A Guide to English Accents Around the World

Countries can have extremely different English accents despite sharing the same language. Just take the word ‘water’. Americans, Brits and Australians all have a unique way of pronouncing it.

Our blog explores all the different English accents around the world and their main features. That way you’ll have an easier time placing people when you talk to them for the first time.

Which countries speak English around the world?

As English is so widespread, it’s impossible to cover all the countries in one blog. But here’s a list of the places that include it as an official language:

Understanding English accents can be challenging, as people might say words in unexpected ways. To familiarise yourself, let’s explore some of the different dialects and their features.

The British accent 🇬🇧

Although we talk about the ‘British accent’, there isn’t just one. You can find Scottish, Welsh and English dialects. There are even differences between cities as close as Sheffield, Manchester and Liverpool.

We can’t be sure, we think there are probably around 40 British dialects and accents in total.

The accent you often hear on television is called ‘received pronunciation’ or just RP. Lots of British people think it’s a bit posh. You might know this accent from celebrities like Emma Watson, Hugh Grant and Rowan Atkinson.

However, many British accents have the following features in common:

If you want to hear some examples of British accents and practise your listening skills, watch Teacher Tom’s video:

The Irish accent 🇮🇪

 
Ireland and Great Britain may be close but their accents couldn’t sound more different. The Irish accent is very melodic with a lot of rises and falls. No wonder they have some of the most popular songs out there.

Some famous people with Irish accents are Saoirse Ronan and Cillian Murphy. You probably also know Liam Neeson and Jamie Dornan, but they’re from Northern Ireland so they sound a little different.

What are some telltale signs of an Irish accent?
 

The US accent 🇺🇸

The US is enormous so it should come as no surprise that pronunciation varies between places. Not sure what we mean? Just think about the difference between Matthew McConaughey’s Texan accent and Robert DeNiro’s New York one.

No matter where you go, the US accent often has these features:

There are many influencers like Gabby Wallace you can listen to if you want to sound more American:

The Canadian accent 🇨🇦

The Canadian accent often gets mixed up with the US one as they sound similar. However, there are a few giveaways that tell you when someone’s from Canada:

The Australian accent 🇦🇺

Despite the country’s size, there are far fewer Australians than Brits or Americans. You’re less likely to hear this accent when you’re out and about.

However, you probably know of some famous Australians. Chris Hemsworth and Margot Robbie were both born there and use their native accent when they’re not shooting films.

Want to know if you’re talking to an Aussie? Here are some common features of the accent:

If you’re considering a move to Australia and want to chat with locals, there are plenty of teachers out there. Pete Smissen is one good example:

The New Zealand accent 🇳🇿

Non-native speakers often have difficulty grasping the Kiwi accent. New Zealand has very distinctive and unusual vowel patterns that sound totally different from North American, British and Australian pronunciations.

Fans of the TV show ‘Flight of the Conchords’ will be familiar with the Kiwi accent. Actors Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi are also from New Zealand and frequently use their native dialect in shows and films.

Here are some signs you’re talking to a native Kiwi:

Watch a clip from Flight of the Conchords. Can you hear that the word ‘message’ becomes ‘missage’ and the name ‘Bret’ becomes ‘Brit’?

The South African accent 🇿🇦

To the untrained ear, the South African accent may sound close to the Australian and Kiwi ones. However, it has many unique traits that set it apart.

Charlize Theron and Elon Musk are both from South Africa but don’t have strong accents as they’ve spent so much time in North America. The presenter Trevor Noah speaks in a more typical modern dialect.

Conclusion

The best way to familiarise yourself with different English accents is to spend time with people from different countries. Soon, you’ll see patterns and find it easier to understand various words and phrases.

Getting English lessons is a great place to start. During the class, your teacher can introduce you to all the accents and explain the differences.

See how Oxford House could help improve your pronunciation by booking a class.

Glossary for Language Learners

Find the following words in the article and then write down any new ones you didn’t know.

Place (v): to know where something is from.

Posh (adj): elegant or high-class.

Glottal stop (n): a sound made by stopping and breathing out suddenly.

Melodic (adj): song-like.

Telltale sign (phr): strong evidence that something is true.

Nasal (adj): a sound made through the nose.

Diphthong (n): when you have two vowel sounds in one syllable.

Giveaway (n): something that reveals the truth.

Pitch (n): the tone of something, especially in music.

Untrained eye/ear (id): not having the skill or experience to spot details.

Key

v = verb

adj = adjective

n = noun

phr = phrase

id = idiom