Date:  Thu, 7 Dec 1995 17:59:02 EST

From:  Terry Lynn Irons <t.irons[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]MOREHEAD-ST.EDU>

Subject: Re: can/can't



>

> I know that Labov has done some studies on this, but what about the

> pronunciation between (unreduced) "can" and "can't"? I pronounce "can"

> as /kaen/ - (the vowel is an "ash") and "can't" as /ke:nt/. (I come from

> Phila.) I think Labov described this as being only a Phila. phenomenon.

> Any comments? (I think some Philadelphians even pronounce "can't" as

> something more like /kint/, with a short schwa sound after the /i/.)

>

> Ellen S. Polsky (Ellen.Polsky[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]Colorado.EDU)

>



I wonder if you mean the alternation between [ae] in the simple form and

[e] in the negated form as being distinctive to the Philly area. For the

pronunciation of {can't} with a front central [e:] occurs commonly in the

mountain speech I hear. But the vowel in {can}, if not reduced, is much

closer to a low front point of articulation. So my experience tells me it

isn't only a Phila phenom.



Terry



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Terry Lynn Irons    t.irons[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]morehead-st.edu

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