1. Introduction

Even to non-native speakers of the English language it is in most cases an easy task to differentiate between British and American native speakers by listening to their pronunciation. In this term paper the most characteristic phonological features of American English will be named and explained and an overview of the variety of dialects within the United States will be provided. This can be done best by using British Standard English – also known as Received Pronunciation (RP) – as reference accent and pointing out the differences to American English.

2. General American

However, it is hard to work with the term American English when doing a phonological analysis of American speech since it covers a broad spectrum of different dialects. For this reason the term General American (GA), which is widely used and preferred by most linguists today, will be introduced and worked with.
General American can be seen as the Standard English of North America, but in contrast to Received Pronunciation, it is not defined by social reputation or a specific geographical origin. Throughout the United States one can not really find a socially preferred accent that is commonly recognized as the standard pronunciation. There have been several different approaches to defining a Standard English for the USA and in this paper General American will be used in means of a range of accents that do not exhibit any of the North-Eastern or Southern features which “are perceived as regional by the majority of American speakers.” One has to keep in mind that GA is not “a single and totally homogeneous accent. But since its internal variation is mainly a matter of differences in the phonetic realizations of a system of phonemes that is by and large shared by all GA speakers, the generalization expressed in the notion ‘General American’ is useful in phonological terms.”

Excerpt

1. Introduction
2. General American
- 2.1 The Vowels and Diphthongs
- 2.2 The Consonants
3. Dialects
- 3.1 The New England or North Eastern Dialect
- 3.2 The New York City Dialect
- 3.3 The Southern Dialect
- 3.4 African-American Vernacular English
4. Conclusion

Objectives and Key Themes

This paper aims to identify and explain the characteristic phonological features of American English, contrasting them with British Standard English (RP), and to provide an overview of the dialectal variation within the United States. The focus is on highlighting key differences in pronunciation, particularly concerning vowels, diphthongs, and the distribution of the /r/ sound.

Phonological differences between American English and Received Pronunciation (RP).
The concept of General American (GA) as a standard for comparison.
Variations in vowel and diphthong inventories between GA and RP.
The role of rhoticity in distinguishing American English dialects.
Overview of prominent American English dialects.

Chapter Summaries

1. Introduction: This introductory chapter establishes the paper's objective: to analyze the phonological characteristics of American English and its dialects. It highlights the easily perceptible differences in pronunciation between American and British English, setting the stage for a comparative analysis using Received Pronunciation (RP) as a benchmark. The chapter emphasizes the challenges posed by the diverse range of American English dialects and introduces the concept of General American (GA) as a more suitable standard for comparison.

2. General American: This chapter delves into the concept of General American (GA), establishing it as a widely accepted standard for analyzing American English phonology. It contrasts GA with Received Pronunciation (RP), emphasizing that GA, unlike RP, lacks a specific geographic origin or social prestige. The chapter acknowledges the internal variation within GA, but maintains that this variation primarily involves phonetic realizations of a shared phonemic system, justifying the use of GA as a general term.

2.1 The Vowels and Diphthongs: This section focuses on comparing the vowel and diphthong systems of General American (GA) and Received Pronunciation (RP). It notes the relatively small number of phonemic differences, highlighting the significance of phonetic variations in creating the perceived differences in pronunciation. Key differences include the absence of the short /ɒ/ and centering diphthongs in GA, often resulting in the "cot-caught" merger. The chapter further explains the absence of the RP broad A /ɑː/ in GA, suggesting that GA retains a more conservative pronunciation compared to modern RP, closer to 17th-century English. Finally, the section discusses vowel length, noting its lesser importance in GA compared to RP and the impact of context on vowel realization. The absence of centering diphthongs in GA is linked to the rhotic nature of the accent, where /r/ is consistently pronounced, unlike in RP where it often vocalizes.

2.2 The Consonants: This section examines the consonants of General American (GA), finding that the overall inventory is similar to RP, but differences lie in distribution and realization. The most significant difference centers around the /r/ sound. The chapter contrasts the rhotic nature of GA (pronouncing /r/ in all positions) with the non-rhotic nature of RP, where /r/ is only pronounced before vowels. This section also touches upon the early stages of derhotacization in GA, observing a less pronounced /r/ after mid-central vowels, resulting in 'r-colored' vowels in words like "nurse" and "mother".

Keywords

American English, Received Pronunciation (RP), General American (GA), Phonology, Vowels, Diphthongs, Consonants, Rhoticity, Dialects, Phonetics, Phonemes, Allophones, Cot-Caught Merger, Broad A.

American English Phonology: A Comprehensive Language Preview - FAQ

What is the purpose of this paper?

What are the key themes explored in this paper?

Key themes include the phonological differences between American English and Received Pronunciation (RP), the concept of General American (GA) as a standard for comparison, variations in vowel and diphthong inventories between GA and RP, the role of rhoticity in distinguishing American English dialects, and an overview of prominent American English dialects.

What is General American (GA)?

General American (GA) is a widely accepted standard for analyzing American English phonology. Unlike Received Pronunciation (RP), it lacks a specific geographic origin or social prestige. While internal variation exists within GA, this variation primarily involves phonetic realizations of a shared phonemic system, justifying its use as a general term for comparison.

How does the vowel and diphthong system of General American (GA) compare to Received Pronunciation (RP)?

The phonemic differences are relatively small. Key differences include the absence of the short /ɒ/ and centering diphthongs in GA (often resulting in the "cot-caught" merger), and the absence of the RP broad A /ɑː/ in GA (suggesting GA retains a more conservative pronunciation closer to 17th-century English). Vowel length is less important in GA than in RP, and the absence of centering diphthongs in GA is linked to its rhotic nature.

How do the consonants of General American (GA) compare to Received Pronunciation (RP)?

The overall consonant inventory is similar, but differences lie in distribution and realization. The most significant difference is the rhotic nature of GA (pronouncing /r/ in all positions) contrasted with the non-rhotic nature of RP (pronouncing /r/ only before vowels). Early stages of derhotacization in GA are also observed, resulting in 'r-colored' vowels in words like "nurse" and "mother".

What are the main American English dialects discussed?

The paper discusses the New England or North Eastern dialect, the New York City dialect, the Southern dialect, and African-American Vernacular English.

What are the key differences between American English and Received Pronunciation (RP)?

Key differences include the presence/absence of rhoticity (/r/ pronunciation), variations in vowel and diphthong inventories (particularly the "cot-caught" merger and the broad A), and phonetic realizations of shared phonemes.

What is the "cot-caught" merger?

The "cot-caught" merger refers to the merging of the vowel sounds in words like "cot" and "caught," a phenomenon common in many American English dialects but absent in Received Pronunciation.

What are the key words associated with this paper?