Re: more English orthography

From: "John Cowan"

> > /E:/ vs. /E/? A big three-way
> > distinction sounds very New York to me.
> Well, I was born just outside the standard Newyorkese isogloss bundle
> (/oi/ -> /@/, e.g.) but I have [mejri], [m&ri], and [mEri] quite
> clearly.
I had no intention of dismissing your experience. It's just that, for me,
when I hear /mejri/, I begin to start anticipating expressions like "stand
on line" and "Could we let's go already?", and the word "ruin" almost
pronounced /ryn/. Perhaps "New York" paints it with too large a brush.
Brooklyn? If I understand you correctly, the (/oi/ -> /@/, e.g.) (and isn't
it vice versa, too?) thing sounds like Archie Bunker, and didn't the Bunkers
live in Queens?

Kou