HANOI PEDAGOGICAL UNIVERSITY 2
FACULTY OF ENGLISH
Group members
Nguyễn Trịnh Thái Hà - 217220201089
Bùi Thị Lan Hương - 217220201135
Phan Lê Hồng Anh – 217220201029
Phạm Quốc Đạt - 217220201070
Nguyễn Hà Phương – 21722020
FINAL ASSIGNMENT FOR
SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH METHODS IN ENGLISH
Topic: A study of the differences of pronunciation by the
American and the British shown in the news broadcast on
VOA and BBC.
Course instructor: Do Tien Duc, M.A
Phuc Yen, 2023
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page number
CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. American English and British English...............................................................
2.1.1. Similarities.........................................................................................................
2.1.2. Differences.........................................................................................................
2.1.2.1. Lexical differences..........................................................................................
2.1.2.2. Differences in pronunciation.........................................................................
2.2. VOA and BBC - programs broadcast
by native speakers of English.....................................................................................
2.2.1. News on VOA....................................................................................................
2.2.2. News on BBC.....................................................................................................
2.2.3. Differences of pronunciation in news presentation
on VOA and BBC........................................................................................................
2.2.3.1. Variety of accents...........................................................................................
2.2.3.2. Aspirations......................................................................................................
2.2.3.3. Pronunciation of vowels and semantics
by the American and the British................................................................................
REFERENCES............................................................................................................
CHAPTER TWO
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 American English and British English
2.1.1. Similarities
Vocabulary: There is a significant overlap in vocabulary between American
English and British English. Many words are mutually understood and used in both
varieties of English.
Grammar: The basic grammar rules are generally the same in both American
English and British English. The structure and tenses used in sentences are similar.
Spelling: While there are some differences in spelling, such as "color" (US) and
"colour" (UK), the majority of words are spelled the same in both varieties.
Punctuation: The basic punctuation rules and usage are similar in both American
English and British English.
2.1.2. Differences
2.1.2.1. Lexical differences
Vocabulary: There are several lexical differences between American English and
British English. For example, Americans say "elevator" while the British say "lift,"
and Americans say "truck" while the British say "lorry."
Idioms: Both varieties have their unique set of idiomatic expressions that can
differ. For instance, Americans say "caught red-handed," whereas the British say
"caught in the act."
2.1.2.2. Differences in pronunciation
Vowel sounds: There are variations in vowel sounds between American English
and British English. For example, the "a" sound in words like "dance" or "bath" is
pronounced differently.
Rhotic pronunciation: One significant difference is the pronunciation of the "r"
sound. Americans generally pronounce the "r" sound fully, while it is often
dropped or only lightly pronounced in British English, especially at the end of
words.
Accent: Regional accents differ between the two varieties. For instance, the New
York accent in American English is distinct from the London accent in British
English.
2.2. VOA and BBC - programs broadcast by native speakers of English
2.2.1. News on VOA
VOA News is a multimedia news service that provides news and information in English
and 21 other languages about the United States, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. VOA
News is funded by the U.S. government and broadcasts on radio, television, online and
mobile platforms.
VOA News covers topics such as politics, culture, science, technology, health, sports
and education. VOA News also has special reports on issues such as press freedom,
human rights, democracy and global security.
Some of the programs that VOA News broadcasts by native English speakers are:
Daybreak Africa: A 30-minute program that provides news and analysis on African
issues, with a focus on human rights, democracy and development.
International Edition: A 30-minute program that provides in-depth coverage of
major international stories, with interviews, reports and commentary from VOA
correspondents and experts.
Press Conference USA: A 30-minute program that features newsmakers and
analysts discussing the most pressing issues of the day.
Encounter: A 30-minute program that explores current affairs and public policy
issues through dialogue and debate.
Issues in the News: A 30-minute program that provides a roundtable discussion of
the week's top stories by leading journalists and commentators.
2.2.2. News on BBC
BBC News is a public service broadcaster that provides news and information in English
and many other languages about the world and the UK. BBC News is funded by the
license fee paid by UK households and operates on radio, television, online and mobile
platforms.
BBC News covers topics such as politics, culture, science, technology, health, sports and
education. BBC News also has special reports on issues such as climate change, human
rights, democracy and global security.
Some of the programs that BBC News broadcasts by native English speakers are:
World News Today: A 30-minute program that provides the latest international
news and analysis, with reports from BBC correspondents around the world.
HARDtalk: A 30-minute program that features in-depth interviews with influential
figures who are making the news.
Newsnight: A 45-minute program that provides comprehensive coverage and
analysis of the day's main UK and international stories, with interviews, debates
and reports.
The World This Week: A 30-minute program that reviews the week's major news
stories from around the world, with commentary and insight from BBC journalists
and experts.
Click: A 30-minute program that explores the latest developments and trends in
technology, with reports, reviews and features.
2.2.3. Differences of pronunciation in news presentation on VOA and BBC
2.2.3.1. Variety of accents
Variety of Accents in News Broadcasting:
Accents in news broadcasting have evolved over time, with a wider range of accents
now deemed acceptable. Historically, broadcasters adopted a geographically neutral
accent, often referred to as the General American accent or Standard American. This
accent is characterized by a lack of regional flair, making it more universally understood.
Similarly, in the UK, Received Pronunciation (RP), an accent often associated with the
middle and upper classes, was traditionally favored in broadcasting.
However, the trend has shifted towards embracing linguistic diversity. For instance, the
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has been criticized for its lack of accent
diversity, leading to calls for greater representation of regional accents.
Pronunciation Differences between American and British English:
The most notable difference between American (General American) and British English
(Received Pronunciation) is the pronunciation of the letter 'r'. In British English, a written
'r' is only pronounced if there is a vowel sound after it, whereas in American English,
every written 'r' is pronounced. Other significant differences include vowel sounds and the
pronunciation of certain words.
Impact of Accents on News Broadcasting:
Accents can significantly impact news broadcasting. News anchors are often trained to
speak in a moderate speed and enunciate each word clearly to ensure their speech is
understood by a wide audience. However, the use of different accents can lead to
perceptions of bias or discrimination. For example, speakers with non-standard accents
may find themselves judged or marginalized.
In conclusion, the variety of accents and their usage in news broadcasting is a
complex issue that involves considerations of linguistic diversity, audience
comprehension, and potential bias. Further research into this topic, particularly a
comparative study of American and British news broadcasts, could provide valuable
insights into the impact of accents on news broadcasting.
2.2.3.2. Aspirations
Aspiration is a feature of consonant pronunciation in which there is a puff of air released
after the consonant. In American English, all stop consonants are aspirated at the
beginning of a stressed syllable, while in British English, only some stop consonants are
aspirated in this position.
Aspiration in American English
In American English, all stop consonants are aspirated at the beginning of a stressed
syllable. This means that there is a puff of air released after the consonant, which delays
the onset of the vowel.
For example: the "t" in the word "tip" is aspirated, which means that there is a slight puff
of air between the "t" and the "i".
Aspiration is also common in American English after /s/.
For example: the "t" in the word "stop" is aspirated, even though it is not at the
beginning of a stressed syllable. This is because /s/ is a voiceless fricative, which means
that it is produced with a continuous stream of air. This stream of air can carry over into
the following consonant, causing it to be aspirated.
Aspiration in British English
In British English, only some stop consonants are aspirated at the beginning of a stressed
syllable. The consonants /p/, /t/, and /k/ are typically aspirated, while the consonants
/b/, /d/, and /g/ are typically unaspirated. This means that there is no puff of air released
after these consonants.
Aspiration in British English is also less common after /s/. For example, the "t" in the
word "stop" is typically unaspirated in British English.
Variation in Aspiration Patterns
There is some variation in aspiration patterns even within American and British English.
For example, some speakers of American English may not aspirate the "t" in the word
"tip," and some speakers of British English may aspirate the "t" in the word "stop." This
variation is due to a number of factors, including individual differences in pronunciation
and the influence of regional dialects.
Here is a table summarizing the differences in aspiration between American and British
English:
Consonant American english British english
p aspirated unaspirated
b aspirated unaspirated
t aspirated unaspirated
d aspirated unaspirated
k aspirated unaspirated
g aspirated unaspirated
Overall, aspiration is a reliable way to distinguish between American and British
English. If you hear a speaker aspirate all stop consonants at the beginning of
stressed syllables, they are most likely speaking American English. If you hear a
speaker aspirate only some stop consonants at the beginning of stressed syllables,
they are most likely speaking British English.
2.2.3.3. Pronunciation of vowels and semantics by the American and the British
The pronunciation of vowels is one of the most noticeable differences between
American English and British English. This is due to a number of factors, including the
historical development of the two dialects, the influence of other languages, and the
different social and cultural contexts in which they are spoken.
Vowels
American English vowels are generally more lax and open. Meanwhile, British English
vowels are generally more tense and closed. This means that American English is
produced with a wider opening of the mouth and a more relaxed position of the tongue
and lips, and British English is produced with a narrower opening of the mouth and a
more tense position of the tongue and lips.
Change of Diphthong [əʊ] to [oʊ]
The shift from the British diphthong [əʊ] to [oʊ] is pretty distinguishing. The shift
consisted the change of the mid central unrounded vowel [ə] to the close-mid back
rounded vowel [o] in the first vowel of the diphthong.
For example:
Word RP GA
go [gəʊ] [goʊ]
cocoa [‘kəʊkəʊ] [koʊkoʊ]
The change of vowel [ɒ]
In British English that sound is pronounced as an open back rounded short sound [ɒ], as
in hot[hɒt], or possible ["pɒsəbl]. In American English it is pronounced either as an open
back unrounded long sound [a:], as in hot[ha:t], or as an open-mid back rounded long
vowel [ɔ:], as in dog[dɔ:g].
Word RP GA
box [bɒks] [ba:ks]
cost [kɒst [kɔ:st]
off [ɒf] [a:f] or [ɔ:f]
The most frequent changes are from [ɒ] to [a:] and [ɔ:]. However, in a very few cases
vowel [ɒ] is changed to [oʊ] and [2]. Here we have a list with the main examples.
Change to [oʊ]: homosexual[hoʊmə’sekʃuəl]; in RP compost is [‘kɒmpɒst], but
in GA it is [‘ka:mpoʊst]. Other words are: impost, pogrom (in the second
syllable), produce (as noun), provost, riposte, scone, shalom.
Change to [2]: hovel, hover, therefrom, wasn’t.
Change of [æ]
The change of vowel [æ] occurs under some certain conditions, but it seems to be
inconsistent, as we will see in the examples below. Vowel [æ] becomes vowel [a:] in RP
when:
Vowel [æ] is before sounds [s], [f], and [θ], as in pass, calf, and path.
Vowel [æ] is followed by another consonant, especially in the cases such as
[ns], [nt], [ntʃ], and [mpl], as in dance, can’t, ranch, and sample.
The changes are not applied before other consonants, as in cat, pal, cab, and
drag.
Change from [ju:] to [u:]
The change takes place in RP and GA in the following cases:
Word RP GA
stupid [ˈstjuː.pɪd] [ˈstuː.pɪd]
student [ˈstjuː.dənt] [ˈstuː.dənt]
new [njuː] [nuː]
stew [stjuː] [stu:]
Change of [ɪ] and [aɪ]
In some cases the pronunciation of lax vowel [ɪ] in RP becomes other vowels, mainly
diphthong [aɪ] and [ə] in the suffix -ization.
For the change to [aɪ], here we have a few examples:
Word RP GA
dynasty [ˈdɪn.ə.sti] [ˈdaɪ.nə.sti]
privacy [ˈprɪv.ə.si] [ˈprɪv.ə.si]
vitamin [ˈvɪt.ə.mɪn] [ˈvaɪ.t̬ə.min]
Changes of [i:] and [e]
Sometimes, swaps between vowels [i:] and [e] are also found. Here we have a few
instances.
Change of [i:] in RP to [e] in GA: aesthetic, devolution, epoch, evolution,
febrile, predecessor.
Change of [e] in RP to [i:] in GA: cretin, depot, leisure, medieval, zebra.
Consonants:
The Pronunciation of "r": One of the most noticeable differences between
British and American English pronunciation is the way the consonant "r" is
pronounced. In British English, the consonant "r" is often pronounced as a soft,
guttural sound, while in American English it is pronounced more distinctly,
with the tip of the tongue touching the roof of the mouth.
The Pronunciation of "θ": The pronunciation of the "θ" sound is another
noticeable difference between British and American English. In British English,
the "θ" sound is pronounced as a soft "v" or "f" sound, while in American
English it is pronounced with the tongue between the teeth.
The Pronunciation of "t": The way the consonant "t" is pronounced also differs
between the two dialects. In British English, the consonant "t" is often
pronounced more softly, almost as a "d" sound, while in American English, it is
pronounced more distinctly, with a clear "t" sound.
The Pronunciation of "l": The pronunciation of the consonant "l" is another
difference between British and American English. In British English, the
consonant "l" is pronounced with a more distinct "l" sound, while in American
English, it is often pronounced more like a "w" sound.
The Pronunciation of "s": The pronunciation of the consonant "s" is another
area of difference between the two dialects. In British English, the consonant
"s" is often pronounced more softly, almost as a "z" sound, while in American
English, it is pronounced more distinctly, with a clear "s" sound.
Semantics
In addition to differences in pronunciation, there are also some semantic differences
between American and British English. This means that some words have different
meanings in the two dialects. For example, the American word "trash" means "rubbish" in
British English. Conversely, the British word "lorry" means "truck" in American English.
Here is a table of some of the most common semantic differences between American and
British English:
American English British English
apartment flat
candy sweets
elevator lift
gas petrol
gas petrol
highway motorway
movie film
potato chips crisps
French fries chips
eggplant aubergine
sneakers trainers
subway underground
... ...
REFERENCES
John, A. (2001). The Cambridge History of the English Language. Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press.
Clive Upton,Eben Upton. (2009). Oxford Rhyming Dictionary. Retrieved from Oxford
Learner’s Dictionary: https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionaries.com/
Anonymous. (2023, 11 16). American and British English pronunciation differences.
Retrieved from Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_and_British_English_pronunciation_differ
ences
Anonymous. (2023, 11 16). IPA. Retrieved from Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IPA
Anonymous. (2023, 11 16). Rhotic and Non-Rhotic Accents. Retrieved from Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhotic_and_non-rhotic_accents
Avery, P. (1992). Teaching American English Pronunciation. Oxford: Oxford University
Press.
Giegerich, H.J. (1992). English Phonology. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Gomez, P. (2009). English Phonetics. Retrieved from Paco Gomez web site:
https://webpgomez.com/english/english-phonetics
John, C. (2000). Longman Pronunciation Dictionary. London: Longman.
BBC News. (2022, 05 24). COVID-19 Cases on the Rise. Retrieved from BBC News:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/covid19-cases-rise
BBC News. (2023, 11 05). New Study Finds Link Between Exercise and Mental Health.
Retrieved from BBC News: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/exercise-mental-health
VOA News. (2023, 11 10). Climate Change and Its Impact on Wildlife. Retrieved from
VOA News: https://www.voanews.com/climate-change-impact-wildlife
VOA News. (2023, 09 10). Humanitarian Crisis in Country: Urgent Aid Needed.
Retrieved from VOA News: https://www.voanews.com/humanitarian-crisis-aid-
needed
