Date: Mon, 23 Oct 1995 12:33:45 -0700

From: Dan Moonhawk Alford dalford[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]S1.CSUHAYWARD.EDU

Subject: Re: skraw/skring



That was probably my str- shtr stuff, Larry, that I researched on

Linguist List of its participants, then posted it back there and here. I

can forward that posting to anyone that didn't see it and wants to. I

keep noticing it in more and more speakers/actors on tv and in real life.

I keep wondering if we're at the beginning of a sound change, or if this

will remain 'contained' in certain dialects. It's invisible to most people.



On Sun, 22 Oct 1995, Larry Horn wrote:



Instead of: I forgot my straw. I've heard: I forgot my skraw.

also other words beginning in str substituting the skr; skreet, etc.

comments? Marla



So you're hearing [skr-] in these clusters? This seems to be related to

a phenomenon I think we talked about here a year or so ago (or maybe it was on

Linguist?) in which the [s] is palatalized, yielding something like 'shtreet'

in the clusters you cite. This palatalization seems to be especially frequent

among Long Islanders, particularly those with Italian surnames. Seriously.

Does anyone on the list know anybody who discusses either this palatalization

Marla's velarization in these str- initial clusters? (At least the former

development isn't too surprising, since the -tr- is or can be itself somewhat

palatalized in many idiolects, including my own; but motivation isn't reality

for most speakers.)



Larry