LL-L "Language varieties" 2003.06.01 (07) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 01.JUN.2003 (07) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Gary Taylor <gary_taylor_98 at yahoo.com>
Subject: Language Varieties

Hi all

Criostóir asked about the origins of Australian
English - I said in my very brief - and by no means
complete summary - that Australian English is
non-rhotic - ie doesn't have post-vocalic r. I've
always had the impression that Australian is not
dissimilar to London English. A lot of the vowels have
similar tendencies, as in the slight diphthongisation
of long i and u. However it has developed further in
different ways, as in the raising of the front short
vowels, a and e - much higher than in London, although
London itself tends to have higher front vowels than
the rest of the country. London too has developed in
interesting ways, obviously since its influence in
Australia. There isn't for example t-glottaling in
Australia, which is now one of the main markers for
London English. The influence of other Englishes might
explain why for example h isn't dropped - but I can't
confirm this.

Also Luc asked about the influence of the other
Lowland dialects on Middle English. A number of words
were adopted from the Lowland languages during this
time, true, but if compared to the influence from
French (the Normans) and Danish, the latter especially
in the North, there's really not that many. I think
the similarities between Middle English and the
Lowlands languages is more a case of the further you
go back in time the closer the Lowland (and other
Germanic) languages become, having all originally come
from the same source. If you can read one of Old
English, Old Saxon, Old Frisian and Old Low
Franconian, then the others aren't that difficult to
understand - a lot simpler than going between their
modern derivatives. That said, there might have been
other influences by the other Lowland languages on
Southern English in terms of pronunciation, idiom etc.
which I don't know about, possibly might explain why
there were so many 'e's in Kentish, whereas other
dialects had æ and y etc.

Gary

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