British Received Pronunciation Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is British Received Pronunciation?

British Received Pronunciation (RP) is the prestige accent of Standard English in England. It is also sometimes known as the Queen’s or King’s English, Oxford English or BBC English. RP is a regional accent; it varies depending on where in England you are from and to whom you are speaking.RP originated in the south-east of England and has been used by the upper classes for centuries. It is an educated accent, so it’s often associated with sophistication and intelligence. RP has been used as a standard form of pronunciation by broadcasters, actors, academics and writers for many years and it still influences what we consider to be ˜correct’ forms of speech today. The main features of RP include: * Non-regional vowel sounds that are pronounced clearly and carefully * Use of both short (cat) and long (car) vowels * A tendency towards linking words together when speaking * Use of stress on certain syllables when pronouncing words * Use of aspirated consonants that make a ˜h’ sound before some consonants (e.g., hound) In addition to these features, people who speak RP tend to use more polite language than those who don’t speak this way. For example, they might use more formal verb forms such as ‘might’ rather than ‘mights’. They also tend to avoid slang or colloquial phrases like ‘ain’t’ or ‘gonna’. Although RP isn’t spoken by everyone in England today, it remains an important part of British culture with many people aspiring to use this type of pronunciation when speaking publicly or professionally.