The following article discusses how the TV show 'Gogglebox' reflects linguistic diversity in Australian society. While the article is now several years old, the ideas it discusses are certainly still relevant to many areas of the VCE English Language course, particularly Unit 4: Australian English and Individual and Group Identities.
It might be a good idea for you to watch some of the most recent season (available online) and write down any significant linguistic examples from the participants that represent the array of identities on the show.
The Conversation - Gogglebox and what it tells us about English in Australia
Useful quotes from the article:
'Gogglebox is a kind of social-science-lite: a popcorn version of what real social scientists might investigate. For linguists like us it’s a fascinating snapshot of English in Australia: a nuanced and vibrant view that goes beyond stereotypes that Australian English is only about “ocker” English.'
'The first thing many people think of when it comes to Australian English is the “ocker” stereotype – a predilection for vulgarity, colourful euphemisms like those used by Home And Away’s Alf, and a love of shortening words.'
'But Australian English is richer and more dynamic than stereotypes suggest, and the Gogglebox participants illustrate this perfectly. We do see minor accent differences linked to geography, but more interesting is the diversity of speech that can be linked (though not perfectly) to a host of factors, including ethnicity, class and sexuality.'
'Around one in five Australians speak a language other than English at home, and the Goggleboxers offer great insights into how language is used in Australia’s many bilingual households. Anastasia and Faye are two middle-aged women with Greek heritage, which, for Anastasia in particular, is a great source of pride. They deploy what might typically be called an “ethnic broad” Australian English accent in conversation and, at times, we see codeswitching (language mixing) between English and Greek.'
'Gogglebox’s Sri Lankan Australian family, the Delpechitras, show generational differences in their accent, and demonstrate how quickly some Australian-born children of immigrants adopt local norms.'
'Across the Goggleboxers of South Asian, East Asian and Greek heritage it becomes clear that while some speech patterns can be linked to ethnic identities, we can’t assume how an Australian of minority linguistic and/or ethnic heritage speaks English.'
'The rest of the regulars appear to be of Anglo-Celtic background, yet we can still see diversity in their English. This is attributable to factors such as age, education and class. But, as with the Goggleboxers of other ethnicities, stereotypes about these categories don’t always hold.'
'Research by Felicity Cox and Sallyanne Palethorpe shows how the relationship between class and some features of Australian English is rearranging. This gradual movement towards a general accent is nicely illustrated in the speech of Lee and Keith when compared to the Jacksons. In many respects the two families are comparable, representing two generations of “Aussie battlers”, but they have clear differences in their accents. Lee and Keith speak with a broad Australian accent... yet the Jacksons speak the more general variety.'
'There has been an equally strong retreat from the cultivated accent. Mick and Di provide a good demonstration of the cultivated variety of Australian English, as do the older generations of the Silberys.'
'Across all the Gogglebox households, viewers hear a cross-section of Aussie society, all speaking English in slightly different ways. Pay attention to the nuances and viewers will realise that there’s more to Australian English than “ocker” and “ethnic”. Like all of us, the Goggleboxers speak in ways that reflect who they are, where they’ve come from and where they’re going.'
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