"You certainly can't tell an Australian by the way they look, but the minute they open their mouths, the guessing is over." So says the program summary for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's 2007 documentary The Sounds of Aus.
The film looks at the history of the Australian accent (debunking claims that it comes from squinting in the sun, inhaling pollen through the nose, or restricting the opening of the mouth to keep out flies) and explores a variety of Australian accent types beyond the typical Outback Steakhouse/Crocodile Dundee version.
In this clip, Australians including actress Rachel Griffiths, comedian Denise Scott, and accent coach Victoria Mielewaka offer helpful tips for getting your Aus on.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
They include:
- Keep your intonation steady. Picture a long flat line of words coming out
- Don't let your tongue be so hyperactive. Picture it like it's lying over an exercise ball.
- Flatten that r.
- Let relax your soft palate downward.
The clip ends with a montage of people speaking the ultimate accent test sentence: "Ask the master to pass the banana."
