Date: Thu, 7 Sep 1995 14:52:58 EDT
From: Douglas Bayer x3701 3NW dbayer[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]YUKON.HQ.ILEAF.COM
Subject: /a:I/ vs. /[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]I/
I'd like any information about the geographical distribution
of the /[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]I/ allophone of AY, and similar centering/raising or
shortening of other vowels and diphthongs before voiceless
consonants.
Could anyone point me to papers, maybe even URLs on the 'Net?
dbayer[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]ileaf.com
---------- LONG --------------
I've heard that distinction in the following pairs described
as "Northern" or even "chiefly Canadian." And I haven't seen
or heard it implemented in any speech generation systems:
/a:I/ = /[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]I/ (AAH-ey vs. UH-ey)
eyes = ice
rider = writer
high/hind/hide = height
why/wine/wide = white
Yet it's obligatory for me. Isn't it "General American"?
It's the sole distinguishing feature in the pair
rider = writer, and often even in eyes = ice
(because the voicing of the final "s" can't always be heard).
The rule seems to be long, open /a:I/ when the vowel is
followed by no consonant, a voiced consonant, or a nasal;
and short, mid /[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]I/ before a voiceless consonant.
But in the Great Lakes region, even "-ire" can go to /[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]jR/.
This seems less wide-spread. (I'm acutely aware because I
pronounce my German name /ba:jR/ but many people say /b[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]jR/)
Does similar centering/raising occur with other vowels or
diphthongs? For example, is there a region where "OH"
differentially goes to /o:w/ or /[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]w/ in the same environments?
Any pointers appreciated.
(And I'll gladly accept uuencoded or .ps.Z files by email... :)
Doug Bayer, Techdoc Toolsmith
Interleaf Inc.