Different Regional English

raising awareness as to American, British and other regional variations

Perhaps one of the biggest communicative barriers that exists between Japanese people and speakers of English, is the latter's usage of a diverse range of regional English. Such variations exist in different English speaking countries throughout the world.

Not only can this often be confusing and incomprehensible to many students but it can also fundamentally contradict what a Japanese student of English has learnt in the classroom-that is-the best way to write or say an English word or phrase.

Given the fact that ALTs who come to Japan are often posted randomly, the situation frequently arises where, say, an American ALT teaches in a particular locality for 1 year. They are then subsequently replaced by a British ALT who in turn is then replaced by yet another ALT (from Australia, Canada or New Zealand) the year afterwards.

This constant diversity of ALT regional English means that students from one year to the next are being taught and are constantly learning different variations of English. For this reason alone, rather than dismiss what the student has learnt previously as incorrect, such knowledge should be built upon. With this in mind, the distinction between different regional English should be clearly explained by both the JTE and, most importantly, by the ALT who speaks that particular regional variation.

Below are just a few examples that clearly highlight the linguistic differences that exist from region to region. They emphasize the need for clarity on the part of the JTE and the ALT in order to prevent possible linguistic conflicts arising.

English: North American contrasted with British

　For a detailed discussion on this.

spelling: often slight difference [My favorite food is (US) My favourite food is (UK)] [color (US) colour (UK) [tire (US) tyre (UK)] [meter (US) metre (UK)]

Pronunciation and Accent:　 [schedule: "skedule" (US) "shedule"(UK)]

Early American English originated from Quaker settlers who mostly travelled from the south-west area of England (i.e. Cornwall, etc., where the R-sound is very strong).　 The part of America chosen by many these settlers was named:　New England.

different phrases/expressions:

Many American words differ from British ones, e.g. parts of the car.　Just as with British English, American English is an evolving language, influenced by industrial and technical advances.

[gas station (US) petrol station (UK)]　[woolly hat (UK) beany (US/AUS/NZ) tuke (CAN)] [wrench (US) spanner (UK)] [windshield (US) windscreen (UK)] [squash (US) marrow (UK)] [cookies (US) biscuits (UK)] [space heater (US) electric fire (UK)] [garage sale (US) jumble sale (UK)] [diaper (US) nappy (UK)] [kerosene (US) paraffin (UK)] [motor home (US) caravan (UK)]

[subway (US/CAN) Underground/tube (UK)] [sidewalk (US) pavement (UK)] [highway (US) motorway (UK)] [plastic wrap (US) cling film (UK)] [eraser (US) rubber (UK) ] [cookies (US) biscuits (UK)] [potato chips (US) crisps (UK)] [molasses (US) treacle (UK)] [second floor (US) first floor (UK)]

English: Australian contrasted with British

Spelling: is the same for all words

Vocabulary:　

Certain Aborigine words have been adopted into the language.　

Londoners were among the first to travel to Australia from Britain and their influence is obvious:

They took with them a rhyming slang, referred to as Cockney Slang;　This slang has evolved and now an Australian version of rhyming slang exists　

American films are having a strong influence on Australian vocabulary and spelling.

Pronunciation and Accent:　

The accent in Australia originated from the London area but, in comparison with British pronunciation, the 'A' sound is now broader.　People have since emigrated to Australia from all over Britain and this will have had some effect on accent in different areas

Different words/phrases:

[to do a U-turn (UK) to chuck a uey (AUS)] [to go down the drain (UK) to go down the gurgler (AUS)] [ manhole (UK) loft-hatch (AUS) ]

English: New Zealand contrasted with British

Spelling: identical

Pronunciation and Accent:　The accent in the South Island is predominantly Scottish, as the early settlers originated from Scotland;　however, the accent in the North Island is not very strong, as people emigrated to it from all over England.

Vocabulary: [corner shop (UK) dairy (NZ)] [ crowd, group (UK) bui (NZ) ] [ press-studs (UK) domes (NZ) ]

In New Zealand, certain Maori words have been adopted into the language.　

-The above extracts on English language variation are originally provided by Bibi Baxter, www.musicalenglishlessons.com　

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