Australia's iconic accent, characterised by its distinct nasal twang and laid-back intonation, is undergoing a subtle transformation.

While the classic 'Aussie' accent still lingers in the outback and among older generations, a new breed of Australian speech is emerging in the cities and younger populations.

With a shift towards a more cosmopolitan and globalised culture, this new accent reflects the changing identity of modern Australia and offers a fascinating glimpse into the country's evolving linguistic landscape.

According to voice expert Amy Hume from the University of Melbourne, the younger generations are shaking up the linguistic norms with their adoption of an Americanised pronunciation for certain words.

A subtle change in the Australian accent has been occurring, specifically in younger generations. Credit: Unsplash/Brooke Cagle.

One of the words in question is 'news' - that staple of daily life that keeps us all informed about the world around us. But forget about the classic 'yuh' sound - the young ones are ditching that in favour of a more Americanised 'noo' sound!

Ms Hume reveals that this shift is happening in real-time, as the influence of US media seeps into the Australian soundscape. With TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services all playing their part, it's no wonder that our speech patterns are evolving at lightning speed.

While 'news' is getting a makeover to sound more like 'noos', other words like 'duke', 'tune', and 'Tuesday' are still holding onto their classic Aussie 'yuh' sound. But will they follow in the footsteps of 'news' and change too? Only time will tell!

Ms Hume raises a fascinating question: will the once-distinguishing 'yuh' sound that set us apart from our American counterparts continue to define the Aussie accent? With the ever-increasing influence of US media, it's anyone's guess as to what our linguistic landscape will look like in the years to come.

Accents are constantly evolving, and this change reflects the impact of the internet and American media on Australian culture. Credit: Unsplash/Laura Cros.

With this revelation, News.com.au decided to put this linguistic theory to the test and embarked on an expedition to the University of Sydney. Armed with their curiosity and a burning desire to uncover the truth, they asked young students how they pronounced the word 'news'.

The first group they encountered was entirely American, which made it hard to get a fair assessment of the Aussie accent. However, it did serve as a useful reference point for later on. As expected, the participants pronounced the word as 'noos' - a clear indication of the influence of American media.

Later on, the vast majority of the students they encountered, despite being under the age of 20, were still using the distinctive Aussie 'yuh' sound when pronouncing 'news'. It seems like not all hope is lost for the classic Aussie accent, after all!

But then things got interesting! After encountering a group of students who stuck to the classic Aussie 'yuh' sound, the News.com.au team stumbled upon 15-year-old Summer, who had adopted the Americanised 'noos' pronunciation for 'news'.

Later on, they met 18-year-old Gemma, who had also jumped on the Americanised bandwagon. It seems like the influence of the internet and American media is stronger than ever, and the younger generation is adapting to the conditions in their environment.

Hume explained that this isn't surprising at all. Accents are always changing and evolving, influenced by the people and media around us. As we move through different generations, we're likely to hear different words and pronunciations, and even the tunes of our accents can change over time.

The influence of US media, including TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services, is likely to be the cause of this accent shift. Credit: Unsplash/Andrea Tummons.

Hume recently revealed that another word that has undergone an Americanised transformation is 'maths'. The younger generation has dropped the 's', and now refers to the subject as 'math'.

Ms Hume also shed light on the fundamental quirks that form the backbone of the Aussie accent and why American actors often struggle with it. It all comes down to the way Aussies pronounce the letter 'R' and how it changes depending on the words they're using.

Unlike rhotic accents like Irish or American, where the letter 'R' is pronounced whenever it appears, the Australian accent is non-rhotic. This means that Aussies generally only pronounce the 'R' in the middle of a word when it's followed by a vowel or vowel sound.

For example, when we say 'over the river', we wouldn't pronounce the 'R' at the end of the words in the same way Americans would. However, we would pronounce the 'R' at the end of 'over' if the sentence became 'over on the river'. It's fascinating how these small nuances make such a big difference in the way people speak!

Key Takeaways

• The Australian accent is undergoing a subtle transformation, with a new breed of speech emerging among younger populations in the cities.
• Young people are adopting Americanised pronunciation of certain words, such as 'news' and 'maths', reflecting the influence of foreign media on the country's changing culture.
• This linguistic shift raises interesting questions about the future of the Aussie accent and its impact on the country's cultural identity.

All in all, it's clear that the Australian accent is evolving in response to the country's changing culture and the influence of American media. As we've seen, words like 'news' and 'maths' are being pronounced in a more Americanised way by the younger generation.

But what does this mean for the future of the Aussie accent? Will we see more Americanisation in the years to come, or will the classic 'yuh' pronunciation prevail? And what impact will this linguistic shift have on the country's cultural identity?

These are just a few of the intriguing questions that come to mind when exploring the fascinating world of language and accent evolution. So next time you hear someone say 'noos' instead of 'news' or 'math' instead of 'maths', take a moment to consider the rich and ever-changing landscape of Australian speech.

We hope you found this article fascinating, folks! Share your thoughts with us in the comments. We’d love to know what you think about this change.

 

[Groovy]

Although Americans and Australians speak English, I find that the real English is from England.

 

[Catherines]

Australia's iconic accent, characterised by its distinct nasal twang and laid-back intonation, is undergoing a subtle transformation.

While the classic 'Aussie' accent still lingers in the outback and among older generations, a new breed of Australian speech is emerging in the cities and younger populations.

With a shift towards a more cosmopolitan and globalised culture, this new accent reflects the changing identity of modern Australia and offers a fascinating glimpse into the country's evolving linguistic landscape.

According to voice expert Amy Hume from the University of Melbourne, the younger generations are shaking up the linguistic norms with their adoption of an Americanised pronunciation for certain words.

View attachment 16855

A subtle change in the Australian accent has been occurring, specifically in younger generations. Credit: Unsplash/Brooke Cagle.

One of the words in question is 'news' - that staple of daily life that keeps us all informed about the world around us. But forget about the classic 'yuh' sound - the young ones are ditching that in favour of a more Americanised 'noo' sound!

Ms Hume reveals that this shift is happening in real-time, as the influence of US media seeps into the Australian soundscape. With TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services all playing their part, it's no wonder that our speech patterns are evolving at lightning speed.

While 'news' is getting a makeover to sound more like 'noos', other words like 'duke', 'tune', and 'Tuesday' are still holding onto their classic Aussie 'yuh' sound. But will they follow in the footsteps of 'news' and change too? Only time will tell!

Ms Hume raises a fascinating question: will the once-distinguishing 'yuh' sound that set us apart from our American counterparts continue to define the Aussie accent? With the ever-increasing influence of US media, it's anyone's guess as to what our linguistic landscape will look like in the years to come.

View attachment 16856

Accents are constantly evolving, and this change reflects the impact of the internet and American media on Australian culture. Credit: Unsplash/Laura Cros.

With this revelation, News.com.au decided to put this linguistic theory to the test and embarked on an expedition to the University of Sydney. Armed with their curiosity and a burning desire to uncover the truth, they asked young students how they pronounced the word 'news'.

The first group they encountered was entirely American, which made it hard to get a fair assessment of the Aussie accent. However, it did serve as a useful reference point for later on. As expected, the participants pronounced the word as 'noos' - a clear indication of the influence of American media.

Later on, the vast majority of the students they encountered, despite being under the age of 20, were still using the distinctive Aussie 'yuh' sound when pronouncing 'news'. It seems like not all hope is lost for the classic Aussie accent, after all!

But then things got interesting! After encountering a group of students who stuck to the classic Aussie 'yuh' sound, the News.com.au team stumbled upon 15-year-old Summer, who had adopted the Americanised 'noos' pronunciation for 'news'.

Later on, they met 18-year-old Gemma, who had also jumped on the Americanised bandwagon. It seems like the influence of the internet and American media is stronger than ever, and the younger generation is adapting to the conditions in their environment.

Hume explained that this isn't surprising at all. Accents are always changing and evolving, influenced by the people and media around us. As we move through different generations, we're likely to hear different words and pronunciations, and even the tunes of our accents can change over time.

View attachment 16857

The influence of US media, including TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services, is likely to be the cause of this accent shift. Credit: Unsplash/Andrea Tummons.

Hume recently revealed that another word that has undergone an Americanised transformation is 'maths'. The younger generation has dropped the 's', and now refers to the subject as 'math'.

Ms Hume also shed light on the fundamental quirks that form the backbone of the Aussie accent and why American actors often struggle with it. It all comes down to the way Aussies pronounce the letter 'R' and how it changes depending on the words they're using.

Unlike rhotic accents like Irish or American, where the letter 'R' is pronounced whenever it appears, the Australian accent is non-rhotic. This means that Aussies generally only pronounce the 'R' in the middle of a word when it's followed by a vowel or vowel sound.

For example, when we say 'over the river', we wouldn't pronounce the 'R' at the end of the words in the same way Americans would. However, we would pronounce the 'R' at the end of 'over' if the sentence became 'over on the river'. It's fascinating how these small nuances make such a big difference in the way people speak!

Key Takeaways

• The Australian accent is undergoing a subtle transformation, with a new breed of speech emerging among younger populations in the cities.
• Young people are adopting Americanised pronunciation of certain words, such as 'news' and 'maths', reflecting the influence of foreign media on the country's changing culture.
• This linguistic shift raises interesting questions about the future of the Aussie accent and its impact on the country's cultural identity.

All in all, it's clear that the Australian accent is evolving in response to the country's changing culture and the influence of American media. As we've seen, words like 'news' and 'maths' are being pronounced in a more Americanised way by the younger generation.

But what does this mean for the future of the Aussie accent? Will we see more Americanisation in the years to come, or will the classic 'yuh' pronunciation prevail? And what impact will this linguistic shift have on the country's cultural identity?

These are just a few of the intriguing questions that come to mind when exploring the fascinating world of language and accent evolution. So next time you hear someone say 'noos' instead of 'news' or 'math' instead of 'maths', take a moment to consider the rich and ever-changing landscape of Australian speech.

We hope you found this article fascinating, folks! Share your thoughts with us in the comments. We’d love to know what you think about this change.

Australia's iconic accent, characterised by its distinct nasal twang and laid-back intonation, is undergoing a subtle transformation.

While the classic 'Aussie' accent still lingers in the outback and among older generations, a new breed of Australian speech is emerging in the cities and younger populations.

With a shift towards a more cosmopolitan and globalised culture, this new accent reflects the changing identity of modern Australia and offers a fascinating glimpse into the country's evolving linguistic landscape.

According to voice expert Amy Hume from the University of Melbourne, the younger generations are shaking up the linguistic norms with their adoption of an Americanised pronunciation for certain words.

View attachment 16855

A subtle change in the Australian accent has been occurring, specifically in younger generations. Credit: Unsplash/Brooke Cagle.

One of the words in question is 'news' - that staple of daily life that keeps us all informed about the world around us. But forget about the classic 'yuh' sound - the young ones are ditching that in favour of a more Americanised 'noo' sound!

Ms Hume reveals that this shift is happening in real-time, as the influence of US media seeps into the Australian soundscape. With TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services all playing their part, it's no wonder that our speech patterns are evolving at lightning speed.

While 'news' is getting a makeover to sound more like 'noos', other words like 'duke', 'tune', and 'Tuesday' are still holding onto their classic Aussie 'yuh' sound. But will they follow in the footsteps of 'news' and change too? Only time will tell!

Ms Hume raises a fascinating question: will the once-distinguishing 'yuh' sound that set us apart from our American counterparts continue to define the Aussie accent? With the ever-increasing influence of US media, it's anyone's guess as to what our linguistic landscape will look like in the years to come.

View attachment 16856

Accents are constantly evolving, and this change reflects the impact of the internet and American media on Australian culture. Credit: Unsplash/Laura Cros.

With this revelation, News.com.au decided to put this linguistic theory to the test and embarked on an expedition to the University of Sydney. Armed with their curiosity and a burning desire to uncover the truth, they asked young students how they pronounced the word 'news'.

The first group they encountered was entirely American, which made it hard to get a fair assessment of the Aussie accent. However, it did serve as a useful reference point for later on. As expected, the participants pronounced the word as 'noos' - a clear indication of the influence of American media.

Later on, the vast majority of the students they encountered, despite being under the age of 20, were still using the distinctive Aussie 'yuh' sound when pronouncing 'news'. It seems like not all hope is lost for the classic Aussie accent, after all!

But then things got interesting! After encountering a group of students who stuck to the classic Aussie 'yuh' sound, the News.com.au team stumbled upon 15-year-old Summer, who had adopted the Americanised 'noos' pronunciation for 'news'.

Later on, they met 18-year-old Gemma, who had also jumped on the Americanised bandwagon. It seems like the influence of the internet and American media is stronger than ever, and the younger generation is adapting to the conditions in their environment.

Hume explained that this isn't surprising at all. Accents are always changing and evolving, influenced by the people and media around us. As we move through different generations, we're likely to hear different words and pronunciations, and even the tunes of our accents can change over time.

View attachment 16857

The influence of US media, including TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services, is likely to be the cause of this accent shift. Credit: Unsplash/Andrea Tummons.

Hume recently revealed that another word that has undergone an Americanised transformation is 'maths'. The younger generation has dropped the 's', and now refers to the subject as 'math'.

Ms Hume also shed light on the fundamental quirks that form the backbone of the Aussie accent and why American actors often struggle with it. It all comes down to the way Aussies pronounce the letter 'R' and how it changes depending on the words they're using.

Unlike rhotic accents like Irish or American, where the letter 'R' is pronounced whenever it appears, the Australian accent is non-rhotic. This means that Aussies generally only pronounce the 'R' in the middle of a word when it's followed by a vowel or vowel sound.

For example, when we say 'over the river', we wouldn't pronounce the 'R' at the end of the words in the same way Americans would. However, we would pronounce the 'R' at the end of 'over' if the sentence became 'over on the river'. It's fascinating how these small nuances make such a big difference in the way people speak!

Key Takeaways

• The Australian accent is undergoing a subtle transformation, with a new breed of speech emerging among younger populations in the cities.
• Young people are adopting Americanised pronunciation of certain words, such as 'news' and 'maths', reflecting the influence of foreign media on the country's changing culture.
• This linguistic shift raises interesting questions about the future of the Aussie accent and its impact on the country's cultural identity.

All in all, it's clear that the Australian accent is evolving in response to the country's changing culture and the influence of American media. As we've seen, words like 'news' and 'maths' are being pronounced in a more Americanised way by the younger generation.

But what does this mean for the future of the Aussie accent? Will we see more Americanisation in the years to come, or will the classic 'yuh' pronunciation prevail? And what impact will this linguistic shift have on the country's cultural identity?

These are just a few of the intriguing questions that come to mind when exploring the fascinating world of language and accent evolution. So next time you hear someone say 'noos' instead of 'news' or 'math' instead of 'maths', take a moment to consider the rich and ever-changing landscape of Australian speech.

We hope you found this article fascinating, folks! Share your thoughts with us in the comments. We’d love to know what you think about this change.

Accents determine where you come from. I am often asked where I come from (been here since 1965, am a naturalised Aussie, but haven’t fully lost the accent of the country I came from). Aussies, please keep your accents, it determines where you come from, don’t try and follow another country, but PLEASE, PLEASE use words correctly and in their correct context - my pet hate is hearing ‘brought’ instead of ‘bought’ coming out of the mouths of politicians, and so-called well-educated people in high positions, as well as school teachers. Two different meanings so there’s no excuse for using them in the wrong place. The apostrophe is also used incorrectly - plurals (more than one of the same thing) have the ‘s’ ADDED to the word and the apostrophe is used to SHOW OWNERSHIP of something. It is NOT used to indicate the plural of a word.

 

[MariaG]

Don't get me started.
We have a generation of younger folk who only know how to read and write social media speak.
I had someone send me a message one day and when I asked what the hell was being asked of me, I became the subject of ridicule.
Mind you, the English language is one of the most hokey pokey that you can find. Who ever thought it a good idea to spell right the way it is? It's either a direction or a validation of correctness. It is pronounced rite when the letters gh mean ???? duhhh.
That being said, looking at the young people of my acquaintance who have come through the school system, I do feel the basics are being sadly overlooked. You know ... the 3 R's
It seems that a school excursion to the snow is much more important than learning how to read and write.
I feel that social media and American entertainment have a lot to do with how people are communicating. Until someone comes up with something that makes it more trendy to speak the King's English and to roll our rrrrr's then we will see a new generation of Ozericans in our midst.

 

[Aussie all the Way]

Of cause the younger generation are opting for the lazy American pronunciation, because they are lazy as well, they don't have to spell, add or subtract it is all done for them on their phones, you see the example at shops when things break down they are LOST, I will add in my head tell them and tell them the change owed. But can't tell them because they think that they are the smartest generation to exist. Why would you want to follow a pack of red necks, just look at what is going on at the moment with that idiot trump(small letters on purpose).

 

[ladykaliber]

Australia's iconic accent, characterised by its distinct nasal twang and laid-back intonation, is undergoing a subtle transformation.

While the classic 'Aussie' accent still lingers in the outback and among older generations, a new breed of Australian speech is emerging in the cities and younger populations.

With a shift towards a more cosmopolitan and globalised culture, this new accent reflects the changing identity of modern Australia and offers a fascinating glimpse into the country's evolving linguistic landscape.

According to voice expert Amy Hume from the University of Melbourne, the younger generations are shaking up the linguistic norms with their adoption of an Americanised pronunciation for certain words.

View attachment 16855

A subtle change in the Australian accent has been occurring, specifically in younger generations. Credit: Unsplash/Brooke Cagle.

One of the words in question is 'news' - that staple of daily life that keeps us all informed about the world around us. But forget about the classic 'yuh' sound - the young ones are ditching that in favour of a more Americanised 'noo' sound!

Ms Hume reveals that this shift is happening in real-time, as the influence of US media seeps into the Australian soundscape. With TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services all playing their part, it's no wonder that our speech patterns are evolving at lightning speed.

While 'news' is getting a makeover to sound more like 'noos', other words like 'duke', 'tune', and 'Tuesday' are still holding onto their classic Aussie 'yuh' sound. But will they follow in the footsteps of 'news' and change too? Only time will tell!

Ms Hume raises a fascinating question: will the once-distinguishing 'yuh' sound that set us apart from our American counterparts continue to define the Aussie accent? With the ever-increasing influence of US media, it's anyone's guess as to what our linguistic landscape will look like in the years to come.

View attachment 16856

Accents are constantly evolving, and this change reflects the impact of the internet and American media on Australian culture. Credit: Unsplash/Laura Cros.

With this revelation, News.com.au decided to put this linguistic theory to the test and embarked on an expedition to the University of Sydney. Armed with their curiosity and a burning desire to uncover the truth, they asked young students how they pronounced the word 'news'.

The first group they encountered was entirely American, which made it hard to get a fair assessment of the Aussie accent. However, it did serve as a useful reference point for later on. As expected, the participants pronounced the word as 'noos' - a clear indication of the influence of American media.

Later on, the vast majority of the students they encountered, despite being under the age of 20, were still using the distinctive Aussie 'yuh' sound when pronouncing 'news'. It seems like not all hope is lost for the classic Aussie accent, after all!

But then things got interesting! After encountering a group of students who stuck to the classic Aussie 'yuh' sound, the News.com.au team stumbled upon 15-year-old Summer, who had adopted the Americanised 'noos' pronunciation for 'news'.

Later on, they met 18-year-old Gemma, who had also jumped on the Americanised bandwagon. It seems like the influence of the internet and American media is stronger than ever, and the younger generation is adapting to the conditions in their environment.

Hume explained that this isn't surprising at all. Accents are always changing and evolving, influenced by the people and media around us. As we move through different generations, we're likely to hear different words and pronunciations, and even the tunes of our accents can change over time.

View attachment 16857

The influence of US media, including TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services, is likely to be the cause of this accent shift. Credit: Unsplash/Andrea Tummons.

Hume recently revealed that another word that has undergone an Americanised transformation is 'maths'. The younger generation has dropped the 's', and now refers to the subject as 'math'.

Ms Hume also shed light on the fundamental quirks that form the backbone of the Aussie accent and why American actors often struggle with it. It all comes down to the way Aussies pronounce the letter 'R' and how it changes depending on the words they're using.

Unlike rhotic accents like Irish or American, where the letter 'R' is pronounced whenever it appears, the Australian accent is non-rhotic. This means that Aussies generally only pronounce the 'R' in the middle of a word when it's followed by a vowel or vowel sound.

For example, when we say 'over the river', we wouldn't pronounce the 'R' at the end of the words in the same way Americans would. However, we would pronounce the 'R' at the end of 'over' if the sentence became 'over on the river'. It's fascinating how these small nuances make such a big difference in the way people speak!

Key Takeaways

• The Australian accent is undergoing a subtle transformation, with a new breed of speech emerging among younger populations in the cities.
• Young people are adopting Americanised pronunciation of certain words, such as 'news' and 'maths', reflecting the influence of foreign media on the country's changing culture.
• This linguistic shift raises interesting questions about the future of the Aussie accent and its impact on the country's cultural identity.

All in all, it's clear that the Australian accent is evolving in response to the country's changing culture and the influence of American media. As we've seen, words like 'news' and 'maths' are being pronounced in a more Americanised way by the younger generation.

But what does this mean for the future of the Aussie accent? Will we see more Americanisation in the years to come, or will the classic 'yuh' pronunciation prevail? And what impact will this linguistic shift have on the country's cultural identity?

These are just a few of the intriguing questions that come to mind when exploring the fascinating world of language and accent evolution. So next time you hear someone say 'noos' instead of 'news' or 'math' instead of 'maths', take a moment to consider the rich and ever-changing landscape of Australian speech.

We hope you found this article fascinating, folks! Share your thoughts with us in the comments. We’d love to know what you think about this change.

Then there is territory, I hear lots of people drag out the tory = I never have drives me nuts.

 

[Marj53]

So sad. I wish we could retain our own accent. Don't hear it much anymore.

 

[mylittletibbies]

Of cause the younger generation are opting for the lazy American pronunciation, because they are lazy as well, they don't have to spell, add or subtract it is all done for them on their phones, you see the example at shops when things break down they are LOST, I will add in my head tell them and tell them the change owed. But can't tell them because they think that they are the smartest generation to exist. Why would you want to follow a pack of red necks, just look at what is going on at the moment with that idiot trump(small letters on purpose).

Know exactly what you mean, listening to the news on the radio yesterday I heard some stupid ya kee

 

[Lynjw]

Australia's iconic accent, characterised by its distinct nasal twang and laid-back intonation, is undergoing a subtle transformation.

While the classic 'Aussie' accent still lingers in the outback and among older generations, a new breed of Australian speech is emerging in the cities and younger populations.

With a shift towards a more cosmopolitan and globalised culture, this new accent reflects the changing identity of modern Australia and offers a fascinating glimpse into the country's evolving linguistic landscape.

According to voice expert Amy Hume from the University of Melbourne, the younger generations are shaking up the linguistic norms with their adoption of an Americanised pronunciation for certain words.

View attachment 16855

A subtle change in the Australian accent has been occurring, specifically in younger generations. Credit: Unsplash/Brooke Cagle.

One of the words in question is 'news' - that staple of daily life that keeps us all informed about the world around us. But forget about the classic 'yuh' sound - the young ones are ditching that in favour of a more Americanised 'noo' sound!

Ms Hume reveals that this shift is happening in real-time, as the influence of US media seeps into the Australian soundscape. With TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services all playing their part, it's no wonder that our speech patterns are evolving at lightning speed.

While 'news' is getting a makeover to sound more like 'noos', other words like 'duke', 'tune', and 'Tuesday' are still holding onto their classic Aussie 'yuh' sound. But will they follow in the footsteps of 'news' and change too? Only time will tell!

Ms Hume raises a fascinating question: will the once-distinguishing 'yuh' sound that set us apart from our American counterparts continue to define the Aussie accent? With the ever-increasing influence of US media, it's anyone's guess as to what our linguistic landscape will look like in the years to come.

View attachment 16856

Accents are constantly evolving, and this change reflects the impact of the internet and American media on Australian culture. Credit: Unsplash/Laura Cros.

With this revelation, News.com.au decided to put this linguistic theory to the test and embarked on an expedition to the University of Sydney. Armed with their curiosity and a burning desire to uncover the truth, they asked young students how they pronounced the word 'news'.

The first group they encountered was entirely American, which made it hard to get a fair assessment of the Aussie accent. However, it did serve as a useful reference point for later on. As expected, the participants pronounced the word as 'noos' - a clear indication of the influence of American media.

Later on, the vast majority of the students they encountered, despite being under the age of 20, were still using the distinctive Aussie 'yuh' sound when pronouncing 'news'. It seems like not all hope is lost for the classic Aussie accent, after all!

But then things got interesting! After encountering a group of students who stuck to the classic Aussie 'yuh' sound, the News.com.au team stumbled upon 15-year-old Summer, who had adopted the Americanised 'noos' pronunciation for 'news'.

Later on, they met 18-year-old Gemma, who had also jumped on the Americanised bandwagon. It seems like the influence of the internet and American media is stronger than ever, and the younger generation is adapting to the conditions in their environment.

Hume explained that this isn't surprising at all. Accents are always changing and evolving, influenced by the people and media around us. As we move through different generations, we're likely to hear different words and pronunciations, and even the tunes of our accents can change over time.

View attachment 16857

The influence of US media, including TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services, is likely to be the cause of this accent shift. Credit: Unsplash/Andrea Tummons.

Hume recently revealed that another word that has undergone an Americanised transformation is 'maths'. The younger generation has dropped the 's', and now refers to the subject as 'math'.

Ms Hume also shed light on the fundamental quirks that form the backbone of the Aussie accent and why American actors often struggle with it. It all comes down to the way Aussies pronounce the letter 'R' and how it changes depending on the words they're using.

Unlike rhotic accents like Irish or American, where the letter 'R' is pronounced whenever it appears, the Australian accent is non-rhotic. This means that Aussies generally only pronounce the 'R' in the middle of a word when it's followed by a vowel or vowel sound.

For example, when we say 'over the river', we wouldn't pronounce the 'R' at the end of the words in the same way Americans would. However, we would pronounce the 'R' at the end of 'over' if the sentence became 'over on the river'. It's fascinating how these small nuances make such a big difference in the way people speak!

Key Takeaways

• The Australian accent is undergoing a subtle transformation, with a new breed of speech emerging among younger populations in the cities.
• Young people are adopting Americanised pronunciation of certain words, such as 'news' and 'maths', reflecting the influence of foreign media on the country's changing culture.
• This linguistic shift raises interesting questions about the future of the Aussie accent and its impact on the country's cultural identity.

All in all, it's clear that the Australian accent is evolving in response to the country's changing culture and the influence of American media. As we've seen, words like 'news' and 'maths' are being pronounced in a more Americanised way by the younger generation.

But what does this mean for the future of the Aussie accent? Will we see more Americanisation in the years to come, or will the classic 'yuh' pronunciation prevail? And what impact will this linguistic shift have on the country's cultural identity?

These are just a few of the intriguing questions that come to mind when exploring the fascinating world of language and accent evolution. So next time you hear someone say 'noos' instead of 'news' or 'math' instead of 'maths', take a moment to consider the rich and ever-changing landscape of Australian speech.

We hope you found this article fascinating, folks! Share your thoughts with us in the comments. We’d love to know what you think about this change.

Heaven help us. Pls no Americanising our language. An abomination.

 

[mylittletibbies]

Know exactly what you mean, listening to the news on the radio yesterday I heard some stupid yankee woman carrying on about how trump was innocent and how he had sacrificed his billionaire lifestyle to save their country.
Not quite sure what she thought he had actually sacrificed, and actually how much education she had received, my guess would be1st grade primary,like a lot of his followers,

 

[Ricci]

I think accents and dialects are as important as what we say.
I have been here since 1983 and yet I'm told I still have a broad English accent. However, if I talk to the UK part of the family on the phone I'm told I speak really Aussie.
Both are true and false at the same time. I still have a very pronounced English accent but my language is full of Aussie words and sayings. My Aussie friends are hearing my accent, my English friends are hearing the terms I'm using.

 

[Catherines]

Ricci - I think you are right on the ball here. Keeping your accent but interspersing it with Australianisms. And here I go - Good on ya!

Why should we be expected to change our accents because we’re living in another country, ?; that’s what sets us apart as Australian.

And dragging out the end of a word like territory?; and now Aussies are pronouncing ‘schedule’ as ‘skedule’; in the English language it has always been pronounced as ‘schedule’ (with the letter c being silent). Since when do we have to follow the yanks?? Is their language the ‘be all and end all’ that everyone MUST follow?

 

[Catherines]

Don't get me started.
We have a generation of younger folk who only know how to read and write social media speak.
I had someone send me a message one day and when I asked what the hell was being asked of me, I became the subject of ridicule.
Mind you, the English language is one of the most hokey pokey that you can find. Who ever thought it a good idea to spell right the way it is? It's either a direction or a validation of correctness. It is pronounced rite when the letters gh mean ???? duhhh.
That being said, looking at the young people of my acquaintance who have come through the school system, I do feel the basics are being sadly overlooked. You know ... the 3 R's
It seems that a school excursion to the snow is much more important than learning how to read and write.
I feel that social media and American entertainment have a lot to do with how people are communicating. Until someone comes up with something that makes it more trendy to speak the King's English and to roll our rrrrr's then we will see a new generation of Ozericans in our midst.

My children (all 3 of them now over 45) had a pretty good primary, high and university education. Assignments were written not done on the internet (which now has a lot to answer for). They learned to spell and maths was from 1+1=2 onwards. These days even giving change from $1 seems to need to be done on a calculator!! Come on Education System, teachers and schools - get your act together and ‘teach’ not leave our students to fend for themselves by finding information someone else has uploaded to the internet. Take away those calculators except for some of the more intricate calculations of trigonometry etc.

 

[MHM]

Australia's iconic accent, characterised by its distinct nasal twang and laid-back intonation, is undergoing a subtle transformation.

While the classic 'Aussie' accent still lingers in the outback and among older generations, a new breed of Australian speech is emerging in the cities and younger populations.

With a shift towards a more cosmopolitan and globalised culture, this new accent reflects the changing identity of modern Australia and offers a fascinating glimpse into the country's evolving linguistic landscape.

According to voice expert Amy Hume from the University of Melbourne, the younger generations are shaking up the linguistic norms with their adoption of an Americanised pronunciation for certain words.

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A subtle change in the Australian accent has been occurring, specifically in younger generations. Credit: Unsplash/Brooke Cagle.

One of the words in question is 'news' - that staple of daily life that keeps us all informed about the world around us. But forget about the classic 'yuh' sound - the young ones are ditching that in favour of a more Americanised 'noo' sound!

Ms Hume reveals that this shift is happening in real-time, as the influence of US media seeps into the Australian soundscape. With TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services all playing their part, it's no wonder that our speech patterns are evolving at lightning speed.

While 'news' is getting a makeover to sound more like 'noos', other words like 'duke', 'tune', and 'Tuesday' are still holding onto their classic Aussie 'yuh' sound. But will they follow in the footsteps of 'news' and change too? Only time will tell!

Ms Hume raises a fascinating question: will the once-distinguishing 'yuh' sound that set us apart from our American counterparts continue to define the Aussie accent? With the ever-increasing influence of US media, it's anyone's guess as to what our linguistic landscape will look like in the years to come.

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Accents are constantly evolving, and this change reflects the impact of the internet and American media on Australian culture. Credit: Unsplash/Laura Cros.

With this revelation, News.com.au decided to put this linguistic theory to the test and embarked on an expedition to the University of Sydney. Armed with their curiosity and a burning desire to uncover the truth, they asked young students how they pronounced the word 'news'.

The first group they encountered was entirely American, which made it hard to get a fair assessment of the Aussie accent. However, it did serve as a useful reference point for later on. As expected, the participants pronounced the word as 'noos' - a clear indication of the influence of American media.

Later on, the vast majority of the students they encountered, despite being under the age of 20, were still using the distinctive Aussie 'yuh' sound when pronouncing 'news'. It seems like not all hope is lost for the classic Aussie accent, after all!

But then things got interesting! After encountering a group of students who stuck to the classic Aussie 'yuh' sound, the News.com.au team stumbled upon 15-year-old Summer, who had adopted the Americanised 'noos' pronunciation for 'news'.

Later on, they met 18-year-old Gemma, who had also jumped on the Americanised bandwagon. It seems like the influence of the internet and American media is stronger than ever, and the younger generation is adapting to the conditions in their environment.

Hume explained that this isn't surprising at all. Accents are always changing and evolving, influenced by the people and media around us. As we move through different generations, we're likely to hear different words and pronunciations, and even the tunes of our accents can change over time.

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The influence of US media, including TikTok, YouTube, and streaming services, is likely to be the cause of this accent shift. Credit: Unsplash/Andrea Tummons.

Hume recently revealed that another word that has undergone an Americanised transformation is 'maths'. The younger generation has dropped the 's', and now refers to the subject as 'math'.

Ms Hume also shed light on the fundamental quirks that form the backbone of the Aussie accent and why American actors often struggle with it. It all comes down to the way Aussies pronounce the letter 'R' and how it changes depending on the words they're using.

Unlike rhotic accents like Irish or American, where the letter 'R' is pronounced whenever it appears, the Australian accent is non-rhotic. This means that Aussies generally only pronounce the 'R' in the middle of a word when it's followed by a vowel or vowel sound.

For example, when we say 'over the river', we wouldn't pronounce the 'R' at the end of the words in the same way Americans would. However, we would pronounce the 'R' at the end of 'over' if the sentence became 'over on the river'. It's fascinating how these small nuances make such a big difference in the way people speak!

Key Takeaways

• The Australian accent is undergoing a subtle transformation, with a new breed of speech emerging among younger populations in the cities.
• Young people are adopting Americanised pronunciation of certain words, such as 'news' and 'maths', reflecting the influence of foreign media on the country's changing culture.
• This linguistic shift raises interesting questions about the future of the Aussie accent and its impact on the country's cultural identity.

All in all, it's clear that the Australian accent is evolving in response to the country's changing culture and the influence of American media. As we've seen, words like 'news' and 'maths' are being pronounced in a more Americanised way by the younger generation.

But what does this mean for the future of the Aussie accent? Will we see more Americanisation in the years to come, or will the classic 'yuh' pronunciation prevail? And what impact will this linguistic shift have on the country's cultural identity?

These are just a few of the intriguing questions that come to mind when exploring the fascinating world of language and accent evolution. So next time you hear someone say 'noos' instead of 'news' or 'math' instead of 'maths', take a moment to consider the rich and ever-changing landscape of Australian speech.

We hope you found this article fascinating, folks! Share your thoughts with us in the comments. We’d love to know what you think about this change.

One element of the change is the adoption of young Aussie (particularly) girls of the American female "croak" in pronunciation.

Generally, it is not being helped by SDC "Word of the Day" utilisation of peculiar Merriam Webster words and suggested pronunciation.

 

[Ricci]

I had to laugh when our son first started primary school. He hadn't been there more than a couple of weeks when he came home and told me he wanted to learn English. I explained to him that here in Australia we all spoke English and that he did in fact already speak English. He looked very confused and said that no, he wanted to learn to speak English like I did!! I suddenly realised that he was hearing different accents at school and realised they were different from my Pommy accent!

 

[terri]

I certainly hope that the Australian accent is not lost. It is such a unique way of speaking. There is one thing that drives me nuts though, and this is not accent related but pronunciation.. why is known, grown, blown, often pronounced knowen, growen, blowen etc. It makes me shudder when I hear that.

 

[Catherines]

Me too Terri. And ‘think’ for ‘thing’. Ooooh! Makes me shudder also. I grumble all through the news at the Americanisms and incorrect pronunciations of simple words by Aussies - following them like sheep!

 

[MariaG]

Me too Terri. And ‘think’ for ‘thing’. Ooooh! Makes me shudder also. I grumble all through the news at the Americanisms and incorrect pronunciations of simple words by Aussies - following them like sheep!

How many of you cringe, like I do, when hearing the younger generation include the word "LIKE" in everything they want to discuss, for example ... I saw a , like, a bird the other day. it was, like, flying in the sky, like really high, like really, really like high......
This makes me shudder. Where on earth did this come from?

 

[Catherines]

Yep, ‘like’ is so abused in every sentence. Seems they cannot get through one small sentence without ‘like’ being used after every two to three words. It’s as though we older people cannot understand what they are saying - ‘like’ we’re the ignorant ones that need every second word explained with ‘like’!! So ‘like’ I’m over it now. It shows, in a way, that they are not being taught in school to construct a sentence correctly and talk without this word interspersed throughout, or has this word developed in sentences through the younger ones following Americanisms.