Focussing and Levelling in the Auckland Voices Project

Levelling and focussing are well-documented processes, central to the emergence of new dialects, including New Zealand English as a distinct variety in last hundred fifty years. We draw on recent recordings from three areas Auckland examine extent which levelling continue be relevant today. Most work NZ dialect has concentrated phonology; we extend analysis syntax. consider structure relative clauses used communities have very different demographic profiles histories immigration. find evidence that underpin development post-colonial Zealand. Our data suggests speakers linguistically motivated solutions choice among variants when occurs.