Re: CHAT: This or that that.

Lars,

Northern English /{/ is indeed realised as [a], so there's nothing wrong
with your ears. The traditional "school" transcription comes from RP which
has the raised front [{], in more conservative RP varieties even [E] or
[E@]. In Liverpool you will be hearing [Dats] or even [Das] for <that>.

The southern English accents usually have a more raised vowel, though
nowadays there appear to be a tendency towards [a] as well.

Dan




From: Lars Finsen
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2007 11:32 PM
"I have an English phonology question... sorry, I mean EPQ, of course: In
school we learn here that the English a in words like 'that' is pronounced
[{]. But whenever I hear Englishmen speak, except BBC newsreaders or upper
class, I am hearing [a]. Of course my experience is limited and I have
travelled mostly in the north. (Planning a trip to Liverpool this spring.)
My school apparently has misinformed me, or is my impression wrong? But if
not - if no English dialects have [{], where does school English have it
from?

LEF"