


English model build on Kretzschmar’s CDP/ RDP approach, influenced both by the specific lexicographical demands and remit of the OED, and the nature of the natural language evidence that editors can now access, particularly in relation to many of the exceptionally low-frequency or more specialist terms. Subtle developments to the evolving OED U.S. Salience in this respect is subjective and variable, resulting in ‘a linguistic continuum for American English in which no region or social group has pride of place’ (though a key exception is noted regarding Southern American English). ‘ can best be characterized as what is left over after speakers suppress the regional and social features that have risen to salience and become noticeable’ (Kretzschmar 2008, p.43). accents and what is included or excluded in relation to each, but several key features are detailed below. It is beyond our scope to explore the full range of regional U.S. However, he considers the trend among ‘younger educated speakers’ towards the suppression of strongly region-marked features in more formal contexts, and this is the focus of the U.S. Kretzschmar views ‘General American’ as an erroneous term, with educationally-determined standards of pronunciation varying considerably between different regions of the USA. English does not exist in quite the same way as ‘Received Pronunciation’ does for British English. As with most OED pronunciation models, consideration is also given to the Varieties of English descriptions of relevant phonologies, in this case primarily the description of Standard American English (Kretzschmar 2008), which sets the context of colonial settlement, expansion and urbanization spreading west, and the effect of demographic shifts in the 20 th century.Ī generally agreed standard for spoken U.S. pronunciations in the pronouncing dictionaries of Wells (2008) and Jones et al. English, along with American sources such as Merriam-Webster, and the U.S. CDP and its descendant, the Routledge Dictionary of Pronunciation for Current English (Upton & Kretzschmar 2017, hereafter RDP) continue to be key sources for U.S. English pronunciations are those of Professor William Kretzschmar, co-editor of The Oxford Dictionary of Pronunciation for Current English (Upton, Kretzschmar & Konopka 2001, hereafter CDP), who was also directly consulted on many OED entries. The principles underpinning the OED‘s U.S.

English here, or return to the main pronunciation page. Home How to use the OED Pronunciations Pronunciation model: U.S.
