Have you ever found yourself in the middle of a conversation, suddenly sense that the person you’re speaking to has just shifted their perception of you? Rightly, or wrongly, people form perceptions of us based on our speech. They form conclusions about our general intelligence, our social class, based on how we form the various speech sounds.

Our choice of words, accent, and even the pace at which we speak send signals about who we are. It’s fascinating to think about, and a little terrifying too, knowing that people are constantly making judgments about us based primarily on how we sound. It’s not just about what we say; it’s how we say it.

First impressions

When you travel overseas, the people you encounter might instantly recognise your Aussie accent and jump to the conclusion that you’re a fun-loving larrikin; or perhaps they’re picturing you wrestling crocodiles on the weekends (thanks, Crocodile Dundee). On the flip side, your accent might conjure up images of sophistication.

Accents have a magical way of elevating—or sinking—our perceived intelligence, personality, and background. A polished, well-articulated accent can make you sound authoritative even if you’re reading the ingredients off a cereal box. But not all Australian’s speak with the same accent.

The Australian accent

Australia has a variety of accents, which linguists tend to classify into three main types:

Broad Australian Accent:

•  This is the most “stereotypical” Australian accent, often associated with people who live in rural areas and traditional Australian culture.
• Speech: mouth slightly closed producing elongated vowel sounds, a slight nasal tone, and a slower speech pattern. The “Australian twang” is most noticeable here.
• Who speaks with a Broad Australian accent?  Steve Irwin or Paul Hogan (from Crocodile Dundee) and former Prime Minister, Bob Hawke.

General Australian Accent:

• Characteristics: The most common accent in Australia today. It sits between the broad and cultivated accents and is what most people would associate with today’s Australian speech.  Because most people use this accent, it commonplace and so doesn’t really set you apart professionally.
• Speech: Clearer and more neutral vowel sounds compared to the broad accent, with a natural, relaxed tone.  The pace of your speech will likely depend on the urgency of the communication; the complexity of your message and how familiar you are with the subject matter.
• Who speaks with a General Australian accent? Hugh Jackman or Nicole Kidman.

Cultivated Australian Accent:

• Characteristics: More formal and similar to British Received Pronunciation (RP). This accent has less of the distinctive Australian twang and is considered more prestigious.
• Speech: Refined pronunciation with crisply articulated vowel sounds, often spoken by those from older or upper-class backgrounds or associated with the media and education sectors. The speech of utterance is often steady as the emphasis is on clear articulation and the speech organs are carefully placed with the emphasis of ensuring each speech sounds get full value.
• Who speaks with a Cultivated Australian accent? Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush.

Other influencing factors include:

• Ethnic influences: Australia’s multiculturalism has led to variations in accents, particularly in the major cities.
• Regional differences: While less pronounced than in countries like the US or UK, slight regional differences can be found, especially between city and rural areas.

What Aussie accent do you use? 

What about your friends and work colleagues?

Is the way you speak holding you back from progressing your career?

With remote work and online meetings becoming the norm, how one speaks during Zoom calls or webinars matters more than ever. What have you noticed about your own speech when you play back recordings of yourself from webinars.  Are you happy with what you here?  How do you compare with other speakers?

Elocution lessons help individuals maintain a professional, clear voice online, where body language cues are limited.

Is your speech holding you back from progressing your career?

Speech is an artform and everyone can benefit from a short course in elocution.  Recently we’ve seen a significant increase in the numbers of career minded people opting for a short course in elocution to enhance their speaking style.