<Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Problems playing this file? See media help . </Td> </Tr> <P> Since 1788, English has been spoken in Oceania, and Australian English has developed as a first language of the vast majority of the inhabitants of the Australian continent, its standard accent being General Australian . The English of neighbouring New Zealand has to a lesser degree become an influential standard variety of the language . Australian and New Zealand English are each other's closest relatives with few differentiating characteristics, followed by South African English and the English of southeastern England, all of which have similarly non-rhotic accents, aside from some accents in the South Island of New Zealand . Australian and New Zealand English stand out for their innovative vowels: many short vowels are fronted or raised, whereas many long vowels have diphthongised . Australian English also has a contrast between long and short vowels, not found in most other varieties . Australian English grammar aligns closely to British and American English; like American English, collective plural subjects take on a singular verb (as in the government is rather than are). New Zealand English uses front vowels that are often even higher than in Australian English . </P> <Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Speech example An example of a black male with a South African accent . </Td> </Tr> <Tr> <Td_colspan="2"> Problems playing this file? See media help . </Td> </Tr> </Table> <Tr> <Td> </Td> <Td> Speech example An example of a black male with a South African accent . </Td> </Tr>

I was born into a class that did not live in its native language