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Australian English is the set of English language varieties native to Australia and is the country's de facto national language. While English is the first language of the majority of Australians, there are many non-native speakers in the country. In 2016, 820,000 Australians reported speaking English not well or not at all, and this number is likely to have grown since. Additionally, Aboriginal people in Australia speak a variety of languages, including Kriol, a creole language that uses English words mixed with local languages. While some may consider these varieties of English as broken, they are legitimate forms of speech with their own order, subtlety, and majesty.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| English is the de facto national language of Australia | English is the first language of the majority of the population (72% in 2021) |
| Australian English began to diverge from British and Hiberno-English after the First Fleet established the Colony of New South Wales in 1788 | Australian English does not share certain British English meanings, e.g., "sat" does not include "sitting or seated" |
| Australian English uses "have a shower/bath", unlike American English, which uses "take a shower/bath" | |
| The past participle of "saw" is "sawn" in Australian English, unlike American English, which uses "sawed" | |
| The verb "visit" is transitive in Australian English, unlike American English, which uses "visit with" when the object is a person | |
| An outdoor event cancelled due to bad weather is "rained out" in Australian English, whereas it is "rained off" in British English | |
| Australian English is non-rhotic, meaning the /ɹ/ sound does not appear at the end of a syllable or before a consonant | |
| Intervocalic alveolar flapping is a feature of Australian English, similar to North American English | |
| Yod-dropping occurs after /s/, /l/, /z/, /θ/ but not after /t/, /d/, and /n/ | |
| The phoneme /l/ is pronounced as a "dark" (velarised) l ([ɫ]) in Australian English, unlike Received Pronunciation and Hiberno-English | |
| Differences in stress, weak forms, and standard pronunciation exist between Australian English and other forms, but they do not impair intelligibility | |
| Aboriginal people in Australia have transformed English into a new language called Kriol, which is considered a legitimate form of speech | |
| Ethnocultural dialects of Australian English are spoken by people from minority non-English speaking backgrounds, blending General Australian English with non-English language features | |
| Number of people with little or no English capability | In the 2016 census, 820,000 Australians reported speaking English "not well" or "not at all". However, this number may not reflect their actual ability to communicate in everyday life |
| English language training | Australia offers Adult Migrant English Programs to help improve English conversation, understanding Australian customs and culture, and pre-employment English |
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What You'll Learn
Aboriginal Australians and Creole languages
Australia has no official language, but English is the first language of the majority of the population and has been entrenched as the de facto national language since the onset of British settlement. In 2021, it was the only language spoken at home for 72% of Australians. However, there are many Aboriginal Australians for whom English is their second language.
Aboriginal English, Kriol, and Yumplatok are "contact languages" that emerged as Indigenous Australians mingled with people from other Aboriginal language groups and with European colonisers. These languages contain elements of English and traditional Indigenous languages. As many traditional languages died out or declined, the new contact languages flourished, becoming crucial to the identity and culture of Aboriginal Australians.
Kriol, a creole language, is the largest language spoken exclusively in Australia. It emerged as a fully-fledged creole in 1908 at the Roper River Mission (now Ngukurr), where Aboriginal children from various language groups were placed into dormitories with reduced parental contact. Bound together by a Pidgin English developed in New South Wales, they naturally expanded the pidgin until it became a creole: a language with a distinctive vocabulary, sound system, and grammatical rules.
Despite the growing acceptance of Kriol in government education, liturgy, stage, popular music, and the media, it is seen by some Aboriginal people as a "language killer" contributing to the loss of traditional languages. However, linguists have argued that both the loss of traditional languages and the emergence of Kriol are the result of the same forces of colonisation and inequity.
Queensland formally recognised the importance of valuing and using students' home languages, including Aboriginal English and creoles, in 2018. Courts and service providers now offer Kriol translators and interpreters.
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English as a national language
English is the de facto national language of Australia, with 72% of Australians speaking it in the home as of 2021. However, there is no official language in the country. Australian English has evolved since the onset of British settlement, with the language beginning to diverge from British and Hiberno-English after the First Fleet established the Colony of New South Wales in 1788.
Australian English has several unique features that distinguish it from other forms of English. It is uniformly non-rhotic, meaning the /ɹ/ sound does not occur at the end of a syllable or before a consonant. This results in some unique pronunciations, such as the insertion of an intrusive /ɹ/ in words like "law-r-and order". Australian English also exhibits yod-dropping after certain consonants, such as suit being pronounced as /sʉːt/. The language has adopted some terms from American English, such as "take a shower" instead of "have a shower", but maintains British spellings for words like "colour" and "centre".
The emergence of ethnocultural dialects of Australian English has also been noted, influenced by the languages of immigrants and their children, including Afro-Asiatic languages, Asian languages, Samoan English, and the speech of Lebanese and Vietnamese Australians. These dialects blend features of General Australian English with non-English language elements, creating unique varieties of the language within Australia.
While English is widely spoken in Australia, there are efforts to accommodate those with limited English proficiency. The country has seen an increase in the number of people with little or no English language skills due to rising migration rates. To address this, Australia offers Adult Migrant English Programs to help improve English conversation skills, understanding of Australian customs and culture, and pre-employment English, assisting with job applications and interview preparation.
In conclusion, while English is the predominant language in Australia, it has evolved into a unique variety with distinct features and ethnocultural influences. Australia's lack of an official language and the existence of programs to improve English proficiency reflect a recognition of the country's linguistic diversity and a willingness to support effective communication for all residents.
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English language training for migrants
English is the de facto national language of Australia, with 72% of Australians speaking it at home in 2021. However, the country has no official language, and there are numerous ethnocultural dialects of Australian English spoken by people from minority non-English speaking backgrounds. These dialects contain features of General Australian English as adopted by the children of immigrants, blended with non-English language features, such as Afro-Asiatic languages and languages of Asia.
In the 2016 census, 820,000 Australians reported speaking English "not well" or "not at all". This figure has been rising, and with an increase in overall migration to Australia, the absolute number of new arrivals with little or no English language capability has also increased. However, since the 1990s, Australia's migration program has become increasingly selective, and the English language requirements for permanent residency have risen.
To help migrants improve their English language skills, the Australian government funds the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP). This program provides free English language tuition to eligible migrants and refugees, helping them to settle into life in Australia. The program is designed for those with little or no English language capability, and participants can improve their verbal and written English and digital literacy skills. The AMEP also provides a pathway to further education or a new career, helping individuals transfer their existing skills to the Australian workplace.
The AMEP is available to migrants with a permanent visa or an eligible temporary visa, as well as Australian citizens who previously held a permanent or eligible temporary visa. There are no time limits on registration, commencement, or completion of AMEP tuition, and the program can be studied online. The initial assessment takes between 1-2 hours and evaluates an individual's English language level, current skills, previous experience, and any support they may need. Participants learn from teachers trained to teach English to speakers of other languages, who provide specialised knowledge, cultural sensitivity, and effective teaching strategies designed for non-native speakers.
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Australian English vs. British English
Australian English and British English are among the most recognisable forms of English, with British English being the closest to the original language. Despite some differences, speakers of each dialect can easily understand each other. Australian English is most similar to British English in terms of spelling and sentence construction, but its accent and vocabulary are distinct.
Australian English began to diverge from British English after the First Fleet established the Colony of New South Wales in 1788. The Australian accent likely developed as a blend of the accents of the first settlers, most notably British and Irish. There are three main Australian English dialects: Broad Australian, the most local type; General Australian, an intermediate accent; and the Cultivated dialect, the most British-sounding. The younger generations have increasingly shifted towards the General accent in the last forty years.
Some differences in vocabulary between Australian English and British English include:
- Nouns: Australians share some vocabulary with Americans, such as "zucchini" and "eggplant," while the British say "courgette" and "aubergine." Australians also use terms from both British and American English, such as "gas" and "petrol."
- Expressions: Australians say "to have a shower or have a bath," while Americans say "take a shower or take a bath."
- Slang: Australian slang often consists of shortened words or words influenced by cultural references. Some examples include "rockmelon" for "cantaloupe," "togs" or "cozi," and "potato cake" or "potato scallop."
There are also some differences in pronunciation between Australian English and British English. For example, Australians pronounce the word ""yogurt" with a harder 'oh' sound and as two distinct syllables, while Britons use a softer 'o' sound and pronounce it as one syllable. Additionally, Australians do not include 'r' sounds at the end of a syllable or before a consonant, as in "law-r-and order."
It is worth noting that there are also regional variations within Australia, and the language continues to evolve over time. Additionally, the level of English proficiency among Australians may vary, with some individuals speaking English "not well" or "not at all."
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Aussie slang
Australian English (AusE, AusEng, AuE, AuEng, en-AU) is the set of English language varieties native to Australia. While there is no official language in Australia, English is the de facto national language and the first language of the majority of the population. Australian English has evolved since British settlement in 1788, with the language of early settlers intermingling with the languages of subsequent waves of immigration.
Australian English has many unique features when compared to other forms of English. It is uniformly non-rhotic, meaning the /ɹ/ sound does not appear at the end of a syllable or before a consonant. There are also differences in pronunciation, such as the "dark" (velarised) l ([ɫ]) sound in most positions, unlike Received Pronunciation or Hiberno-English. In addition, Australian English has its own slang, with terms like "g'day" for "hello", "galah" for a "fool", and "she'll be apples" to indicate that something will be fine.
While Australian English is the predominant language, the country's diverse migrant population has influenced the development of ethnocultural dialects. These varieties blend General Australian English with non-English language features from languages such as Samoan, Lebanese, and Vietnamese. The vernacular speech of young people in the 1960s, known for its rising intonation at the end of sentences, has also influenced the broader Australian speech.
It is worth noting that the notion of speaking English "well" or "not well" is subjective and challenging to define. According to the 2016 Australian Census, 820,000 people reported speaking English "not well" or "not at all". However, this does not necessarily reflect their actual ability to communicate in daily life. The number of individuals with limited English proficiency is influenced by migration patterns and the availability of language training.
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Frequently asked questions
English is the first language of the majority of the population in Australia and has been entrenched as the de facto national language since the onset of British settlement. In 2021, 72% of Australians spoke English in the home. However, there are many dialects of Australian English, and Aboriginal people have transformed English into a new language, such as Kriol.
There is no standard definition of what speaking English "well" or "not well" means. In the 2016 census, 820,000 Australians reported speaking English "not well" or "not at all". However, this number may be influenced by self-assessment and the availability of English language training for new migrants.
Australian English has several unique features that differentiate it from other varieties of English. For example, Australian English is non-rhotic, meaning the /ɹ/ sound does not appear at the end of a syllable or before a consonant. Additionally, there are differences in vocabulary, such as the use of "have a shower" instead of "take a shower".
