Prosodic features

The deletion of word-initial unstressed syllables (as in ‘bout, ‘cept) is reported as a regular feature of EAfE, AAVE, Gullah, NfldE, and all antipodean varieties and as occurring variably in several British and a few more American dialects as well as StHE and InSAfE. Shifting of word stress to late syllables in a polysyllabic word is reported for IrE, the T&TCs and a few more Caribbean and American contact varieties, and, most generally, several West African, South African, and Asian varieties. While BrE, AmE, AusE and NZE are stress-timed, the Caribbean Creoles, most West African varieties, most dialects of SAfE, StHE, and all Asian Englishes and Pacific contact varieties (including Maori English and AbE) display a strong tendency toward a syllable-timed rhythm.

While it seems quite clear that different intonation contours characterize many varieties of English, and possibly play a major role in accent identification, little systematic research has been devoted to this aspect. One such feature that has been frequently observed and addressed in recent years is the use of a high-rising terminal contour (“HRT”) at the end of affirmative statements. This occurs fairly generally in British, American, Caribbean, Australian and New Zealand dialects and occasionally in Africa and Asia; in general, the phenomenon is assumed to be spreading globally among the young.

Whether even some varieties of English can count as tone languages is disputed, but it is clear that in Caribbean Creoles and African varieties tonal distinctions play a major role. Distinctive tone is claimed to occur regularly in the SurCs and T&TCs, in all Nigerian varieties, and in CamPE.