Understanding the Unique Characteristics of Australian English
By Space Coast Daily // December 9, 2019
In the world today, one of the main variations of the English language is Australian English. The features of Australian English are quite similar to other major variations of the language.
For instance, if you compare Australian English vs British English, you will see many similarities. The cultivated Australian English takes features from both American and British English.
One of the characteristics of Australian society is, the English language is a combination of both American and British English.
For you to know the unique features of Australian English, below are some things you need to know:
1. Australian English Grammar: The grammatical features of Australian English helps you to understand the language better. When you compare Australian English vs British English, for instance, you will observe that there are some spellings that differ from each other.
If you observe closely, you will find out that the Australian English bears a close similarity to British English, and this is why it is sometimes referred to as the Cultivated Australian English.
In colour, for instance, Australian English retains the “u”, unlike American English, which does not use it.
When it comes to tenses, Australian English, just like British English, uses irregular past tense and past participles.
The case is different for collective nouns because of Australian English shares more in common with the American variety. Collectively they would say, “The underdogs have won the match”, while the Britons would say, “The underdogs have won the match”.
2. Australian English Pronunciation: When it comes to the pronunciation of words in English, Australian English is quite different, and this is why it sounds somewhat strange when you hear an Australian speaking English. This is one of the characteristics of Australian society.
One of the features which can be noticed is the pronunciation of the sound “I” in some words, is pronounced as “oi”.
The sound “a” which is in words like hat and cat, is pronounced in Australian English as “eh”.
Taking a look at conventional words that end in “ing”, the case is different for Australian English. Words such as catching, jumping and laughing, are pronounced catching, jumpin and laughin. This feature, however, can be found in the informal form of English in Britain and the United States.
3. Australian English Vocabulary: As for vocabulary, Australian English also shares phrases and words with American and British English. For students who need a professional essay assignment writing help in Australia or a custom essay writing service, they can employ Australian writing service for students, in order to use the right words and phrases which the instructor requires. This comes in handy, especially when there is a need for a particular variety of English.
If students are looking to improve their English skills to apply for college, Australia also offers a streamlined online police check service that will enable them to plan ahead and be prepared for their college application.
The difference in Vocabulary is one of the distinct characteristics of Australian society.
Below is a table which shows Australian English vs British English in terms of vocabulary.
4. Australian Slang Words: It is also important to be aware of the slang words which exists in Australia so that you would not get lost when you happen to be visiting. Slang words are informal words that have unofficially taken the place of some formal words, and this happens in every country, with Australia not being an exception.
The table below shows popular Australian slang words and their meanings:
Learning the distinct characteristics of Australian English is particularly useful for college students who would be writing essays in Australian English, and people who would be taking a trip to Australia. Learning the difference is not a day’s job, it is something which requires consistency and consciousness as well.
During the last century, one issue which Australia has faced is questions surrounding her independence and distinct nature. A good number of various factors have contributed to the modern Australian English, and it has also influenced the distinct accent and vocabulary which is peculiar only to Australia.
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