Kiwi accent getting stronger

[MotherBear]

I'll just have me fush and chups and then I'm off to bid
Page 1 of 2 5:00AM Thursday May 24, 2007
By Maggie McNaughton

Watch out rest of the world - the beloved Kiwi accent is getting stronger.

From "cook me some iggs" to "my pin has run out of unk", the New Zealand accent has been the subject of much ridicule.

But detractors be warned, those beloved vowel sounds have become more distinctive over the past 30 years, and who knows where they are heading in the future.

Dr Allan Bell, Auckland University of Technology's professor of language and communication, analysed more than 300 recordings of New Zealand accents spanning a 30-year period.

He analysed the accents of ordinary New Zealanders and well-known broadcasters such as Radio New Zealand National's Nine to Noon host Kathryn Ryan.

More here and there’s page 2