Accent variation is not just a shift in phonetic realisation
Accents differ in their inventory of phonological segments and their distribution in the lexicon. This means that keeping one dictionary and adapting the mean spectral realisations of phone models is insufficient.
Phonetic variation can involve large spectro-temporal changes in realisation: for example, monophthongs can become diphthongs, plosives can become fricatives, and segments can be inserted and deleted. Phone models which are good models of spectro-temporal variation of a phonological unit in one accent may be poor models in another. This means that adapting the dictionary but keeping one set of phone models is also not sufficient.
Databases of speech used for training recognisers are not well controlled for accent: it is likely that any given phone model is trained with speech from a number of accent groups. Such impure models confuse attempts at dealing with accents by phonetic and phonological adaptation. A model of /A:/ containing both [{] and [A:] may be useful for modelling "bath" but not "palm".
Sociolinguists define accent groups according to convenient cultural indicators rather than on the basis of similarity: it is unlikely that all the known groups are necessary or sufficient. In addition, because the groups are not defined by objective similarity, it is hard to find a representative sample of speakers of an accent.
Accent variation is only one component of variability of a speaker: speakers also differ according to their age, size, sex, voice quality, speaking style or emotion, and recordings are affected by environment, background noise and the communication channel. But since accent is a characteristic of a group of speakers, it is hard to control these other influences.
Received Pronunciation
Received Pronunciation (RP) is the proper term to describe the regionally neutral accent used by many middle class speakers in England. It is widely used as a reference point in dictionaries and as a model for teaching English as a foreign language.
Geordie dialect
The UK has a number of distinctive dialects, and Geordie – the dialect of Newcastle-upon-Tyne – is arguably one of our most recognisable. In this section you can listen to more than 150 audio clips featuring a range of speakers from Tyneside and unpack the vocabulary, pronunciation and grammar that makes speech in the area so unique. You can use the audio clips and additional commentary to help you compare Geordie dialect with RP or with speech in your area.
Minority ethnic English
For more than half a century, immigrants from the Indian subcontinent and the West Indies have added variety and diversity to the rich patchwork of accents and dialects spoken in the UK. In this section you can listen to a selection of audio clips that demonstrate a number of aspects of the English we hear in Britain's Caribbean and Asian communities.
Scottish
Scots were found to have the most reassuring accents in Britain, in a recent survey. The Royal National Lifeboat Institution made the discovery in a poll asking which accent people found most soothing in emergencies, although the research did not delve into the numerous regional varieties of the Scottish tongue.
Scouse
Liverpudlians fared little better in the BBC’s research. The accent was said to be viewed by respondents as “lacking in prestige” and the second most “unpleasant” to the ear.IrishLast year the Irish accent on men was voted the world's sexiest in a poll of 5,000 women. The popularity of stars such as Colin Farrell were said to be the cause of the accent's popularity. The Italian accent came second.
Geordie
Earlier this year, the Geordie accent was voted the sexiest in Britain. Researchers believe celebrities from Newcastle such as Cheryl Cole have helped raised the profile of the accent, making it seem more friendly and attractive.
Brummie
A BBC survey suggested that people from the midlands are most likely to suffer career setbacks because of the way they speak. It was voted the accent most likely to hinder progression in the workplace.
The broad Australian accent is typically associated with Australian masculinity. Notable speakers include ex-Prime Minister Bob Hawke, comedian Paul Hogan and actor Bill Hunter. Although the accent is only spoken by a minority of the population, it has a great deal of cultural credibility. This is shown by the fact that it is disproportionately used in advertisements and by newsreaders. Very few women use broad Australian accents, probably because the accent is associated with Australian masculinity.
Around 80 per cent of Australians speak like actor Nicole Kidman with what is known as a general Australian English accent. These accents are somewhat of a mix between the broad Australian and cultivated accents. Because they are comparatively neutral in ideology, most of the speakers believe that they don't have an accent. The speakers realise that they speak differently to the broad Australian speakers that they associate with Australia as well as the cultivated speakers that they associate with upper class or elitism.
The final ten per cent of Australians speak with what is known as a cultivated accent, which sounds a bit like Prince Charles. It is usually spoken by women wanting to portray a feminine and sophisticated image. Although most speakers are women, some men, such as ex-prime minister Malcolm Fraser, use the accent.
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