Speak With an Australian Accent

While the "crocodile-hunter" accent is commonly associated with Australia, the every-day accent provides less of a dramatic emphasis when pronouncing words. Like any other country, there are a variety of accents and differences across Australia, but a few simple tricks can help you master a gentle, general Aussie accent to start with.

Steps

Pronouncing Words in Australian

1. Listen carefully to native speakers and their accents. The most commonly mimicked Aussie accent is a rough, messy, casual and animated style. The accent itself requires using your tongue, cheeks and lips to almost “chew” the words as you say them. The best way to learn this is to hear it from a real Australian. As you listen, note a few things about how they speak:
   • What sounds are representative of the accent as a whole? What similarities do you see between words? Pay attention to vowel sounds, as these are the basis of a good accent.
   • Most Australians do not sound like the Crocodile Hunter. Their accents are smoother and more mellow.
   • Australian developed from colonists in the south of England. As such, it is closely related to the modern Cockney accent, but with a bit of twang.
2. Keep your intonation steady, quick, and soft. Picture a long, constant stream of words coming out -- much like the entire sentence is one whole word. To do this, try not to move your tongue so much. One vocal coach suggests you imagine your tongue laying over an exercise ball. You don't make percussive, rhythmic sounds. Rather, the whole sentence just flows out calmly and coolly.
3. Adjust your pronunciation of "i" to sound more like the i in "oil." This is one of the more important shifts you'll make. Instead of the I sound ("eye") in "like," "might" or "try," you want something more like an "oi" sound, though not quite so pronounced. To make it, focus on rounding your lips as you say the I sound in "write" "live" or "spite."
   • You don't want to fully commit to the "oi" sound, so that you say "wr-oite" or "l-oi-ke." You just want a subtle, rising tone on your I sound. However, starting with the exaggerated "oi" can help you while you learn.
4. Turn your hard A sound into an "aye" The hard A in "way" or "mate" almost sounds like an "eye" sound. It is somewhat of a compound sound, like you start with an A and then slide your voice into an I sound. While this takes some practice, you may notice that you lips move outward a bit when you get it right, flatting the O-shape your mouth makes for an A.
   • Way → w-aye
   • Date → d-aye-t.
5. Soften a soft A into an "eh" sound. This part of the accent is regional, as there is no one exact Aussie accent. Simply put, it softens the a sound in words like "hat," "that," "cat," etc. to sound more like an "eh."
   • Hat → H-eht.
   • That → Th-eht.
   • Cat → C-eht.
6. Curb the T from the end of words. Aussies replace the hard T sound with a short, almost gutteral noise instead of a full "tuh" sound. If you're having trouble finding it, say the words "uh-oh." The noise is the small, sharp stop you make between the two sounds, like you voice was just cut short. When you say the word, "right," you want to sound more like "r-eye." Practicing "trimming" the T sound to perfect your accent.
   • You'll notice for an American T that your tongue pushes off the rough of your mouth. For the Aussie accent, try and make a similar sound without touching your tongue to the rough of your mouth.
   • This is called a glottal stop, and is used in several languages and accents.
7. Drop the R sound from the end of words and replace it with an "ah." For example, instead of "forever," you would say "forev-ah." Instead of "car," you'd say "cah." This is somewhat similar to the Boston accent, however it is softer and less pronounced. Your voice drops a little bit, almost sounding like an "uh" at the end of the word.
   • River → Riv-ah
   • Care → Kehr. Here, the R sound is subtle because the word ends in an E. Think of cutting your word off right after you start the R sound.
8. Cut off the G from any "-ing" ending word. Oftentimes the Australian accent cuts words short. Words ending in a G are cut off, so that "catching” sounds like “cat-chn." In many ways, this makes Australian similar to an informal American English, a comparison that will serve you well as you practice.
   • Running → Runnin'
   • Eating → Eatin'
   • Ring → Rin'
9. Raise your voice towards the ends of words. Sometimes called the "Australian Question Inflection," this little trick is common in everyday Australian speech. Simply raise your voice towards the end of a sentence, exactly like you were asking a question. Think of getting a little louder, and a little higher pitched, with the last syllable. If you're stuck, ask some questions in your normal voice, noting how you change pitch at the end, and try again.
10. Adjust your "a" sounds to "ah". Australians have some of the most relaxed accents in the world, so instead of can't, say kah-nt, and instead of aunt, say ah-nt.
11. Develop a soft, playful, and twangy tone of voice. Start by re-reading this entire article out-loud with the accent. Aussie accents have personality, so add a playful and happy tone when speaking. Many people put on a little "twang," adopting some of the speech patterns of a southern accent or a cowboy, to distinguish the Aussie accent from a British one. Just like in any other country, there are multiple accents and ways of speaking, so listening to Australian speakers, shows, and songs is the best way to keep practicing.

Learning the Slang

1. Use Australian television, movies, and music to pick up slang quickly. Slang is constantly evolving, and it is tough to find a definitive source of knowledge to determine what words are "in" and what are "out." Short of going to Australia, you best bet to pick up slang is to watch Australian media. That said, there are some words that have been around long enough, and are popular enough, that you could reasonably use them in front of an Australian and avoid weird stares.
   • Esky → Cooler or icebox.
   • Uni → University.
   • Arvo → Afternoon.
   • Thongs → Flip-flops.
   • Bogan → Redneck, uncultured person. Use with care-- it may be offensive.
   • Root → Sex. Remember this when "rooting for the other team" at a sporting event.
   • Chunder → Throw up or get sick.
   • Stoked → Excited.
   • Tucker → Food.
2. Test out simple filler words in Australian. American slang is filled with simple filler words and phrase like "gosh," "guys," "say what?" etc. Australian is no different. Some things to try out include:
   • Ending phrases with the word "mate." Mate can be used anytime you would normally say "guys," "man (as in, "come on, mate!"), or similarly simple slang terms for a person.
   • Using "Reckon" when you're thinking of something. "I reckon that's not a bad idea, mate."
   • Throwing in the phrase "she'll be 'right," to ease concerns. "I hope I didn't burn dinner... Ah, she'll be right, mate."
3. Use "as" at the end of sentences to provide emphasis. This is perhaps best learned through an example, such as "This Wikihow article is great as." Unlike in English, where you would complete the comparison ("great as good cake"), Aussies leave the rest up to imagination. You can use this with any adjective.
   • "That movie was sweet as, mate!" Sweet as, in particular, is a common expression similar to a young American's "That was totally sweet!"
   • "That guy is lazy as, mate."
4. Shorten the word and add an "-ie" when in doubt. There are a lot of Australian slang words that are simply shortened and made to rhyme with "see." This is where the phrase "barbie" (for barbeque) comes from. Some other options include:
   • Present → Pressie
   • Breakfast → Brekkie
   • Mosquito → Mozzie
   • Sunglasses → Sunnies.

Tips

• Watching and speaking to Australians 24/7 will help. Make sure to pay attention to every detail.
• When using an Australian CD or movie to learn the accent, don't just pause it and say the word or phrase. Try to say it along with the speaker.
• While there isn't anywhere near as much geographical variation in the Australian accent as there is in say, a British or American accent, urban and rural accents still sound noticeably different. There is also substantial variation based on socio-economic class.
• Watching Australian shows helps you learn by paying close attention to how they speak.
• When speaking with an Australian accent, make sure to emphasize the sounds at the back of your throat - thus making it sound 'nasally'. Australians typically use a lot of jaw movements when speaking as well.

Warnings

• Remember that there's more to an Australian accent than just saying, "mate" all the time. Learning anything is work. And if you're good, and can put in some slang, it is not always necessary to say "mate", as it will become obviously over-used. Especially if you're trying to be convincing.
• Australians will respect you if you can do a convincing Aussie accent, but will ridicule you if you do a poor one.
• Australian accents are notoriously hard for non-Australians to pick up. An Australian will instantly spot a "fake" accent, and will likely laugh at you.

Things You'll Need

• Australian Movies or TV shows (or movies/TV shows featuring Australian people)
• Internet Connection
• Native Australian Mates
• An Australian Pen-pal (optional)

Related Articles

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• Speak in "Vowel Tongue"
• Speak With a Convincing New Jersey Accent

Sources and Citations

See also

• Get a Job in Australia
• Backpack in Australia
• Buy Property in Australia
• Get a Tourist Visa for Australia

What links here

• Speak English
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