Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 22 Dec 11 - 05:26 AM

Which Australian accent?

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Don Wise
Date: 22 Dec 11 - 04:29 AM

Strewth, strine is nothing! Try speaking 'neutral/mid-atlantic english'..........first of all, you have to define it.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 22 Dec 11 - 12:26 AM

My favorite Australian accent joke:

Two Australians visiting Toronto want to drive into the US, but they don't have visas.

Canadian friend advises them: when they ask you at immigration where you are from, say "T'rana." That way, they'll take you for Canadian, and let you right in.

So they drive up to the border.

Immigration officer asks the driver, "Where are you from?"

Driver says, "T'rana."

Officer asks the passenger, "and you?"

"Sime plice, mite!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Allen in Oz
Date: 21 Dec 11 - 12:52 AM

JR

They did very well calling you Jinnifir really over there in the land of the Long Lost Vowel.

I lived next to a Kiwi and his son was named Grant whom he called Grnt !

AD (Who is still getting over the loss in the Cricket to NZ)

Some Strine for beginners " Ow yergoin maite oorriite "?

ad

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: JennieG
Date: 20 Dec 11 - 11:20 PM

I thought it was Air New Zealand flight sucks sucks sucks....

Cheers
JennieG who was called Jinnifer by the locals on her so-far one and only trip to NZ

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 20 Dec 11 - 04:26 PM

You're all missing the definitive site for Australian bushlore, songs and music:

http://www.warrenfahey.com/

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,CJB
Date: 20 Dec 11 - 04:02 PM

I got this from a Kiwi friend:

"This is Air New Zealand flight sex, sex, sex and we hope that you enjoy it."

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: mayomick
Date: 20 Dec 11 - 02:18 PM

By raising the pitch of your voice at the end of a sentence as if you were asking a question.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Amelia
Date: 19 Dec 11 - 08:09 PM

I thought Australians pronounced Australia as Oztraillya not Oztraya, if anyone wants to avago at it, it would be much appreciated thanks! :)

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Jim Clark poetryreincarnation youtube channe
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 07:44 AM

G'Day There Cobbers How about trying a bit of "Romeo & Juliet" Aussie style

C. J. Dennis "The Play" - "Romeo and Juliet" Australian style

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Mr Red
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 07:03 AM

too right mate!

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 30 Jun 11 - 01:59 AM

Sorry, Bob, there is nothing Australian about using s where Americans use z. There's a British spelling and there's an American spelling, and if you choose to prefer the former colonial power to the present one, well, no worries, mate, she's apples.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent
From: GUEST
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 08:08 PM

poster appears to be gargoyle.

---

It is the bloody Mary Queen of Scotts that brought this aborration upon the "King's Tongue."

It is summer season. Our local greens are infused, infected, overflowing with Scotts. No one - knows - what flows from their tongues...

We have no local Oz-Man to interpret - but we bet our dead-sister's ken&barbie a Scott could translate quite well.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Snuffy
Date: 29 Jun 11 - 11:00 AM

I think the London First Fleeters probably brought Haitch with them:

Q: 'Ow do yer spell yer name?
A: Haitch, hay, har, har, high, hess, ho, hen - 'Arrison

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: JennieG
Date: 28 Jun 11 - 10:58 PM

In a survey carried out in this household (population 2) this morning, it was determined that Himself pronounces the letter h as 'haitch', while I say 'aitch'. Himself is not a product of the Catholic education system but went to government schools, as indeed I did myself; his education was in Sydney while mine was in a country town.

Perhaps it was emphasised to avoid the dropping of h in some words, which was supposed to be a sign of common-ness and ill-breeding....for instance, saying "I couldn't 'elp it'?

And of course we all know that when the word 'like' is banished from the English language every teenager in the world will be struck dumb, unable to communicate. But we won't go there, will we.

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Tangledwood
Date: 28 Jun 11 - 10:48 PM

The thing I notice creeping into the Aussie soaps shown on NZ TV is the pronunciation of the letter H - as haitch!
The kids at Summer Bay doing their Haitch SC.
Where did that come from?

According to an English language professor who used to do a question and answer program on ABC radio here, it probably originated with Irish nuns teaching in Catholic schools, even though their own literacy wasn't high. I think he was referring to the 19th century. It's certainly not a new thing creeping in here but isn't universally used either.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Bob Bolton
Date: 28 Jun 11 - 07:56 PM

G'day Gerry,
"... shouldn't that be "Americanization"? ..."

Not in Australian! The pernicious American "zee" in such endings has become almost worldwide ... so much so that that it is now the internationally accepted spelling ... except in Australia / Australian English! Certainly, all my editions (1 to 5!) of the Oxford Concise Australian Dictionary give only "Americanise"!

The only Australian body with which it is firmly entrenched is the Australian Standards people ... who, inevitably, dream of a world where everyone speaks one universal / indistinguishable language. As an editor in technical publications, I can assure you the rest of the country tends to spell in Australian English ... however it ends up sounding!

Regard(les)s,

Bob

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Little Robyn
Date: 28 Jun 11 - 05:31 PM

The thing I notice creeping into the Aussie soaps shown on NZ TV is the pronunciation of the letter H - as haitch!
The kids at Summer Bay doing their Haitch SC.
Where did that come from?
Robyn

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Gerry
Date: 28 Jun 11 - 08:47 AM

"What we could do without is the Americanisation of our language..." Hey, Warren, shouldn't that be "Americanization"?

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,warren fahey
Date: 27 Jun 11 - 06:19 PM

Tut tut tut.... you should hear what we say about some of the more extreme English, Scottish and Irish accents. Much of the British view of our accent was (and still is) based on actors like Chips Rafferty, Paul Hogan, Kath and Kim, Barry Humphrey characters and others who exaggerated points of our vernacular. The average Australian of the 21st century does not speak like any of the aforementioned (unless we're in England!). One in every five Australians now speak an Asian language but we've got just about every other language and slanguage in the mix. They're all welcome to throw in their ten bob's worth. What we could do without is the Americanisation of our language, especially in our youth culture where many speak as if they were raised in Harlem or Detroit.

Where we do shine is in colloquial expressions. My favourite (and you Poms might need a translator). "He's so unlucky they could be showing free films up a sheep's arse and he'd still be some dag hanging 'round the back'

For more Australian colloquialisms visit my Australian Folklore Unit site at http://www.warrenfahey.com/colsayings.htm and go to the left hand panel 'lexicon'

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Helen
Date: 27 Jun 11 - 02:32 AM

Freda - that's so funny. New tune for the anthem, and every Australian under 60 would know it.

Helen

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Peter Laban
Date: 26 Jun 11 - 04:24 PM

I remember someone explaining how it's all down to asking the right questions. Like:

'What do you do for a living, digger?'

or

'What's your name, Sheila?'

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 26 Jun 11 - 04:19 PM

Listen

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: freda underhill
Date: 26 Jun 11 - 09:38 AM

That Adam Hills clip is very funny. Here's another insight into the Australian language as sung by Adam Hill

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: freda underhill
Date: 26 Jun 11 - 09:24 AM

This page from Macquarie uni's linguiistics department has samples of Aussie accents including historical and regional samples.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: JennieG
Date: 26 Jun 11 - 09:14 AM

Australia has regional accents too....for instance, South Australians say "darnce" where the rest of us use a short "a" sound, so that "dance" rhymes with "pants".

And please, for goodness' sake, don't think that we all sound like Steve Irwin; some of us have never said "crikey" in our lives, and have no intention of ever doing so in the future.

Cheers
JennieG
who is Aussie born and bred and proud of it, but can speak proper-like when the occasion demands it

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Helen
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 07:00 PM

This vid is really funny, but not suitable for kids unless you stop it before the bit at the end about the French arriving at Botany Bay.

Adam Hills - comedian, about accents

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Helen
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 06:46 PM

You Tube - How to do an Australian accent

You Tube - How to do an Australian accent, Part 2


And other You-Tube vids available

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Helen
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 06:27 PM

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

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: WalkaboutsVerse
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 06:16 PM

Mouth should not open wide enough for a blowie to fly in. ;-)>

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Gurney
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 06:01 PM

On Jennifer's original post: Buy a couple of John Williamson's CDs.
Although his accent is not exaggerated, you'll probably like his music.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 11:29 AM

English, Scottish & Irish accents re very different to this eara

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 11:15 AM

I've alsways assumed that, like me, most Americans can tell the difference between broadly English, Scottish, and Irish accents.

Undoubtedly movies and other media helped my education, along with having grown up in a big city where there were many Irish and not a few Scottish and English immigrants.

A hundred years ago, I'll bet few Americans outside of such cities could have distinguished such accents, unless they'd paid close attention to the clumsy representations in novels and newspapers. The Irish in those sources always said "Oi" for "I" and stuff like "t'ing" and "murther," and words like "river" often had extra r's attched ("river-r-r") to indicate Scottishness.

Cornish and other English accents that retain more r's than, say, in London, probably sound "Irish" to most Americans. My guess is that Americans can distinguish between the stereotypical cockney and Beeb accents, again because of the media. But how can anyone know? (My experience has been largely among academics who are keen on this sort of thing.)

Probably fewer Americans can recognize a Canadian than an Australian accent, partly because Canadian accents - outside of the Maritimes - aren't all that distinctive. Most Canadians sound pretty much like American Northerners.

Many Americans, especially from the West, believe they have "no accent," and many others believe them. But everybody has an accent, though some are less obvious than others.

Even my Tennessee friend was once told by a woman in London that he had a "very American accent," but she couldn't identify it more precisely than that. Here in the U.S., it stands out.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: PHJim
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 10:33 AM

From: McGrath of Harlow - PM
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 05:12 AM

Australians and New Zealanders both sound much the same to us here, the same way that Americans and Canadians do.

Do people in such places have the same difficulty in telling the difference between English, Scots and Irish accents?
********************************************************************

Living in southern Ontario, I can't tell the difference between the accents of someone from Niagara Falls NY, Buffalo NY, Niagara Falls ON, or Hamilton, ON. Many Canadians share the same accent with the folks from the northern states. There are regions with different regional accents; Boston, Ottawa Valley, Newfoundland, Long Island...

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Doug Chadwick
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 06:13 AM

A feature, which I have always associated with antipodeans, is the interrogative statement where the inflection of the last word in each phrase rises, as if asking a question.

This is increasingly heard amongst today's youth in the UK. I suspect that it arrived with the Australian TV soaps.


DC

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 05:12 AM

Australians and New Zealanders both sound much the same to us here, the same way that Americans and Canadians do.

Do people in such places have the same difficulty in telling the difference between English, Scots and Irish accents?

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Grishka
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 05:05 AM

Australian lady: "This is moy nephew Himish."
Me (arrived from England): "Pleased to meet you, Himish."
Lady: "It's Himish, not Hoymish!"

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Ana
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 04:12 AM

...and I guess there's a big difference between 'sex eggs' and 'sucks eggs'. Not quite sure what the first would look like!

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Ana
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 04:06 AM

Australia = Ostruckinfailya?

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 25 Jun 11 - 03:13 AM

Strine is said to be how an Australian will pronunce 'Australian'

Ana - there is at least one Kiwi over here who soon learnt to ask for half a dozen eggs

sandra

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Ana
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 11:03 PM

Why would you want too!! (Joke - I'm a kiwi :) )

Most famous examples - 'fish and chips' - Oz = Feesh and cheeps; Kiwi: Fush and chups

or 'dance' - Oz = Dance (as in pants); Kiwi = Dunce (though long vowel)

But oz speak is more than an accent! - phrases to practice - nasal 'yeah, gidday airgun?' (yes, good day, how are you going?)

or 'kinoath! (exclamation of surprise or agreement - no translation provided)

Blokes names; Murray - Muzza. Barry - Bazza

Or in shops, assistants all call you dahl (as in darling) which leads to the joke; "my girlfriend is a vegetarian, I call her dahl"
No offence intended - OZ and Kiwis have a fun sibling-like relationship :)

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Effsee
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 10:30 PM

I seem to remember reading somewhere that the "Strine" was a result of immigrants having to screw their faces up against the strong sunlight that they were unused to.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: PHJim
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 10:13 PM

...and then you could take a crack at a Newfoundland accent, starting with,"Whale oil beef hooked."

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Joe Offer
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 09:57 PM

Say "cobber" a lot. The Australians and Kiwis will think you're strange, but everyone else will think you came straight from the billabong....and when you've mastered that, expand your horizons by studying Let's Talk Dirty in Hawaillan.

-Joe-

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Bernard
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 09:09 PM

How to distinguish between a Kiwi and an Aussie - write 'dead rat' on a piece of paper... the one who says 'did rit' is the Kiwi!

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Tangledwood
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 06:55 PM

This dictionary
might help.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent
From: GUEST,Tony
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 05:46 PM

What's the difference between a buffalo and a bison?
A buffalo is a large animal with a shaggy head.
A bison is a plice where an Austrine washes ees fice.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: Ross
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 05:29 PM

Like This

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Lighter
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 04:58 PM

"Start with Irish and add a twang"?

If I'd never heard one, I don't think that would help me! Surely you have to "start with Cockney"? But even that's not very helpful.

One common trait is that Aussies "flatten out" some of their a's in ways that most others do not. In America, most people can't tell the difference between an Australian and an English accent. (Never mind New Zealand.) Where the Geico gecko is from is even raised in a TV commercial, only to be left unresolved.

You really can't describe accents accurately without extensive training in phonology. And then only other phonologists will know what you're talking about, so why bother?

Best bet: have them listen to recordings of actual Australians, of whom Steve Irwin was one.

Subject: RE: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 03:57 PM

Hold yer mouth shut to keep out the flies, and that's half way there...

Subject: Folklore: How to speak in an Australian accent?
From: GUEST,Jennifer A. Burdoo
Date: 24 Jun 11 - 03:02 PM

Hi, old member (from a long time back). I'm a children's librarian currently working on an "international" program for kids, and I'm looking for a video that is a) kid-friendly and b) teaches elements of the accent. I can describe it well enough myself ("Start with Irish and add a twang") or I can point kids to Crocodile Hunter for an exaggerated version, but I'm looking for something more strictly educational that's not actually targeted at adults, but is still professional. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Jennifer Burdoo