Abstract
The English language is one of the most widely spoken languages in the
world, being spoken by approximately seven-hundred and fifty million
people, with around three-hundred and twenty-nine million of those
speaking it as their first language, (Crystal, 2003:109). With this in mind, it
is possible to understand why various scholars would suggest that the
dissemination of the language may be having an adverse effect upon English.
As a result, it seems essential to document this ever-changing language and
explore both its current state alongside its potential future developments.
The focus of this research is to explore the differences in pronunciation
between five major varieties of English; British, American, Australian, New
Zealand and South African. Through an examination of the salient
phonological differences between these World Englishes provided by primary
research and a review of relevant literature, the research consequently aims
to make predictions about significant future developments of the language.
The research specifically focussed on the differences in aspects of
pronunciation between the five varieties; namely elements such as vowel
production, /h/-dropping, glottalisation, the /hw/-/w/ distinction, as well
as suprasegmental features such as word stress. The analysis of primary
research and relevant literature has explored the three main hypotheses
associated with the future development of the World Englishes examined
and has postulated predictions. The findings of this research demonstrates
minimal support for each of the hypotheses, however does not present
enough definitive evidence to provide a firm hypothesis regarding the future
development of the English Language, suggesting more long-term research is
needed in this area.