What do people from NZ/Australia sound like?

Question

I've just been told by a visiting American that New Zealanders sound English/Scottish.

First Answerer = I live in NZ, we don't have prairie dogs - so what do you mean? (I really want to know!)

Answer 1

I don't know how much you know about the various American dialects, but perhaps you know that there is definitely a difference in the way people talk in California versus Texas, New York, or Chicago. For us Americans, the various British Commonwealth accents have a bit of a difference that we can pick up in much the same way.

I usually think of an English accent as a proper English accent. As opposed to, say, a Black Country accent, which I think sounds Scottish. And, Irish is completely different from either of those.

A NZ/Aussie accent differs from an English accent (as described above) as being like an informal variation of proper (London) English. Almost like how a California accent differs from a New York accent by being kind of a laid-back drawl. My mom's husband is Australian, as is my friend's brother. So, I can easily pick a Kiwi or Aussie out of a crowd by listening to him/her. It's not a bad thing. It's just different.

Answer 2

Forget the prairie dog comment it was rude.
Prairie dogs are small gopher like creatures that live in colonies underground in the desert south west of the USA. They do not talk much however they do chirp to each other. They also whistle a warning when danger is near.

To us you sound similar to proper British but with a slight difference. Most of us find the sound very charming. Of course some of your idioms are different just as you did not know what a prairie dog was.

Answer 3

Initially, an Australian / NZ accent sounds English or Scottish to me, but then I pick up on the distinctions soon, if I hear the person speaking long enough.
For example, if someone from Australia is on TV or the radio and I don't know who the person is, I assume he or she is british because of the general pronunciations, but then when they let out a few of the unique aussie-isms, i realize the person is from "dayun unda"

Answer 4

They definatly sound like Prairie Dogs!!

....if you know what I mean