----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, April 19, 2000 12:04
AM
Subject: Re: [phoNet] SV: Assimilation of
English consonants
This site has grown considerably since I last visited
it.
One way of understanding Estuary -- or part of it -- is to
think of it as 'educated Cockney'. The idea is that it does what a serious
education does to anyone's idiolect. Your vocabulary is much larger, you are
more aware of cultural currents, you hang out with other highly educated
people. The result is you move your accent to some sort of 'center' that gives
those associate with the least difficulty.
I think the major factor, however, is the change in social
mobility. RP is associated with the stuffy, class-ridden older society of
Britain. Estuary is a way of being democratic without being uneducated. What
you get is downmarket Cockney, and upmarket Estuary.
Someone who has an international career, however, will tend
to move towards a Mid-Atlantic accent.
One observation about Australian accents. For males working
with other nationalities, putting on the Broad 'Strine accent (Paul Hogan,
Steve Irwin, et al) is probably to his economic advantage. He's
expected to sound that way, it adds to his apparent machismo. Without it, he
sounds just like another Brit.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, April 18, 2000 11:24
PM
Subject: Re: [phoNet] SV:
Assimilation of English consonants
Another very useful
link: