words is pronounced with different vowels in various accents?

Lexical-incidential difference Signup and view all the answers

In what scenario would a realisational difference be noted?

When the same phoneme presents different allophones in the same context Signup and view all the answers

Which situation exemplifies a systemic difference?

An accent does not present the contrast /w/ - /ʍ/, which is present in another accent. Signup and view all the answers

How is a distributional difference typically identified in accents?

By noting phonotactic variations of shared allophones. Signup and view all the answers

What is true regarding lexical-incidential differences in accents?

They arise when the same words are pronounced with different vowels Signup and view all the answers

What is one way of comparing accents' phonological systems?

Analysing their repertoire of phonemes. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of systemic differences in accents?

Presence of phonemic contrasts in one accent not found in another Signup and view all the answers

Distributional differences are primarily concerned with which of the following?

The phonological contexts in which sounds occur Signup and view all the answers

In the example of American English, which vowel sound occurs in the LOT lexical set?

/ɑ/ Signup and view all the answers

What are realizational differences most concerned with?

The differing articulation and variations of phonemes. Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes lexical-incidential differences?

Chosen vowel sounds in specific words by speakers. Signup and view all the answers

Which accent does not differentiate between the FOOT and STRUT vowel sounds?

Northern English in England Signup and view all the answers

The phonotactic distribution of sounds refers to which aspect?

The contexts or positions in which allophones occur. Signup and view all the answers

Which type of differences relates to phonemic contrasts that affect pronunciation?

Systemic differences Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Comparing Accents of English

English accents are compared based on several structural elements.
Analyses concentrate on phonetic and phonological distinctions.
Phonologists investigate the phonological systems' components (phoneme inventories, vowels, consonants).
Phonological contexts (phonotactics), their realization variations and frequencies are also key elements of the examination.
Word-specific sounds and intonation patterns are evaluated.
This detailed analysis helps understand the similarities and differences across various English accents.

Introduction

Accents are comparable through analyses of their phonetic and phonological variations.
Differences in phonemic systems, including vowel and consonant inventories, are examined.
Phonological contexts and constraints of sound occurrences are explored.
Phonotactics are studied, focusing on how sounds occur or don't occur in specific positions. Sound variations and distributions within words are analyzed.
Intonation patterns and their variations in different accents are studied.

Four Types of Differences in Accents

Systemic differences: These differences arise from variations in phonemic systems in the compared accents. Accents may possess different or varying numbers of phonemes.
Distributional differences: These variations concern the phonological contexts (positions) in which sounds appear or do not appear. Phonotactics guide the allowable locations for phonemes in the accents.
Realisation differences: These arise from how sounds are pronounced (allophonic variations). This means the phonetic realization of sounds (articulation) shift between accents. Essentially, the same sound may be produced differently.
Lexical-incidental differences: These differences originate from preferred sounds used by speakers in specific words. Essentially, words may sound different in various accents.

Systemic Differences

The number of phonemes can differ between accents.
Phonemic contrasts in one accent may not be present in another.
Examples, American English lacks the LOT vowel of British English.
Northern English accents don't distinguish FOOT/STRUT vowels.
Scottish and New Zealand English exhibit contrasts between /w/ and /ʍ/.

Distributional Differences

Phonological contexts affect where sounds appear in different accents.
The /r/ sound's distribution differs between rhotic and non-rhotic accents; it may appear in all positions in rhotic accents or only before vowels in non-rhotic accents.
The /j/ sound (yod) in American English does not appear before /u/. However, it appears in this position in British English.

Lexical-incidental Differences

Different vowel phonemes are used for the same words across accents.
Variations in pronouncing words such as "bath," "grass", and "dance".
Words ending with voiceless fricatives or voiced alveolar nasals may display vowel differences between accents.

Realisation/Realisational Differences

Accents might employ the same phonemes but produce them differently (allophones) in specific contexts.
Examples, the GOAT vowel can be a monophthong or a diphthong in various accents.
Realisation differences include /l/ (clear vs. dark), /p/ (aspiration).

Exercise

Identify the type of accent difference displayed in given examples. Examples include:
- Differences in vowel assignment.
- Lack or presence of specific phonemic sounds.
- Differences in how sounds are articulated (realisation/allophonic).
Given examples identify specific differences in accents regarding the placement and pronunciation.

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Description

Explore the intricate world of English accents through this quiz. Analyze phonetic and phonological distinctions, including phoneme inventories and the role of phonotactics. Enhance your understanding of how various accents reflect different sound patterns and intonation.