- Paperback: 142 pages
- Publisher: Hodder Arnold; 3rd Revised edition edition (1 Mar 1996)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0340614455
- ISBN-13: 978-0340614457
- Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 13.8 x 1.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 652,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
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Product Description
Review
'This book really is a star. Written by people who really know how difficult it can be to pinpoint accents and dialects, this book provides maps and diagrams showing their locations, and differing phonological features of areas. The terminology is easily understood, so much so that it was a pleasure to read.' A reader from Essex (amazon.co.uk)
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
'This book really is a star. Written by people who really know how difficult it can be to pinpoint accents and dialects, this book provides maps and diagrams showing their locations, and differing phonological features of areas. The terminology is easily understood, so much so that it was a pleasure to read.' A reader from Essex (amazon.co.uk)
--This text refers to an alternate
Paperback
edition.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
When foreign learners of English first come to the British Isles, they are usually surprised (and dismayed) to discover how little they understand of the English they hear. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
When foreign learners of English first come to the British Isles, they are usually surprised (and dismayed) to discover how little they understand of the English they hear. Read the first page
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Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is the first product that I have ever reviewed on Amazon, but I really wanted to take the time to do it as I have found this book and CD to be so invaluable. I am constantly picking it up for a quick reference, even after having owned a copy for years.
Obviously the way that actors learn accents varies from person to person, but for me this is just right. I love to know the "rules" of an accent, so study the phonetics of any accent very thoroughly - in this book there is a detailed description of the phonetic differences for each accent compared to standard RP (which is also explained in great detail at the start of the book). There really is a LOT of detail given, including explanations as to why any particular difference exists and pointing out any anomalies in the speaker's accent compared to others in that region.
Each accent has a word list and a transcribed passage recorded by a native speaker. However, just to make you aware, some of the recordings aren't of perfect studio quality (it sounds like some may have been recorded in the speakers' living rooms) but they are more than clear enough to hear accurately.
From what I can remember on the CD (I use the book for reference more than the CD nowadays), the word list and passage for each accent are spoken by opposite genders, again helping to pinpoint any differences there.
Yes, there are some major regional accents missing from the book, but they had to draw the line somewhere I guess. This book really is amazing value for money and I wouldn't be without it. Now if only I could find a similarly concise and detailed book for American accents!
Obviously the way that actors learn accents varies from person to person, but for me this is just right. I love to know the "rules" of an accent, so study the phonetics of any accent very thoroughly - in this book there is a detailed description of the phonetic differences for each accent compared to standard RP (which is also explained in great detail at the start of the book). There really is a LOT of detail given, including explanations as to why any particular difference exists and pointing out any anomalies in the speaker's accent compared to others in that region.
Each accent has a word list and a transcribed passage recorded by a native speaker. However, just to make you aware, some of the recordings aren't of perfect studio quality (it sounds like some may have been recorded in the speakers' living rooms) but they are more than clear enough to hear accurately.
From what I can remember on the CD (I use the book for reference more than the CD nowadays), the word list and passage for each accent are spoken by opposite genders, again helping to pinpoint any differences there.
Yes, there are some major regional accents missing from the book, but they had to draw the line somewhere I guess. This book really is amazing value for money and I wouldn't be without it. Now if only I could find a similarly concise and detailed book for American accents!
18 of 21 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book describes regional variation in accents and dialects in Britain. It provides a brief description to ways of describing sounds, and then describes the language of several regions. I think it is essential to purchase the cassette that goes with the book - and what a pity that it is a cassette, rather than a CD. I think the book would be slightly heavy going unless you're quite familiar with the IPA notation. Also, I would have liked to have seen more accents covered - or at least more discussion of variation of accents within the region described. And no Hampshire! No highland Scots! No Manchester versus Leeds!
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
At under 200 pages this is a concise yet robust introduction to the phonetic construction of English dialects in the UK. The CD is excellent and this will act as a solid underpinning to anyone studying dialectology. I almost graded the book at 4/5 stars but did not proceed for two reasons.
1/ The somewhat broad brush definition of the West Midlands accent. Trudgill makes absolutely no mention of the phonetic divergence between say Walsall and Coventry-significant to anyone living within 30 miles of the area. Coventry's dialect in particular is much closer to Leicester's which is dealt with in great detail. I just feel dialectologist's can use the get out clause that 'we're all on a cline or continuum of accents' and then proceed to ignore quite startling contrasts with lumpen generalities. Apologies Prof.Trudgill, I am just a lowly MA student I acknolwedge but there are some big differences in the central/west midlands.
2/The second point was the technical register of the text. This was somewhat mechanical and in the mode of a scientific project report. It would have benefited I feel from a less mechanical analysis and some informal/lighter descriptive touches. Those criticisms aside, it is a first class technical primer in English dialects-well worth a look.
1/ The somewhat broad brush definition of the West Midlands accent. Trudgill makes absolutely no mention of the phonetic divergence between say Walsall and Coventry-significant to anyone living within 30 miles of the area. Coventry's dialect in particular is much closer to Leicester's which is dealt with in great detail. I just feel dialectologist's can use the get out clause that 'we're all on a cline or continuum of accents' and then proceed to ignore quite startling contrasts with lumpen generalities. Apologies Prof.Trudgill, I am just a lowly MA student I acknolwedge but there are some big differences in the central/west midlands.
2/The second point was the technical register of the text. This was somewhat mechanical and in the mode of a scientific project report. It would have benefited I feel from a less mechanical analysis and some informal/lighter descriptive touches. Those criticisms aside, it is a first class technical primer in English dialects-well worth a look.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A staple read for an English language/linguistics student.
If you are interested in the study of variation within GB then this book will bode well. It is often a core text for university students and forms a very strong basis for further... Read more
Published 9 months ago by Zara
English Accents and Dialects: An Introduction to Social and Regional...
Fascinating stuff! Very informative and detailed. I wish I had time to sit down and read it all!
Published 10 months ago by Gill P
awful sound recording!
The book is certainly useful and interesting. My intention was to have used it during ESL training sessions here in Germany. Read more
Published 19 months ago by mongolia
NOT RECEIVED
I cannot share any opinion because I haven't received the book yet and I ordered it more than one month ago!!!
Published on 3 Nov 2009 by E. Diaz Prada
Really Helpful.
I am a teacher and this book was extremly helpful in my english lesson. The children had a good laugh at what some of the dialects were. All in all a very helpful book.
Published on 3 Feb 2005
Down to earth and to the point.
This book really is a star. Written by people who really know how difficult it can be to pinpoint accents and dialects, this book provides maps and diagrams showing their... Read more
Published on 23 Jan 2002
A linguists perfect Christmas present!
Trudgill in a clear and interesting way guides us through the main dialects of the British Isles. The most up to date work on the subject, he covers modern urban speech as well as... Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2000 by Wang, Chao-Hong
Essential to Understand the Book
The tape is essential to understanding the book. As the book happens to be the most up to date reference for modern British dialects, buying one without the other is rather like... Read more
Published on 7 Sep 2000 by Wang, Chao-Hong
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