Principle types of English Pronounciation American based pronounciation

2.1. Phonetic and phonological features of vocalism and consonantism in American English and British English.

The dominant type of language (Western and Northern), which is spoken by about two-thirds of the entire population of the United States, can be seen as the norm of pronunciation adopted in the United States, which is only slightly modified in some areas of the country. Compared with the Southern English norm, this pronunciation exhibits the following pronounced features:

) A significant difference in American English and British English is revealed by the vowel [A]. The observations of both English and American researchers agree that in the British version this vowel is noticeably lower in pitch than in the American one. As for the parameters [A] along the horizontal axis, in this respect the norms in both American English and British English allow for a certain variability. The most common variant is the middle vowel, which sounds so much like [?] that Jones transcribes it with this character. However, along with this, there are also possible receded, somewhat labilized varieties, approaching [o],
b) The sound [r] after a vowel at the end of a word and before a consonant is pronounced without trembling of the tongue. Namely, after the vowels [Q] [O] [i], for example, in the words card, port, here, most American authors believe that the retroflex sound [r] is articulated not simultaneously with the vowel, but after it. At the same time, some of them characterize this sound as a retroflex vowel [?'], while others characterize it as a retroflex sonant [r'] with somewhat weakened articulation. The second point of view seems to be more reasonable. In those cases when this sound follows the apical [t], [d], [s], [T], the American [r] acquires a fricative tone, becoming like the British one in a similar environment.
c) Sounds [i:], [o:], [u:] before non-trembling [r'] are pronounced with a higher pitch than in England; thus, hear is pronounced not [hI?], but [hi:r'], more - not [mL], but [mo:r'], poor - not [pu?] or [po?], [pL] , a [pu:r']. On the contrary, [e:] mostly sounds like [F:] and even [?:] or [a:] (for example, сare - [k?: r'] or [ka: r']).
d) The diphthongs [eI] and [ou] are very poorly developed, in any case, the first part of the diphthong is not pronounced as an open sound, so fate is pronounced [fe:t] or, at most, [fe:It], say - [ se:] or [se:I].
e) The diphthongs [i?], [O?], [u?] before [r] are monophthongized into [i], [O] and [u]. [O.I. Dikushina, 194]. The diphthong [o?], which is sometimes found in British literary pronunciation as a variant of [u?] in words like sure, poor, is used much more often in the American version and is noted in "without-er" pronunciation types in the same positions as [L] , contrasting with the latter (four [fo?] and for [fL], hoarse [ho?s] and horse [h Ls]).
f) The short sound o, especially before deaf stops, corresponds to [Q], not English [O]. For example, in the words hot - [hQt], office - [Qfis], rock - [rQk], [K. Brunner, 368].
g) The combination [ju:] after the dental ones in most cases has been simplified into [u:]. For example, duty ['du:ti], student ['stu:d?nt].
h) Weak articulation of [t] in the intervocalic position is another feature of the American variant (matter, better).
i) Nasalization of vowels (nasal twang) is widespread, which is observed mainly in positions before and after [m], [n], [N].
j) Sounds [i], [h] can be diphthongized into [i?] and [h?] before [p], [t], [f]. For example, bit [bi?t], get [gз?t].
At the level of the phonological system, the English language in America has a much greater variability in literary norms than the English language in England. If in England there is a single pronunciation standard (Received Pronunciation, or RP), then in America it is opposed by not one, but several regional standards (Eastern New England - Eastern New England, New York City - New York, Middle Atlantic - Mid-Atlantic region, Western Pennsylvania - Western Pennsylvania, South - South, Midwest - Midwest). There are only two phonetic features by which any regional type of the American variant is opposed to RP - this is a higher rise [A] and retroflex articulation [r], [A.D. Schweitzer, 4]. According to the last sign, there are two groups:
1. by the presence of a retroflex sonant [r] - the Mid-Atlantic region, Western Pennsylvania, the Midwest.
2. or absence - Eastern New England, New York, South
The analysis of sound differences indicates that the greatest discrepancies are found in the field of vocalism. Differences in the field of consonantism are of a single and less significant nature.
The vowel [a], which in literary English pronunciation appears only as the first element of the diphthongs [ai] and [au], in some areas of the USA (mainly New England) forms a monophthong used in words like ask, half, path . In the individual "hyper-correct" pronunciation of some Americans, [a] is a deliberate imitation of the "Boston accent". At the same time, it freely alternates with [?], used in similar positions in more relaxed, everyday communication (informal speech). In England, monophthong [a] is found only in dialects in the north of the country.
The diphthong [aI] shows some regional variations. In most parts of the country, its initial element is pronounced the same as in England. However, along with this, the pronunciation [bI] is also noted (mainly in the New York area). In some areas of the south, in position before a voiceless consonant, the narrow variety [Q] is used as the first element of this diphthong. In some southern states, the diphthong [aI] undergoes complete monophthongization. The diphthong [au] also has several local varieties, differing in the pronunciation of the initial element. For most Americans, [au] is typical. Another common variation is [Qu]. Occurring in a number of areas of the Atlantic coast, [?u] is considered "substandard" with the exception of the south, where it is sanctioned by the literary norm.
Unlike British [R], which is a back vowel, American [Q] is characterized as a mid vowel. These sounds do not differ from each other in height of rise: they both belong to a wide variety of low rise. The second feature of the American [Q] is that it has two varieties - long and short [Q]. In most regional types of American pronunciation, a short non-labialized [Q] occurs in words like not, top, dock, nod, rob, i.e. where the short labialized [P] is used in RP. In some "non-zero" types of the American variant, long and short [Q] contrast in the same phonetic setting (cot [kQt] and cart [kRt]).
In regional types with preconsonantal [r], long [R] occurs only in a very limited group of words (father, alms, palm, etc.). Here long and short [Q] oppose each other in a few minimal pairs like bomb-[bQm] - balm-[bRm].
As for the vowel [P], it is much rarer in the American version (mainly in eastern New England and western Pennsylvania). At the same time, it can alternate with [Q] and [O] in certain positions.The vowel [O] also differs from the corresponding sound in the British version, although less noticeably than [Q]. Its articulatory features in the American version are characterized by somewhat greater variability. Noticeable fluctuations are observed in the height of the rise (from a wide variety of medium to a narrow variety of low), longitude, degree of labilization and tension.