Hi Jennifer,

I have never heard of any resources for learning to speak in an Australian accent.

ABC Classic FM radio is an example of educated Australian accents.

ABC radio - Classic FM - digital radio available

The ABC alternative music station targeting youth is an example of everyday Australian accents. The presenters are probably well educated, but they have an easygoing style of talking, and I like that station a lot.

ABC radio - TripleJ - youth station - digital radio available

Comments above about the difference between the Australian accent and the New Zealand accent are important. Oz: "fish and chips" versus kiwi: "fush und chups" is true in my observation. The "u" sound is as in "up", "unto" etc.

An American friend I met living over here said she couldn't find "Chewdah" Street on a map. When I spelt "Tudor" (pronounced with a sort of "tyew" at the beginning) she said, she said, "Oh, Two-door-r-r". She missed the "tyew" sound, but added the "or" sound, and the "rr" at the end.


ABC Word Map - is a brilliant site

People add their own word usages from across Australia (pronounced "Oz-straya", by the way) and then the variations on usage are mapped geographically.

I live in Region 2 on the map, in the Hunter Valley. You can click on that region and there are examples of words and phrases used here. There are a lot of regional variations that I have noticed from different parts of Oz, when I have surfed through that site. There are words and phrases I have never heard in my life because they are not said around here. Accents vary around Oz too. It's a big place.

I'm not sure if the sounds of the words are added as audio. There may be some words with audio.

I'd be interested to know if you do find any (serious) resources on learning the Oz accent.

And Ana, if you kiwis learnt to speak proper over on your side of the pond, we'd all get along a lot better. Orright?! :-)

Helen
ex-librarian & true-blue Aussie