Bostonians /R/ Speaking: a Quantitative Look at (R) in Boston
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New England Phonology*
New England phonology* Naomi Nagy and Julie Roberts 1. Introduction The six states that make up New England (NE) are Vermont (VT), New Hampshire (NH), Maine (ME), Massachusetts (MA), Connecticut (CT), and Rhode Island (RI). Cases where speakers in these states exhibit differences from other American speakers and from each other will be discussed in this chapter. The major sources of phonological information regarding NE dialects are the Linguistic Atlas of New England (LANE) (Kurath 1939-43), and Kurath (1961), representing speech pat- terns from the fi rst half of the 20th century; and Labov, Ash and Boberg, (fc); Boberg (2001); Nagy, Roberts and Boberg (2000); Cassidy (1985) and Thomas (2001) describing more recent stages of the dialects. There is a split between eastern and western NE, and a north-south split within eastern NE. Eastern New England (ENE) comprises Maine (ME), New Hamp- shire (NH), eastern Massachusetts (MA), eastern Connecticut (CT) and Rhode Is- land (RI). Western New England (WNE) is made up of Vermont, and western MA and CT. The lines of division are illustrated in fi gure 1. Two major New England shibboleths are the “dropping” of post-vocalic r (as in [ka:] car and [ba:n] barn) and the low central vowel [a] in the BATH class, words like aunt and glass (Carver 1987: 21). It is not surprising that these two features are among the most famous dialect phenomena in the region, as both are characteristic of the “Boston accent,” and Boston, as we discuss below, is the major urban center of the area. However, neither pattern is found across all of New England, nor are they all there is to the well-known dialect group. -
The Past, Present, and Future of English Dialects: Quantifying Convergence, Divergence, and Dynamic Equilibrium
Language Variation and Change, 22 (2010), 69–104. © Cambridge University Press, 2010 0954-3945/10 $16.00 doi:10.1017/S0954394510000013 The past, present, and future of English dialects: Quantifying convergence, divergence, and dynamic equilibrium WARREN M AGUIRE AND A PRIL M C M AHON University of Edinburgh P AUL H EGGARTY University of Cambridge D AN D EDIU Max-Planck-Institute for Psycholinguistics ABSTRACT This article reports on research which seeks to compare and measure the similarities between phonetic transcriptions in the analysis of relationships between varieties of English. It addresses the question of whether these varieties have been converging, diverging, or maintaining equilibrium as a result of endogenous and exogenous phonetic and phonological changes. We argue that it is only possible to identify such patterns of change by the simultaneous comparison of a wide range of varieties of a language across a data set that has not been specifically selected to highlight those changes that are believed to be important. Our analysis suggests that although there has been an obvious reduction in regional variation with the loss of traditional dialects of English and Scots, there has not been any significant convergence (or divergence) of regional accents of English in recent decades, despite the rapid spread of a number of features such as TH-fronting. THE PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE OF ENGLISH DIALECTS Trudgill (1990) made a distinction between Traditional and Mainstream dialects of English. Of the Traditional dialects, he stated (p. 5) that: They are most easily found, as far as England is concerned, in the more remote and peripheral rural areas of the country, although some urban areas of northern and western England still have many Traditional Dialect speakers. -
Downloaded an Applet That Would Allow the Recordings to Be Collected Remotely
UC Berkeley UC Berkeley PhonLab Annual Report Title A Survey of English Vowel Spaces of Asian American Californians Permalink https://escholarship.org/uc/item/4w84m8k4 Journal UC Berkeley PhonLab Annual Report, 12(1) ISSN 2768-5047 Author Cheng, Andrew Publication Date 2016 DOI 10.5070/P7121040736 Peer reviewed eScholarship.org Powered by the California Digital Library University of California UC Berkeley Phonetics and Phonology Lab Annual Report (2016) A Survey of English Vowel Spaces of Asian American Californians Andrew Cheng∗ May 2016 Abstract A phonetic study of the vowel spaces of 535 young speakers of Californian English showed that participation in the California Vowel Shift, a sound change unique to the West Coast region of the United States, varied depending on the speaker's self- identified ethnicity. For example, the fronting of the pre-nasal hand vowel varied by ethnicity, with White speakers participating the most and Chinese and South Asian speakers participating less. In another example, Korean and South Asian speakers of Californian English had a more fronted foot vowel than the White speakers. Overall, the study confirms that CVS is present in almost all young speakers of Californian English, although the degree of participation for any individual speaker is variable on account of several interdependent social factors. 1 Introduction This is a study on the English spoken by Americans of Asian descent living in California. Specifically, it will look at differences in vowel qualities between English speakers of various ethnic -
Downeast New England and South Boston Dialects
Downeast New England and South Boston Dialects by Juraj Gašpar Geographical Location Geographical Location The Downeast dialect - coastal Maine - southern New Hampshire - working-class Boston north-shore - eastern Rhode Island The South Boston dialect - Boston The Downeast New England Dialect Signature sounds 1. In the lot and cloth lexical sets we hear [ɒ] or [ɑ]. [ɒ] is the older, more traditional vowel and is pronounced half-long [ɒˑ]. rotten, lost jobs, college, swan, waffle, knowledge, off, cough, froth, cross, soft, often, Australia, long, Communist 2. In the bath set we most commonly hear long [aː] bath, pass, card, chance, last, branch, demand, example, half-caste 3. In the nurse set we hear [ɜː], [ɝ] or [ɞ]. The non-rhotic versions are the older, more traditional sounds bird, curly, furniture, pernicious, certain, earth, herd, rehearsal, work, worst, sermon, turncoat 4. In the face set we hear [eː]. The vowel tends to be a single-stage vowel, monophthong rather than diphthong, close and tense in the vicinity of [e] tape, change, taper, april, gauge, weight, day, rain, great 5. In the thought set we hear a variety of sounds in the region, a not very lip-rounded [ɔ] and [ʌ], the best being [ɒə] with a slight offglide taught, odd, applaud, atom, gob, jaw, chalk, all, bald, hold, alter, fault, awful, naughty, broad, small 6. In the goat set we hear [o], a fairly pure single-stage vowel in the vicinity of [u] soap, road, hole, noble, bowl, soul, cult, role, sow, dough 7. In the price set we hear [ʌɪ], the prescriptive GenAm, and [eɪ] or [əɪ] – the most evocative of the traditional dialect mind, timely, bright-eyed, childlike, bicycle, tight, either, height, fight 8. -
Open Research Online Oro.Open.Ac.Uk
Open Research Online The Open University’s repository of research publications and other research outputs “You can just give those documents to myself’: Untriggered reflexive pronouns in 21st century spoken British English Book Section How to cite: Paterson, Laura (2018). “You can just give those documents to myself’: Untriggered reflexive pronouns in 21st century spoken British English. In: Brezina, Vaclav; Love, Robbie and Aijmer, Karin eds. Corpus Approaches to Contemporary British Speech. Sociolinguistic Studies of the Spoken (BNC2014). Abingdon: Routledge. For guidance on citations see FAQs. c 2018 Routledge Version: Accepted Manuscript Link(s) to article on publisher’s website: https://www.routledge.com/Corpus-Approaches-to-Contemporary-British-Speech-Sociolinguistic-Studies/Brezina-Love-Aijmer/p/book/9781138287273 Copyright and Moral Rights for the articles on this site are retained by the individual authors and/or other copyright owners. For more information on Open Research Online’s data policy on reuse of materials please consult the policies page. oro.open.ac.uk You can just give those documents to myself’: Untriggered reflexive pronouns in 21st century spoken British English Laura L. Paterson, The Open University, UK 1. Introduction Reflexive pronouns, such as myself, herself, yourselves, share a real-world referent with other components of the clause (or local domain) in which they occur. As such, they require a coreferent noun phrase (NP) to fulfil their syntactic criteria. In the sentence ‘The cat washes herself’, the NP the cat and the reflexive pronoun herself correspond to the same entity and share a syntactic bond. However, despite formal syntactic constraints, reflexive pronouns are used without coreferent NPs in (some varieties of) English (Parker, Riley and Meyer 1990). -
What Are Mergers?
What are mergers? Warren Maguire (University of Edinburgh) Lynn Clark (Lancaster University) Kevin Watson (University of Canterbury) Example mergers • You’ll all have heard of the following (and many other phonological mergers besides): – the MEAT-MEET merger: the merger of Middle English / ɛː / and /e ː/ – the /o/ -/oh/ merger or COT -CAUGHT merger: the merger of English / ɒ/ (or / ɑ/) and / ɔː / – the NEAR-SQUARE merger: the merger of the vowel in words such as beer , fear , near with the vowel in words such as bare , fair , square • But what are these phenomena? – and why are they of considerable interest to linguists? Phonological merger • ‘Merger’ in these cases refers to loss or absence of phonological distinction • ‘Merger’ can refer to a property of a language, of variety of a language, or of a speech community – these are convenient cover terms for collections of individuals (and their phonologies) who are more or less similar • It can refer to a feature of an individual’s phonology – in comparison with those of other speakers Synchronic and diachronic merger • ‘Merger’ may refer to a synchronic state – absence of a historic distinction (which may still exist elsewhere) – in varieties – in individuals • Or to diachronic change – loss of a distinction over time – in varieties – can individuals lose distinctions? Synchronic merger • A complicating issue is that, though phonology is a cognitive state, speakers don’t live in vacuums but are exposed to other speech patterns which may be different than their own – how much knowledge -
A Feasibility Study of Hypercorrection in The
I IS PRESTIGIOUS: A FEASIBILITY STUDY OF HYPERCORRECTION IN THE ACCUSATIVE CASE IN AMERICAN ENGLISH A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO THE GRADUATE SCHOOL IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS BY BENJAMIN D. BISHOP GUILHERME DUARTE GARCIA - ADVISOR BALL STATE UNIVERSITY MUNCIE, INDIANA MAY 2020 1 I IS PRESTIGIOUS Page 2 Contents 1 Abstract 4 2 Introduction 4 2.1 Linguistic Viruses . 4 2.2 Hypercorrection . 5 2.3 Identity in L1 English Hypercorrection . 7 2.4 Instructional Implications . 9 2.5 Objective . 10 3 Methods 12 4 Experiment 1 13 4.1 Methodology, Experiment 1 . 13 4.2 Results, Experiment 1 . 15 4.3 Discussion, Experiment 1 . 17 4.3.1 Hypercorrection and grouping . 17 4.3.2 Hypercorrection and time in residence . 18 4.3.3 Hypercorrection and age . 19 4.3.4 Hypercorrection and degree . 19 4.4 Overall Discussion . 19 5 Experiment 2 20 5.1 Methodology Experiment 2 . 20 5.2 Results, Experiment 2 . 21 5.3 Discussion, Experiment 2 . 23 5.3.1 Positional Import . 23 5.3.2 Education . 24 5.3.3 Age . 24 I IS PRESTIGIOUS Page 3 6 General Discussion 25 6.1 Degree and hypercorrection in culture . 25 6.2 Age and hypercorrection in culture . 26 6.3 The linguistic virus' structure . 27 6.3.1 The Linguistic Virus' Internal Structure . 27 6.3.2 The Linguistic Virus' External Placement . 28 6.3.3 The Linguistic Virus' Virulence . 28 6.4 Implications for instruction . 28 7 Conclusions 29 8 Implications for Future Research 30 I IS PRESTIGIOUS Page 4 1 Abstract Hypercorrection is an overgeneralization of a prestige semantic struc- ture (Piattelli-Palmarini and Uriagereka, 2004). -
British Or American English?
Beteckning Department of Humanities and Social Sciences British or American English? - Attitudes, Awareness and Usage among Pupils in a Secondary School Ann-Kristin Alftberg June 2009 C-essay 15 credits English Linguistics English C Examiner: Gabriella Åhmansson, PhD Supervisor: Tore Nilsson, PhD Abstract The aim of this study is to find out which variety of English pupils in secondary school use, British or American English, if they are aware of their usage, and if there are differences between girls and boys. British English is normally the variety taught in school, but influences of American English due to exposure of different media are strong and have consequently a great impact on Swedish pupils. This study took place in a secondary school, and 33 pupils in grade 9 participated in the investigation. They filled in a questionnaire which investigated vocabulary, attitudes and awareness, and read a list of words out loud. The study showed that the pupils tend to use American English more than British English, in both vocabulary and pronunciation, and that all of the pupils mixed American and British features. A majority of the pupils had a higher preference for American English, particularly the boys, who also seemed to be more aware of which variety they use, and in general more aware of the differences between British and American English. Keywords: British English, American English, vocabulary, pronunciation, attitudes 2 Table of Contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... -
Resource for Self-Determination Or Perpetuation of Linguistic Imposition: Examining the Impact of English Learner Classification Among Alaska Native Students
EdWorkingPaper No. 21-420 Resource for Self-Determination or Perpetuation of Linguistic Imposition: Examining the Impact of English Learner Classification among Alaska Native Students Ilana M. Umansky Manuel Vazquez Cano Lorna M. Porter University of Oregon University of Oregon University of Oregon Federal law defines eligibility for English learner (EL) classification differently for Indigenous students compared to non-Indigenous students. Indigenous students, unlike non-Indigenous students, are not required to have a non-English home or primary language. A critical question, therefore, is how EL classification impacts Indigenous students’ educational outcomes. This study explores this question for Alaska Native students, drawing on data from five Alaska school districts. Using a regression discontinuity design, we find evidence that among students who score near the EL classification threshold in kindergarten, EL classification has a large negative impact on Alaska Native students’ academic outcomes, especially in the 3rd and 4th grades. Negative impacts are not found for non-Alaska Native students in the same districts. VERSION: June 2021 Suggested citation: Umansky, Ilana, Manuel Vazquez Cano, and Lorna Porter. (2021). Resource for Self-Determination or Perpetuation of Linguistic Imposition: Examining the Impact of English Learner Classification among Alaska Native Students. (EdWorkingPaper: 21-420). Retrieved from Annenberg Institute at Brown University: https://doi.org/10.26300/mym3-1t98 ALASKA NATIVE EL RD Resource for Self-Determination or Perpetuation of Linguistic Imposition: Examining the Impact of English Learner Classification among Alaska Native Students* Ilana M. Umansky Manuel Vazquez Cano Lorna M. Porter * As authors, we’d like to extend our gratitude and appreciation for meaningful discussion and feedback which shaped the intent, design, analysis, and writing of this study. -
LEXICAL and SOCIOLINGUISTIC VARIATION in QATARI ARABIC by Darwish Ghuloom Hussein Yousef Al-Amadidhi Thesis Submitted for the De
LEXICAL AND SOCIOLINGUISTICVARIATION IN QATARI ARABIC by Darwish Ghuloom Hussein Yousef Al-amadidhi Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Edinburgh 1985 Dedication To my parents and my wife with love and gratitude Abstract This thesis embodies the result of an investigation into two linguistic variables: the (d3) and the (Q) in QD. The basic issue tackled is this: are variations observed in these variables rule governed? If so, are they linguistic or non-linguistic? A close examination of the data has shown that the variables are governed to a great extent by the class of lexical item containing the variaoles. Moreover they have demonstrated co-variation with paralinguistic factors such as social group membership, age, level of education and style. The social motivation for change and variation are highlighted. Such processes occur as a result of status-ranking of local social dialects and as a result of the tendency of the younger people to modify their speech in the direction of the superimposed variety, which is learnt at school. The impact of the process of modernization on linguistic change is also examined. Acknowledgement I would like to thank the University of Qatar for providing me with the full scholarship which made it possible for me to continue my post graduate studies and complete this work. I must also- express my deep appreciation and thanks to the Cultural Attache's Office (Embassy of Qatar) in London for the help they offered during my stay in Britain-. This thesis would perhaps not have been completed without the interest, encouragement, patience and perspicacious criticism of my supervisor, Professor James R. -
Usage, Rules, and Style
USAGE, RULES, AND STYLE BY JACK LYNCH, ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF ENGLISH RUTGERS UNIVERSITY, NEWARK , NEW JERSEY Web: http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/links.html Email: <[email protected]> The Above, The Following. Lists are common in some sorts of writing, introduced by the following and referred to by the above. But you can often make a sentence clearer and punchier with simple pronouns: instead of the above topics, try these topics — the context makes your subject clear. Action Verbs. Action verbs, as the name reveals, express actions; contrast them with verbs of being. Think of the difference between "I study" (action verb, even if it's not the most exciting action) and "I am a student" (verb of being). It's often wise to cut down on verbs of being, replacing them (whenever possible) with action verbs; that'll make your writing punchier. Whatever you do, though, don't confuse action verbs with the active voice, which is the opposite of the passive voice. Sentences with verbs of being (such as am, is, are, were) aren't necessarily passive sentences, even if they're often weak ones. Affect versus Effect. Affect with an a is usually a verb; effect with an e is (usually) a noun. When you affect something, you have an effect on it. The usual adjective is effective. If the usuals leave you curious, here's the rest of the story: affective as an adjective means "relating to or arousing an emotional reaction"; effect as a verb means "to bring about" or "to accomplish," as in "to effect a change." All of. -
MIXED CODES, BILINGUALISM, and LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requi
BILINGUAL NAVAJO: MIXED CODES, BILINGUALISM, AND LANGUAGE MAINTENANCE DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of The Ohio State University By Charlotte C. Schaengold, M.A. ***** The Ohio State University 2004 Dissertation Committee: Approved by Professor Brian Joseph, Advisor Professor Donald Winford ________________________ Professor Keith Johnson Advisor Linguistics Graduate Program ABSTRACT Many American Indian Languages today are spoken by fewer than one hundred people, yet Navajo is still spoken by over 100,000 people and has maintained regional as well as formal and informal dialects. However, the language is changing. While the Navajo population is gradually shifting from Navajo toward English, the “tip” in the shift has not yet occurred, and enormous efforts are being made in Navajoland to slow the language’s decline. One symptom in this process of shift is the fact that many young people on the Reservation now speak a non-standard variety of Navajo called “Bilingual Navajo.” This non-standard variety of Navajo is the linguistic result of the contact between speakers of English and speakers of Navajo. Similar to Michif, as described by Bakker and Papen (1988, 1994, 1997) and Media Lengua, as described by Muysken (1994, 1997, 2000), Bilingual Navajo has the structure of an American Indian language with parts of its lexicon from a European language. “Bilingual mixed languages” are defined by Winford (2003) as languages created in a bilingual speech community with the grammar of one language and the lexicon of another. My intention is to place Bilingual Navajo into the historical and theoretical framework of the bilingual mixed language, and to explain how ii this language can be used in the Navajo speech community to help maintain the Navajo language.