TERRITORIAL VARIETIES OF ENGLISH PRONUNCIATION

Abstract

The study of territorial varieties of English pronunciation explores the diverse ways in which English is pronounced across different regions, reflecting both historical developments and sociocultural influences. These regional variations encompass differences in vowel sounds, consonant articulation, stress patterns, and intonation. The article examines key features of various regional accents, such as Received Pronunciation (RP), General American (GA), and various British and American regional dialects. It highlights how factors such as geography, social class, and historical language contact have shaped the pronunciation of English over time. The study also considers the implications of these variations for language teaching, linguistic identity, and mutual intelligibility. Understanding territorial pronunciation varieties is essential for comprehending the rich diversity of English as a global language.