Consonants.

1. The RP allophonic differentiation of [l] doesn’t exist in GA. In all positions [l] is fairly dark.

2. Intervocalic [t] is most normally voiced. The result is neutralization of the distribution between [t] and [d] in this position. The original distinction is preserved through vowel length with the vowel before [t] being shorter. In words like “twenty, little” [t] may be even dropped out.

3. GA [r] is articulated differently from RP one. The impression is one of greater retroflexion.

4. The “wh” spelling is represented in GA by [м] sound and is sometimes transcribed as [hw].

5. The sonorant [j] is usually weakened or omitted altogether in GA between a consonant and [u:] as in words “news, student, suit”.

1. Many differences involve the pronunciation of individual words or groups of words (e.g.: Asia – [‘ei∫∂, ‘ei ∂z]; cordial [ko:di∂l, korj∂l]; either – [ai∂, i: ∂r; vase [va:z, veiz]]). Words “apparatus, data, status” can be pronounced with either [æ] or [ei], but only with [ei] in RP. Words like “hostile, missile, reptile” have final [ail] in RP, in GA they may have [∂l].

2. Stress differences. In words of French origin GA tends to have stress on the final syllable, while RP has it on the initial one (e.g.: ballet [‘bælei, bæ’lei]; beret [‘beri, b∂’ret]). Some words have 1^st – syllable stress in GA whereas in RP the stress may be elsewhere (e.g.: address [∂’ dres, ‘ædres], cigarette [sig∂’ret, ‘sig∂r∂t]). Some compound words have stress on the 1^st element in GA and in RP they retain it on the 2^nd element (e.g.: weekend, ice – cream,hotdog). Polysyllabic words ending in –ory, -ary, -mony have secondary stress in GA, often called “tertiary” (e.g.: laboratory, dictionary, testimony).

3. Intonation. GA intonation on the whole is similar to that of RP. But there are some differences: a) in sentences where the most common pre – nuclear contour in RP is a gradually descending sequence, the counterpart in GA contour is a medium Level Head. b) the usual Medium or Low Fall in RP has its rising – falling counterpart in GA. c) the rising terminal tone in RP in GA has a mid – rising contour. d) the Fall – Rise nuclear tone is different in RP and GA. The main differences in intonation concern the direction of the voice pitch and the realization of the terminal tones. In GA it doesn’t fall to the bottom mostly. It should be also mentioned that the distribution of terminal tones in sentence types is also different: 1) GA “Yes. No” questions commonly have a falling terminal tone; the counterpart RP tone would be a rising one; 2) requests in RP are usually pronounced with a rise, whereas in GA they may take a Fall – Rise; 3) Leave – taking are often pronounced with a high – pitched Fall – Rise in GA.