TeaBreak: accents, dialects, and varieties of English

In the fourth episode of ELTtime, we introduce a new feature: TeaBreak. A few of us here at Garnet grab a cuppa, and take half an hour to discuss something we’re passionate about within ELT. Today, Alice, Ella, Jaz and Rosie dive into why it’s problematic that RP is used as a standard, make some light-hearted observations about the differences between the way they speak, and discuss some interesting but bizarre Australian words – do you know what Manchester is? (And no, we don’t mean the city!)

Let us know if you enjoyed the episode! Get in touch with any suggestions or questions – you can find us at @garneteducation everywhere!

LINKS

Article: Is RP outdated?

Article: Why people will beat machines in recognising speech for a long time yet

Article: Australian English in the 20th century

CHAPTERS

0:20 – What’s TeaBreak?
1:03 – Introductions (Jaz, Alice, Ella and Rosie)
1:40 – Word (antipodean)

Australia
2:21 – Alice’s Australian accent (8:45)
2:41 – Alice’s Background
3:12 – British and American spellings and pronunciations
3:53 – Non-English speakers and non-British
4:41 – Australian vs British words
8:08 – Australian stereotypes
8:22 – Australian word (galah)

Scotland
8:59 – Rosie’s Scottish accent
9:39 – Alice’s Australian accent
10:02 – Is this a ‘dialect’ thing or a ‘my family’ thing?

America
10:52 – Ella’s American background

Received Pronunciation (RP)
11:23 – What is RP and why can it be problematic?
11:46 – Class and region divides in pronunciation
12:42 – Issues with digital activities

Is there a ‘correct pronunciation’?
15:24 – Regional accent differences
16:02 – Slang and class
17:26 – Voice recognition and audio issues
19:02 – Students mimicking accents
19:49 – American media
20:07 – Australian word (Manchester)
21:00 – Australian idiom (shag on a rock)
21:34 – Final thoughts