Leslie Massey
The New Zealand and Australian accents are often considered similar, but mistaking one for the other can be a faux pas. While the untrained ear might struggle to tell the difference, there are distinct differences in pronunciation and vocabulary. Both accents are non-rhotic, meaning they drop the 'r' sound in words ending in 'r', but New Zealanders tend to make more prominent 'u' sounds, while Australians emphasise 'ee' sounds. For example, a New Zealander might say 'fush and chups', while an Australian would say 'feesh and cheeps'.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Similarity | The Australian and New Zealand accents are similar, but not the same. |
| Vowels | Australians pronounce vowels with emphasis on the "ee" sound, while New Zealanders make more prominent "u" sounds. |
| Rhoticity | Both accents are non-rhotic, meaning they drop the "r" sound in words ending in "r". |
| Vocabulary | Australians and New Zealanders use colloquialisms and slang in everyday speech. |
| Examples | Australians say "feesh and cheeps", while New Zealanders say "fush and chups" or "f’sh and ch’ps". Australians say "Sidney", while New Zealanders say "Sudney". |
| Perceived Similarity | Some people, particularly Americans and Brits, may find it hard to distinguish between the two accents. |
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What You'll Learn
Australians pronounce vowels with emphasis on the 'ee' sound
Australians and New Zealanders take pride in their distinct accents. While the Australian and New Zealand accents are similar, mistaking one for the other can be a big no-no. Research has shown that there is a distinct contrast in the pronunciation of vowels. Australians tend to pronounce their vowels with more emphasis on the "ee" sound, while New Zealanders make more prominent "u" sounds.
A clear example of this can be found in how most Kiwis pronounce "fish and chips." They’re likely to say something closer to "fush and chups" or "f’sh and ch’ps", whereas most Aussies would say something closer to "feesh and cheeps". The same goes for Aussies pronouncing "Sydney" like "Sidney", rather than Kiwis who might pronounce it closer to "Sudney". These kinds of vowel differences may sound subtle to an American or a Brit, but they’re what you’ll need to listen out for if you want to make an accurate guess.
The Australian accent is also notable for its vowel length contrasts, which are absent from some other English dialects. The vowels can be divided according to length, with long vowels, including monophthongs and diphthongs, and short vowels consisting only of monophthongs. There are also pairs of long and short vowels with overlapping vowel quality, giving Australian English a phonemic length distinction.
In addition, Australians also love to shorten and abbreviate their words, which is a key aspect of Australian English. For example, "breakfast" becomes "brekkie", "McDonald's" becomes "Maccas", and "dinner" becomes "dins".
The Australian accent has also been influenced by the phonemes of British 'Received Pronunciation' and General American. There are various systems for transcribing the phonemes of Australian English, including the Mitchell/Delbridge system and the Harrington, Cox and Evans (HCE) system, which better reflects the direction that Australian English is heading in for most speakers.
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New Zealanders' vowels are more 'u' sounding
The New Zealand accent is one of the most distinctive English accents. While the New Zealand and Australian accents are similar, mistaking one for the other can be a big faux pas. Research has shown that there is a distinct contrast in the pronunciation of vowels. Australians tend to pronounce their vowels with more emphasis on the "ee" sound, whereas New Zealanders make more prominent "u" sounds.
For example, when saying "fish and chips", New Zealanders are likely to say something closer to "fush and chups" or "f’sh and ch’ps", while Australians would say something closer to "feesh and cheeps". Similarly, Australians pronounce "Sydney" like "Sidney", while New Zealanders might pronounce it closer to "Sudney".
New Zealanders also have their own slang, such as "jandals", which refers to thongs or flip-flops. They also use the phrase "went tramping last weekend", which means hiking.
New Zealand English speakers have been described as having a trend of inelegance due to merging their diphthongs, or sounds that are comprised of two vowels that merge together. This has led to some critics dubbing the country the “Land of the Long Flat Vowel”. For example, it is difficult to hear the difference between "hair", "hear", and "here"; "beer" and "bear"; as well as "there", "their", and "they’re".
There is also a phenomenon in New Zealand English called the High Rising Terminal, or rising inflection, where speakers raise their voices at the end of sentences, causing ordinary statements to sound more like questions.
In summary, while the New Zealand and Australian accents have similarities, there are distinct differences in the pronunciation of vowels, with New Zealanders favouring more prominent "u" sounds.
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Australians abbreviate words, e.g. 'Maccas' for McDonald's
Australians and New Zealanders have distinct accents, and mistaking one for the other can be a faux pas. While the two accents sound similar to the untrained ear, there are differences in the pronunciation of vowels. Australians tend to pronounce their vowels with more emphasis on the "ee" sound, while New Zealanders make more prominent "u" sounds. For example, Australians are likely to pronounce "fish and chips" as "feesh and cheeps", while New Zealanders might say something closer to "fush and chups". Australians also tend to pronounce "Sydney" like "Sidney", while New Zealanders might say "Sudney".
Australians are known for abbreviating words, such as "Maccas" for "McDonald's", "brekkie" for "breakfast", and "dins" for "dinner". This practice is common across different platforms and generations and is used in writing, on television, and even in the news. Other examples of Australian abbreviations include "avo" for "avocado", "arvo" or "afternoon", "cossie" for "costume" or "swimsuit", "ta" for "thanks", and "snag" for "sausage".
New Zealanders also have their own slang, such as "jandals" for "thongs" or "flip-flops", and "tramping" for "hiking". They also use different terms for certain objects, like "chilly bin" for a "portable cooler" (known as an "esky" in Australia).
In terms of distinguishing between the two accents, some people suggest that the New Zealand accent is similar to a South African accent, with vowels that have been shifted out of place. For example, "A" sounds become "e", "e" sounds become "i", "i" sounds become "u", and "o" stays the same. On the other hand, Queenslanders from Australia often end sentences on an up note, like a question, even when it's not a question, and they also end sentences in "ay".
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New Zealanders use unique slang, e.g. 'jandals' for flip-flops
The New Zealand and Australian accents are distinct, and mistaking one for the other is considered offensive by some. While the accents are similar, there are notable differences in vowel pronunciation, with Australians tending to emphasise the "ee" sound, while New Zealanders favour the "u" sound. For example, Australians are likely to pronounce "fish and chips" as "feesh and cheeps", while New Zealanders would say something closer to ""fush and chups".
New Zealanders also use unique slang, which may contribute to the distinct sound of their accent. For instance, they refer to flip-flops as "jandals", and hiking as "tramping". They also have their own vocabulary for common items, such as calling a corner store a "dairy", and a portable cooler a "chilly bin".
Other examples of New Zealand slang include "chur", which is used to express gratitude or appreciation, similar to "cheers", and can also mean "sweet as" or "that's awesome". "Tu meke" is another term of appreciation, derived from the Maori phrase meaning "too much".
New Zealanders also have unique phrases, such as "yeah nah", which can be used as an acknowledgement that you've heard someone but disagree with what they said. "Bring a plate" means to bring a shared dish of food to a party. "She'll be right" indicates that everything is okay and there is no need to worry.
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Vowels are shifted in New Zealand English, e.g. 'A' sounds become 'e'
The New Zealand and Australian accents are similar, but not the same. While they might sound comparable to an untrained ear, there is a distinct difference in the pronunciation of vowels. New Zealanders tend to make more prominent [u] sounds, while Australians emphasise the [ee] sound. This is why Kiwis are known for saying "fush and chups", while Aussies say "feesh and cheeps". New Zealanders also turn short I-sounds into U-sounds, so "fish" becomes "fush" and "chips" sounds like "chups".
The vowels in New Zealand English are similar to other non-rhotic dialects, such as Australian English, but with some distinctive variations. For instance, the TRAP, DRESS, and KIT vowels have undergone a chain shift. Acoustic studies show that the accents were more similar before World War II, but the short front vowels have changed considerably since then compared to Australian English.
The first vowel to change was the one found in words like TRAP. This vowel was originally pronounced with an open jaw, and the tongue rested behind the lower teeth. Over time, the tongue position became higher, until it reached a similar position to DRESS vowels. This means that a word like "bat" in a New Zealand accent sounds like "bet" to an American or British listener. To avoid confusion, the DRESS vowels then moved closer to the KIT vowel tongue height. However, this meant that the DRESS and KIT vowels became too similar, so to avoid misunderstandings, the KIT vowel moved towards the centre of the mouth, resulting in a sound similar to the American hesitation sound "uh".
The New Zealand accent has been described as the "Land of the Long Flat Vowel". This is because words that would be pronounced with distinction in other English dialects are closer to homophones in New Zealand English. For example, it is difficult to hear the difference between "hair", "hear", and "here"; "beer" and "bear"; and "there", "their", and "they're".
In addition to vowel shifts, New Zealanders also have unique slang and vocabulary that sets them apart from Australians. For instance, a portable cooler is called a "chilly bin" in New Zealand, while Australians call it an "esky".
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Frequently asked questions
No, but the New Zealand and Australian accents are similar. They are, in fact, the most homogeneous out of all English-speaking countries. However, mistaking a New Zealander for an Australian may be considered offensive to some, similar to mistaking a Canadian for an American.
Australians tend to pronounce their vowels with more emphasis on the "ee" sound, whereas New Zealanders make more prominent "u" sounds. For example, Australians would pronounce "fish and chips" as "feesh and cheeps", while New Zealanders would say something closer to "fush and chups".
Yes, both countries have their own slang. For example, Australians refer to a portable cooler as an "esky", while New Zealanders call it a "chilly bin". New Zealanders also use the term "jandals" for flip-flops and "tramping" for hiking.
