Re: What do you call it

Sarah Marie Parker-Allen scripsit:

> When a single word has two alternate pronunciations, amongst the same
> population (that is, each and every person would say it either way, freely),
You call it "free variation".  In my pronunciation, though, /Di/ and /D@/
aren't in free variation: the first is used before vowels, the second
before consonants.  The rule is just like that for "an" vs. "a", but
not expressed in writing.

I think /wID/ and /wIT/ for "with" are in free variation for me, but
it's hard to be sure.

--
John Cowan           http://www.ccil.org/~cowan              cowan@ccil.org
To say that Bilbo's breath was taken away is no description at all.  There
are no words left to express his staggerment, since Men changed the language
that they learned of elves in the days when all the world was wonderful.
        --_The Hobbit_

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