Does anyone know why Australians have kept an accent similar to the British accent while Canadians and Americans have developped very different accents?
Possibly for the same reason Australia (and it’s surrounding miscellaneous islands, etc.) is home to such a wide array of unique and downright weird wildlife. . .relative isolation. . .?
Oh yeah, and I forgot to mention another point. To my ears, an Australian accent is only vaguely like a British accent. I can definitely see some similarity, though, but just as our accent deviated from original European accents, the “Australian” accent simply deviated in a different direction.
They haven’t. You’re just more attuned to the differences between Canadian and American accents.
I expect most Brits and Australians would say that they have completely different accents and Americans and Canadians sound alike.
Oops, sorry, I guess you meant Americans and Canadians have a very different accent from the British, not from each other. Oh well. My main point still stands.
What Fretful Porpentine said. As a Brit I find it much easier telling an British from an Australian accent than I do differentiating between American and Canadian. Horses for courses, I guess – it all depends on your background.
An English friend of mine once said that to her ears spoken Australian english sounded closer to American english than to British english. I immediately told her that she was wrong 
What Fretful Porpentine and mattk said.
I’m sure it’s all down to familiarity.
I was born in North London, and Londoners could tell that from my accent: ‘I woz born in Norf Lunnon’.
Then I learnt the standard educated English accent. (I think it’s called Received Pronounciation).
I can assure you that, to my ears, an Australian accent stands out a mile (or 1.4 kilometres 
). We have Australian soap operas, plus Australian gap year students at my school. What I CAN’T do is tell a New Zealand accent from Australian.
Having visited Holland a lot, I’m pretty good at spotting a Dutch person speaking English. Like the Germans, they learn the language beautifully - perhaps too perfectly! This is recognition not so much by an accent as by a choice of phrases and perhaps an intonation here and there.
OK, now for the Americas. I seriously can’t tell Canadian from American. This may be based solely on ‘Due South’ (incidentally I admire Benton Fraser 
) but that confirms the original point. It depends on who you listen to regularly.
Finally I went to GenCon in Milwaukee. Charming Americans said ‘you’re not from around here, are you?’
Their guesses included Australia, South Africa, Scotland :eek: and … Nebraska 
I’m a New Zealander living in Australia. The two accents sound completely different to my ear. Nothing like a British accent at all. South African accents are different again.
Canadians and US accents sound the same to me. I can tell a Southern accent but that’s about it.
South Africans are easy to spot. They lower their vowels in a funky way. TRANSLATION: They say things like “I em frm Suth Efrika.”
I can differentiate between British accents, i.e. tell you that two people are from different regions, but I couldn’t tell you which regions they’re actually from. [shrug]
Akash
Currently Trying to Figure Out the U.S. (Chicago) Accent
A Canadian accent is not that obvious to most Americans. It’s not even that universal in Canada. It’s more common the farther west and north you go. Most Americans can’t really distinguish that many different North American accents. Nearly all can pick out a Southern and a New York one, and maybe a New England or a Cajun or a Canadian one, but being more specific than that takes a little more training or a little more travel than average.
Dem’s fighting words, glee
There is significant variation in both the Australian and New Zealand accents, though the distinction is probably only apparent to the locals. Possibly it’s more pronounced in New Zealand where, IMHO, the Christchurch (Southern Island)is more British than Auckland (Northern Island). However, when the distances involved are considered, they’re are nowhere near as varied as you heard in England between say Scouse and Cockney.
The Kiwispeak’s most distinctive characteristic is their alarming tendency to use rising inflexions at the end their sentences, which turns everything into a question.
A concise glossary of Kiwispeak
BETTING* Betting gloves are worn by betsmen in crucket*
BRIST* Part of the human anatomy between the nick and the billy*
BUGGER* As in mine is bugger than yours*
CHULLY BUN* Also known as an Esky.*
DIMMER KRETZ* Those who believe in democracy.*
ERROR BUCK* Language spoken in countries like Surria and E-Jupp*
EKKA DYMOCKS* University staff*
GUESS* Flammable vapour used in stoves*
SENDLES* Thongs, open shoes*
COLOUR* Terminator, murderer*
CUSS* Kiss*
DUCK HID* Term of abuse directed mainly at males*
** PHAR LAP*** NZ’s famous horse which was actually named PHILLIP*
ERROR ROUTE* As in Arnotts mulk error route buskets*
FITTER CHENEY* A type of long flat pasta not to be confused with rugger tony*
I find the accents of some Anglophone South Africans difficult to distinguish from Australian accents sometimes but not the accents of Afrikaaners speaking English (The ones who say things like “I em frm Suth Efrika.”)
One interesting thing I’ve noticed about the NZ accent in Australia, is that I’ve had so many friends/acquaintances who originally come from NZ, that I’ve started to think of it as just another variation on the Aussie accent. It’s only when they mention that they’re from NZ that I notice the differences.
As with any accent, there is some variation, and some sound more like the Australian accent than others. Any Kiwis care to give a geographical break down for this?
HenrySpencer
Well, to get to the important stuff (sex) I have to ask…
I have heard from several folks, one of them being an Aussie chick, that Australian women really dig the American accent.
Anyone corroborate this?
Also, I can do several British dialects, Scottish, Australian, Hindi, most American ones, sometimes Irish(when I’m drunk) and am currently looking for an all Welsh casted movied to learn that one…
as you can tell, I have way to much time…
I don’t know, but it was clear to me that having a British accent in the U.S. made you more popular than having an American accent in the U.K.
woolly,
I say, old boy, there was absolutely no offence intended, do’t you know?
Upset a New Zealander - crickey!
Best rugby players in the world*, climate similar to Scotland, tiny island nation like us - the only thing wrong is that you’re so far away from Britain to visit (plus Shortland Street is silly ).
And surely that lush countryside in Zena, Warrior Princess, belongs to New Zealand.
Splendid - now we’re friends again, what?
*note to self: copy this phrase to use to any Australians who join in.
Absolutely no offence taken ol’ chum.
BTW, I’m an Aussie!
Did you not see the Tri Nations Cup ? 
Back to the OP, I think that the really broad accents or more publicised accents are recognised world-wide, but the accents that are not too close to home, or do not receive much media attention are not categorised.
For example, a pommie (an English person) told me that when he first arrived in Australia, he honestly couldn’t tell the difference between an Australian accent and a New Zealander accent. After a year long working holiday, he said that the differences were easily heard not to mention how dangerous it was to mention that Aussies and Kiwis sound the same
I think it comes down to what you are accustomed to hearing on a daily basis.
Probably the subject of another thread, but it has actually gotten to the point that an Australian accent coming out of the television (particularly a broad one) can be surprising , as most T.V accents are American, or very toned down, americanized Australian accents. I am NOT saying this is good or bad, O.K
Did you not see the Tri Nations Cup ?
Back to the OP, I think that the really broad accents or more publicised accents are recognised world-wide, but the accents that are not too close to home, or do not receive much media attention are not categorised.
For example, a pommie (an English person) told me that when he first arrived in Australia, he honestly couldn’t tell the difference between an Australian accent and a New Zealander accent. After a year long working holiday, he said that the differences were easily heard, not to mention how dangerous it was (especially in a pub) to mention that Aussies and Kiwis sound the same
I think it comes down to what you are accustomed to hearing on a daily basis.
Probably the subject of another thread, but it has actually gotten to the point that an Australian accent coming out of the television (particularly a broad one) can be surprising , as most T.V accents are American, or very toned down, americanized Australian accents. I am NOT saying this is good or bad, O.K