First Dialect Retention of Mobile Speakers Regarding New Zealand English Vowels

Abstract

The present study examines first dialect retention in the speech of expatriate New Zealand speakers through the acoustic analysis of the short front vowels, a stable and salient feature of this variety. The F1 and F2 values were measured for three expatriate and three lifelong New Zealand residents, followed by a comparative analysis. The results show that expatriate speakers converge to the dialect of destination by altering their pronunciation. In this process, the New Zealand realisation of these vowels is softened in their speech but does not disappear completely, resulting in a realisation closer to the standard pronunciation of the dialect of destination, with a significant difference between the formant values of expatriate and lifelong New Zealanders. The findings indicate that while the speakers accommodate to the new dialect they are exposed to, in order to fit in the speech community, they also aim to keep their original New Zealand identity, fulfilling two goals at the same time.