South African English
Germanic
South African English (~5M native, ~30M total speakers) is a non-rhotic variety and one of South Africa's 11 official languages. It is marked by the KIT split (central [ɪ] vs front [i]), raised TRAP and DRESS vowels, and very monophthongal long vowels, alongside loanwords from Afrikaans and Bantu languages.
Where it is spoken
87 core words in South African English
Sources
- Bowerman, Sean 2004, "White South African English: phonology", in Kortmann & Schneider (eds.), A Handbook of Varieties of English vol. 1, Mouton de Gruyter, 931–951; Lass, Roger 2002, "South African English", in Mesthrie (ed.), Language in South Africa, CUP (both via en.wikipedia "South African English phonology"); en.wiktionary accent label ZA
Words compared
Compared with languages in the same classification: Germanic
| Meaning | South African English | Estuary English | English | Australian English | West Country English | Brummie | Welsh English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːʔə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwoːɾə/ | water /ˈwɔːtɚ/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ | water /ˈwɔːtə/ |
| Fire | fire /fɑɪə/ | fire /fɑɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ | fire /fɑːə/ | fire /faɪɚ/ | fire /fɔɪə/ | fire /faɪə/ |
| Sun | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sɐn/ | sun /sʌn/ | sun /sʊn/ | sun /sʌn/ |
| Moon | moon /mʉːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ | moon /muːn/ |
| Star | star /stɑː/ | star /stɑː/ | star /stɑːɹ/ | star /stɐː/ | star /stɑːɹ/ | star /staː/ | star /staː/ |
| Night | night /nɑɪt/ | night /nɑɪt/ | night /naɪt/ | night /nɑet/ | night /naɪt/ | night /nɑɪt/ | night /naɪt/ |
| Rain | rain /ɹeːn/ | rain /ɹɛɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹæɪn/ | rain /ɹeɪn/ | rain /ɹʌɪn/ | rain /ɾeɪn/ |
| Snow | snow /snəʊ/ | snow /snəʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ | snow /snɐʉ/ | snow /snəʊ/ | snow /snəʊ/ | snow /snoʊ/ |
| Wind | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ | wind /wɪnd/ |
| Earth | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɝθ/ | earth /ɜːθ/ | earth /ɜːθ/ |
| Stone | stone /stəʊn/ | stone /stəʊn/ | stone /stoʊn/ | stone /stoːn/ | stone /stəʊn/ | stone /stɐʊn/ | stone /stoːn/ |
| Mountain | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmæʊnʔən/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmæɔntən/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntən/ | mountain /ˈmæʊntɪn/ | mountain /ˈmaʊntɪn/ |
| Sea | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ | sea /siː/ |
| Mother | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ | mother /ˈmɐðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðɚ/ | mother /ˈmʊðə/ | mother /ˈmʌðə/ |
| Father | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ | father /ˈfɐːðə/ | father /ˈvɑːðɚ/ | father /ˈfaːðə/ | father /ˈfɑːðə/ |
| Daughter | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːʔə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdoːɾə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtɚ/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ | daughter /ˈdɔːtə/ |
| I | I /ɑɪ/ | I /ɑɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /ɑɪ/ | I /aɪ/ | I /ɔɪ/ | I /aɪ/ |
| You | you /jʉː/ | you /juː/ | you /juː/ | you /jʉː/ | you /juː/ | you /jʊ/ | you /juː/ |
| We | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ | we /wiː/ |
| Name | name /neːm/ | name /næɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /næɪm/ | name /neɪm/ | name /nʌɪm/ | name /neːm/ |
| Person | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɝsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ | person /ˈpɜːsən/ |
| Head | head /hed/ | head /hed/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hed/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ | head /hɛd/ |
| Eye | eye /ɑɪ/ | eye /ɑɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /ɑːe/ | eye /aɪ/ | eye /ɔɪ/ | eye /aɪ/ |
| Ear | ear /ɪə/ | ear /ɪə/ | ear /ɪɚ/ | ear /ɪə/ | ear /ɪɚ/ | ear /ɪə/ | ear /iːə/ |
| Nose | nose /nəʊz/ | nose /nəʊz/ | nose /noʊz/ | nose /nəʉz/ | nose /nəʊz/ | nose /nəʊz/ | nose /noʊz/ |
| Mouth | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /mæʊθ/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /mæːʉθ/ | mouth /maʊθ/ | mouth /mæʊθ/ | mouth /maʊθ/ |
| Tooth | tooth /tʉːθ/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tʉːθ/ | tooth /tuːθ/ | tooth /tʊθ/ | tooth /tuːθ/ |
| Tongue | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /taŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ | tongue /tʊŋ/ | tongue /tʌŋ/ |
| Hand | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hænd/ | hand /hæːnd/ | hand /hand/ | hand /hand/ | hand /hand/ |
| Foot | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊʔ/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ | foot /fʊt/ |
| Heart | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /hɑːʔ/ | heart /hɑːt/ | heart /hɐːt/ | heart /hɑːɹt/ | heart /haːt/ | heart /haːt/ |
| Bone | bone /bəʊn/ | bone /bəʊn/ | bone /boʊn/ | bone /bəʉn/ | bone /bəʊn/ | bone /bɐʊn/ | bone /boːn/ |
| Blood | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blad/ | blood /blʌd/ | blood /blʊd/ | blood /blʌd/ |
| Poop | poo /pʉː/ | poo /puː/ | poop /puːp/ | poo /pʉː/ | poo /puː/ | poo /puː/ | poo /puː/ |
| Love | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lɐv/ | love /lʌv/ | love /lʊv/ | love /lʌv/ |
| Tree | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ | tree /tɹiː/ |
| Dog | dog /dɒɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ | dog /dɔɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ | dog /dɒɡ/ |
| Cat | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæʔ/ | cat /kæt/ | cat /kæːt/ | cat /kat/ | cat /kat/ | cat /kʰat/ |
| Fish | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ | fish /fɪʃ/ |
| Bird | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːɹd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ | bird /bɜːd/ |
| Butterfly | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflɑɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌʔəflɑɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbɐɾəflɑɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtɚflaɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʊtəflɑɪ/ | butterfly /ˈbʌtəflaɪ/ |
| Egg | egg /eɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /eɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ | egg /ɛɡ/ |
| Bear | bear /beː/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛɹ/ | bear /bɛə/ | bear /bɛː/ |
| Horse | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hoːs/ | horse /hɔːɹs/ | horse /hɔːs/ | horse /hɔːs/ |
| House | house /haʊs/ | house /hæʊs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /hæːʉs/ | house /haʊs/ | house /hæʊs/ | house /haʊs/ |
| Milk | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪwk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ | milk /mɪlk/ |
| Honey | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhani/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ | honey /ˈhʊni/ | honey /ˈhʌni/ |
| Salt | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /soːlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ | salt /sɔːlt/ |
| Wine | wine /wɑɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /wɑɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ | wine /waɪn/ |
| Rice | rice /ɹɑɪs/ | rice /ɹɑɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹɑɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ | rice /ɹɑɪs/ | rice /ɹaɪs/ |
| Chocolate | chocolate /ˈtʃɒklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɒkləʔ/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɒklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɔklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɒklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɒklət/ | chocolate /ˈtʃɒklət/ |
| Iron | iron /ˈɑɪən/ | iron /ˈɑɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ | iron /ˈɑːən/ | iron /ˈaɪɚn/ | iron /ˈɔɪən/ | iron /ˈaɪən/ |
| Wheel | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ | wheel /wiːl/ |
| Silk | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪwk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ | silk /sɪlk/ |
| Book | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ | book /bʊk/ |
| Eat | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːʔ/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ | eat /iːt/ |
| Drink | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ | drink /dɹɪŋk/ |
| Sleep | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ | sleep /sliːp/ |
| One | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wɐn/ | one /wʌn/ | one /wʊn/ | one /wʌn/ |
| Two | two /tʉː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tʉː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ | two /tuː/ |
| Three | three /θɹiː/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /θɹiː/ | three /θɹiː/ |
| Four | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔːɹ/ | four /foː/ | four /fɔːɹ/ | four /fɔː/ | four /fɔː/ |
| Five | five /fɑɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /fɑɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ | five /faɪv/ |
| Hundred | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhandɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʊndɹəd/ | hundred /ˈhʌndɾəd/ |
| Hello | hello /həˈləʊ/ | hello /həˈlʌʊ/ | hello /həˈləʊ/ | g'day /ɡəˈdæɪ/ | hello /hɛˈloʊ/ | hello /həˈlʌʊ/ | hello /həˈləʊ/ |
| Thank you | thanks /θæŋks/ | thanks /θæŋks/ | thank you /θæŋk juː/ | thanks /θæːŋks/ | thanks /θaŋks/ | ta /taː/ | thanks /θaŋks/ |
| Good | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ | good /ɡʊd/ |
| New | new /njʉː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njʉː/ | new /njuː/ | new /njuː/ | new /nɪʊ/ |
| Red | red /ɹed/ | red /ɹed/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹed/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɹɛd/ | red /ɾɛd/ |
| White | white /wɑɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /wɑɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ | white /waɪt/ |
| Black | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæk/ | black /blæːk/ | black /blak/ | black /blak/ | black /blak/ |
| Green | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɹiːn/ | green /ɡɾiːn/ |
| Blue | blue /blʉː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /blʉː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /bluː/ | blue /blɪʊ/ |
| Cuckoo | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ | cuckoo /ˈkʊkuː/ |
| Woof | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ | woof /wʊf/ |
| Cock-a-doodle-doo | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɔkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ | cock-a-doodle-doo /ˌkɒkəduːdlˈduː/ |
| Computer | computer /kəmˈpjʉːtə/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kəmˈpjʉːtə/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtɚ/ | computer /kəmˈpjuːtə/ | computer /kəmˈpɪʊtə/ |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi /ˈwɑɪfɑɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwɑɪfɑɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ | Wi-Fi /ˈwaɪfaɪ/ |
| Sushi | sushi /ˈsʉʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsʉːʃiː/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ | sushi /ˈsuːʃi/ |
| Tea | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ | tea /tiː/ |
| Coffee | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ | coffee /ˈkɔfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ | coffee /ˈkɒfi/ |
| Sugar | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡɚ/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ | sugar /ˈʃʊɡə/ |
| Orange | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɔɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɹɪndʒ/ | orange /ˈɒɾɪndʒ/ |
| Ninety-nine | ninety-nine /ˈnɑɪnti ˈnɑɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ | ninety-nine /ˈnaɪnti ˈnaɪn/ |
| Dopamine | dopamine /ˈdəʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdəʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdəʉpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdoʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdəʊpəmiːn/ | dopamine /ˈdəʊpəmiːn/ |
| At sign | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /æt/ | at /at/ | at /at/ | at /at/ |
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