Consonants

1. The American [r] is retroflex (pronounced with the tip of the tongue curled back) and is used in all the positions where there is an r in spelling. As a result, the preceding vowel becomes narrower.

RP hurry ['hлri], worry [wлri]

GA hurry [hәri], worry [wәri]

2. The American [t] in the intervocalic position is realized as a flap: the tip of the tongue beats against the teeth ridge just once (Better, letter, etc.).

3. WWhen t follows n, it is nearly omitted. The preceding vowel is nasalized (twenty).

4. The sound [t] is also affected by the process of glottalization in both varieties of English, British and American, and the frequency of its occurrence is socially marked. One of the most favourable conditions for glottal stop to replace [t] is before [m, n, 1, r, j, w]:

That man, that one.

5. The sound [j] in American English is commonly weakened or omitted:

GA news [nu:z], Tuesday ['tu:zdi], duty ['du:ti], assume [a'su:m].

6. in American English the sound [1] is "dark", i.e. non-palatalized, in all positions, while in RP (but not in Scottish Standard English!) it is "clear", palatalized, before a front vowel and "dark" at the end of a word and before a consonant.

7. Apart from systemic differences, there are lexical items which are pro­ nounced differently:

GA tomato [tә'meitou], either [i:дэ], schedule ['sked3u:l], ate [eit], vase [veiz].