British and American Englishes

What are the main differences between British and American English?British
- Non-rhotic
- More rapid, eliminates some vowels
- Post-alveolar approximant [r] ("bIrd")
.
American     
- Rhotic (always pronounces the 'r')
- Feels slower/drawled
- Post-alveolar approximant: [ɹ] ("buhrd")
What is rhoticity?Rhoticity describes whether or not the /r/ is preserved in all phonetic environments.
.
British English (being non-rhotic) does not always pronounce the 'r', in particular when it comes after a vowel
Example:
  "far from" is said like "fa' from"
  "water" is said like "watuh"
  "perfect" is said like "puhfect"
.
(i.e.: the final r is skipped, except when it is a linking r (when the next word begins in a vowel, like "for us" -> "forus")
Why is American English called a rhotic language?Because in American English, the 'r' is pronounced in all phonetic environments.
What are the post-alveolar approximants ([ɹ] in AE, [r] in British)?American [ɹ]
Bird is pronounced "buhrd".
The r-sound is darker.
.
British [r]
Bird is pronounced "bIrd".
The r-sound is lighter.
When is the /r/ pronounced in BrE?- between two vowels (carrot)
- start of a word (read)
- linking r, intrusive r (far away)
What are the three variations of the [r] in BrE?- flapped /r/
  (when a king says "verry")
- linking /r/
  ("for a minute" -> "fora minute")
- intrusive /r/
  ("idea of" -> "idearof")
What is the flapped /r/?One roll of a rolled r (so you roll the r, but only shortly)
Example:
  When a king says "verry"
.
(Other languages, like spanish, use this lot)
What is the linking r?When one word ends in an /r/ sound and the next begins with a vowel, the words are linked.
Example:
  "for a minute" is said like "fora minute"
  "far away" is said like "faraway"
Explain what the intrusive r is. Give an example.Though no 'r' is written, one is added between two words in pronunciation for smoothness.
Example:
  "idea of" is said like "idearof"
  "law and order" is said like "lawrand order"
What are centring diphthongs?Diphthongs are glides from one pure vowel into an adjecent one. Like in "hound"
.
Centering diphtongs specifically end in an /ə/ (which is a central vowel)
Example:
  beer -> beah bɪə(r)
  sure -> shuah ʃʊə
  where -> wheah weə
What is t flapping? Which variety of English uses this?A /t/ or /d/ (plosive sounds) can become non-plosive for smoother pronunciation.
.
(your tongue only taps against the roof of your mouth, rather than building up pressure)
.
Little -> Liddle
What is a post nasal /t/? Which variety of English uses this?In Standard American English, the t sound in words like winter, inter, enter can be assimilated.
-> "winner", "inner", "enner"
What differences are there between stress in certain words of English and American varieties of English?Generally, stress patterns are the same, but:
British: Stress on the first/ second syllable
American: Stress on first syllable, and secondary stress on the second to last syllable.
.
British: SEcretary -> secretry (the 'a' is assimilated)
American: SEcreTary
.
Special case: words of french origin:
British: stress on early syllable (GOURmet)
American: stress on final syllable (gourMET)