Re: Californian vowels [was Re: Liking German]

> Quoting John Cowan <cowan@...>:
>
> > Robert Hailman scripsit:
> > > I'm from Canada, and "spider" and "inside her" rhyme for me. I can't
> > > think of ever hearing them not rhyme. [spaid@'] and [insaid h@'],
> > > ([@'] is the rhotic schwa, right?]) or something like that.
> >
> > Well, most of your compatriots say [sp@idR] and [insaidR].  So do
> > people from Pennsylvania: the so-called Canadian Raising.
>
> As well as those from Tidewater Virginia.
I'm from New York, and I say: [spajdr] and [Insajdr] so they form a perfect frime
for me......did I just say frime...oh well.. :)

Also, bringing this thread back to its roots, I'd like to address something I've
noticed in the speech of a friend of mine from LA.

I can't remember all of the particulars but I'll try to elucidate some of what I hear.

In his speech the vowel /u/ becomes /y/ or something close to that in some
environments. Right now I don't really remember what those environments might
be but a few of the words I remember are:

food /fyd/
too /ty/

hrm...I hesitate to say that it's exactly /y/ because 'too' doesn't sound like french 'tu' to me.

Anyway, are there any LA people out there or Southern Californians in general who might help out?

Also, I'd like to point out that the word 'move' which I pronounce /muv/ is also
pronounced /muv/ by my friend....go figure. :)

Elliott

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