Re: USAGE: American low back vowels [was Re: New Try from a New Guy]

Thomas R. Wier writes:
 > Quoting John Cowan <jcowan@...>:
 >
 > > Joseph Fatula scripsit:
 > >
 > > > Is the first vowel sound in American English "father" [a]?  The way that
 > > > sounds normal to me doesn't seem to have any diphthongization at all.
 > >
 > > Most Americans use [A] here, but in Boston they say [a].
 >
 > In Chicago as well.
 >
 > Question:  does anyone know where Mark Rosenfelder is?  I emailed him
 > some time ago about the possibility of a Chicago conlangcon, and he
 > never responded.
 >
I believe he's physically in Chicago, but in any case he has regular
computer access.  He's set up a new discussion forum at

http://www.spinnoff.com/zbb/index.php

and posts frequently.  So I guess my advice is to try mailing him again.