Date:  Wed, 16 Apr 1997 17:21:55 -0400
From:  Jules Levin <jflevin[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]UCRAC1.UCR.EDU>
Subject: Re: hypercorrect intervocalic /t/

At 02:58 PM 4/16/97 -0400, you wrote:
>> The minimal pair for most speakers would be
>> 'enter' and 'inner' and they seem to have merged.
>
>Does that mean So. Cal has that southern thang where "ten" and "tin" are
>identical?
>
>For me, from the Northeast, the Internet could just as well be spelled
>Innernet (with a truly miniscule distinction, if any) but certainly not
>Enternet.


I'm afraid it does mean that. This does not seem to be a complete merger
like cot and caught, but for many many young speakers at least pairs like
pin and pen are homophones.
By the way, Allan Metcalf noted this in his 'Riverside English', published
here 25 years ago when we were still priviledged to have him working here.

Jules Levin