The Orthoepic Norm

Pronunciation Varieties of British English

It is generally considered that the orthoepic norm of British English is “Received Pronunciation” (RP), though as many scholars state, it is not the only variety of British English pr-n that is recognized as the orthoepic norm in present-day Britain.

RP was accepted as the phonetic norm of English about a century ago. It is mainly based on the Southern English regional type of pr-n, but it has developed its own features. Though RP is carefully preserved by the public schools & the privileged class in England, the RP of today differs in some respects from the former refined RP used half a century ago. A.Gimson claims that the exclusive purity of the classic RP has been diluted, as some features of regional types of speech are “received” now, though some 50 years ago those features were considered to be regional, non-RP.

The main changes that have recently taken place in RP are as follows:

1. 
   The diphthongization of the RP /i:/ & /u:/ which in final position are often
   

pronounced with a glide (e.g. “see” - /sij /, “who” – /h u / ).

2. 
   Monophthongization of /ai / & /a / when followed by /ә/ (e.g.”tower”-
   

/ta ә/ >/taә/, “fire”-/ ' faiә / > / ' faә /).

3. The centering of former /o / to / /. E.g. the word “November” had three possible pr-ns the recommended /o / (/no ' vembэ /), shortened monophthongal form /o / (/no' vembә/), or, in rapid speech /ә / (/nә'vembә/). Now, there is a tendency to pronounce / / in careful speech (/n 'vembэ/),

& /ә/ in rapid speech (/nә'vembә/).

4. A greater weakening of vowels in weakly stressed syllables, which results in

the use of the neutral /ә/. E.g. /bә'li:v/ for /bi'li:v/; /intrәstin / for /intristin/.

But RP does not accept a loss of the / ә /-/i / distinction in final open syllables (e.g. between “better-Betty”, “dollar-Dolly”).

5. The assimilation of the following sounds: /sj/ > / /, /zj / > / /, /tj > /t /, /dj / > /d / (E.g. “issue”, “crozier”, “situation”, “education”).

6. The final /b, d, g / are now partially devoiced, But the distinctions between /b-p, d-t, g-k / are just clearly marked, because /p, t, k / are fortis, while /b, d, g / are lenis (cf. “cab-cap”, “had-hat”, “bag-back”).

7. The use of the intrusive / r /, which some 20-30 years ago was carefully avoided by RP speakers.

Nowadays RP tolerates the intrusive /r / in such phrases as “the idea /r / of it”, “Asia /r/ & Africa” & so on.

A.Gimson distinguishes 3 varieties of RP today:

(1) The conservative RP used mainly by the older RP speakers;

(2) The general RP heard on radio & TV that is less conservative;

(3) The advanced RP mainly used by the younger RP speakers.

RP has accepted so many features of the Southern English regional accents that many linguists use the terms “Southern English” for RP.

RP has been investigated & described more thoroughly than any other type of English pr-n. It was excellently described in the works of D.Jones & his Everyman’s English Pronouncing Dictionary is still the most reliable reference book on RP.

But there are many educated people in Britain who do not speak RP, though their English is good & correct.