6.2.2. Consonants

The consonant system of English is more constant than the vowel system but still there are American pronunciation features which have been widely attested. They are:

a) The approximant [r] is retroflex (pronounced with the tip of the tongue curled back) and is used in all the positions where there is an r in spelling. There are at least three degrees of retroflexion which affect the quality of the preceding vowel. Cf.: RP hurry [Ълп], worry ['wah]; GA hurry [Ъэп], worry ['wan].

b) The American [t] in the intervocalic position is realized as a flap: the tip of the tongue beats against the teeth ridge just once. Acoustically it reminds [d] and [r]. Compare: RP better ['beta], letter ['leta], writer ['raita]; GA better ['beta*], letter [leta*], -writer ['raita*-].

c) When t follows n, it is nearly omitted. Nasalization of the vowel is another feature caused by coarticulation with n. RP twenty ['twenti], international [.mta'naejanl]; GA twenty ['twom] in popular speech.

The more standard pronunciation is [t] pronounced as a flap, international [.mtarnaeja'nael].

d) The sound [t] is also affected by the process of glottalization in both varieties of English, British and American, and the frequency of its occurrence is socially marked. One of the most favourable conditions for glottal stop to replace [t] is before [m, n, 1, r, j, w]: That man [3ae? maen], that one [Sse? wan], little [h?l].

e) The sound [j] in American English is commonly weakened or omitted:

RP news [nju:z], Tuesday ['tju:zdi], duty ['dju:ti], assume [9'sju:m]; GA news [nu:z], Tuesday ['tu:zdi], duty ['du:ti], assume [a'su:m].

f) The sound [1] is "dark", i.e. non-palatalized, in American English in all positions, while in RP (but not in Scottish Standard English!) it is "clear", palatalized, before a front vowel and "dark" at the end of a word and before a consonant:

RP little [Ш], lie [lai], belt [be-H], lesson [lesn], people [pi:pt]; GA little [hti], lie [iai], belt [belt], lesson [lesn],people [pi:pi].

g) Apart from systemic differences, there are lexical items which are pronounced differently:

RP tomato [ta'mateo], either'['айэ],schedule ['Jedju:l], ate [et], vase [va:z]; GA tomato [te'meitou], either р:Ээ],schedule ['sked3u:l], ate [eit], vase[veiz].

6.2.3. Word stress

a) The differences in stress are also lexically determined, and, therefore, are hard to generalize: RP a'ddress, 'adult, prin'cess, 'detail, /naga'zine, .week-end; GA 'address, a'dult, 'princess, de'tail, 'magazine, 'weekend.

b) One group of words ending in suffixes -ary, -ory, -ery, -ony, -berry is pronounced with one primary stress in RP whereas in American English there is an additional secondary stress which some linguists call "tertiary" (because it follows the primary stress, and is assumed to be weaker than the one preceding the primary stress).

RP dictionary ['dikjanari], ceremony ['senmani], strawberry ['stro:bariJ; GAdictionaty ['dikji.nari], ceremony ['saramouni], strawberry ['stnrbari].

c) French borrowings are assimilated in RP and have one primary stress on the initial syllable. In GA they are still stressed as in French, on the final syllable, or have two stresses, one primary on the last syllable and one secondary on the first:

RP ballet ['baelei], cafe ['kaefei], garage ['gaered3], matinee ['maetmei]; GA ballet [bae'lei], cafe [kae'fei], garage [дэ'гсг.3], matinee [.maeti'nei].