Like many other languages, English has wide variation in
pronunciation, both historically and from dialect to dialect. In general,
however, the regional dialects of English share a largely similar (but not
identical) phonological system. Among other things, most dialects have
vowel reduction in unstressed syllables and a complex set of phonological
features that distinguish fortis and lenis consonants (stops, affricates,
and fricatives).
The phonetics and phonology of the English language differ from one
dialect to another, usually without interfering with mutual communication.
Phonological variation affects the inventory of phonemes (i.e. speech
sounds that distinguish meaning), and phonetic variation consists in
differences in pronunciation of the phonemes.
Two of the most well-recognized are pronunciations of the United Kingdom
and the United States:
Received Pronunciation (RP)
and
General American (GA).
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