Re: Origins of [i\]

On Mon, 23 Feb 2009, Benct Philip Jonsson wrote:
> Can anyone cite any examples of how [i\]
> has arisen in natlangs other than by
> unroounding of [u]?  In particular I
> wonder if there is any attestation of
> an [e] > [7] > [u\] path of change?
>
> The New Zealand English [I] > [I\]
> would seem to come close.
>
> /BP
The following description comes from New Zealand English <deep breath> A
Guide To The Correction Pronunciation Of English, With Special
Reference To New Zealand Conditions And Problems</deep breath>, by Pr.
Arnold Wall, 1959.

Short i: One very serious and widespread mispronunciation gives an
unstressed short "i", whether as a syllable or in a independent word,
the value of the obscure vowel [@].  Thus "Alice," "Philip," "malice,"
become "Allus" [&l@s], "Phillup" or "Phullup" or even "Phulp" [fIl@p,
fUl@p, fUlp], "malluss" [m&l@s].  "It" appears as "ut" [@t} in "is ut?"
[Iz @t].

Before "l" also short "i" is often obscured.  The name "Bill" becomes
[b@l], in ordinary spelling nearer to "Bull" than "Bill".  "Milk"
and "silk," as in Cockney speech, become "mulk," "sulk,"
or "mjolk," "sjolk."  "Children" becomes "chuldren" [tSUldr\@n].

I don't have anything more recent than this on NZEng.  It is certainly a
treasure IMO

Andrew.

--
Andrew Smith  --  hobbit@griffler.co.nz  --
http://hobbit.griffler.co.nz/homepage.html

"If you are gonna rebell you have to wear our uniform."

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