Re: Probability of Article Replacement?

On Tuesday 25 February 2003 9:47 pm, Joe wrote:
> On Tuesday 25 February 2003 8:27 pm, John Cowan wrote:
> > Joe scripsit:
> > > I think one may be discarded by a process of elision.  'the' is doing
> > > this in some english dialects, especially after a glottal stop.  It
> > > usually still is there, as a very weak [@]. ie. 'at the pool' [&?@
> > > puM/].
> >
> > I would understand that as "at a pool", so I doubt that version will
> > catch on, since it obliterates an essential distinction.
>
> Well, it seems to be quite common in England, which means, I suppose that
> it has 'caught on', to some degree.  Anyway, there are a few other effects
> - first, it glottalises the final consonant: (eg. Mac the cat [m&k_?_}@k&?]
> ( I know, that was a rather random example, but hey).  In some cases, the
> schwa is completely ommited, and the preceding vowel [m&:kk&?].
that's meant to be 'and the preceding vowel lengthened.  Sorry.