Conversation started Feb 19, 2012 at 17:41.
Cerberus
Cerberus
Feb 19, 2012 17:41
@AlanMunn Do you say what sounds like a boot for about?
@MattЭллен The fat ones count double?
Alan Munn
Alan Munn
@Cerberus You mean as in a car? Not really.
Matt Эллен
Matt Эллен
@Cerberus minimum
Cerberus
Cerberus
Sounds fair.
@AlanMunn No no, aboot.
Alan Munn
Alan Munn
@Cerberus Yes. This is called Canadian Raising. And it's not really an [u], although I'm sure you know that.
Cerberus
Cerberus
I don't know what the exact IPA symbol is, but it does sound much like u to me...?
Or ʊ, then?
Alan Munn
Alan Munn
Feb 19, 2012 17:45
@Cerberus Yes, that's the perception by non-linguists. It's actually [ʌʊ] in lieu of [aʊ] before voiceless consonants.
Cerberus
Cerberus
Hmm really?
When I say it in my mind it doesn't sound quite the way ʌ should sound...but I am not familiar with ʌʊ at all.
Is there any other word that has ʌʊ?
I mean, outside the Canadian accent.
Alan Munn
Alan Munn
@Cerberus They're both diphthongs. The pronunciation is actually closest to BrEng 'boat', although not identical.
Cerberus
Cerberus
Hmm yes, that actually rings a bell. "A boat" sounds much like Canadian "about" to me.
But a bit more rounded.
If that's what it is.
I believe "boat" is /bəʊt/?
Alan Munn
Alan Munn
@Cerberus Right. And the difference between [ə] and [ʌ] as the first part of the diphthong isn't very much. For N. Americans, that difference is simply one of stress. For non-rhotic dialects like BrEng, the distinction is clearer: the difference between 'bird' and 'bud'.
Cerberus
Cerberus
Feb 19, 2012 18:02
@AlanMunn Hmm but isn't bird also longer?
Like /bɜːd/?
Whereas bud is just /bʌd/.
Alan Munn
Alan Munn
@Cerberus Yes, it is (because of the the missing /r/).
Cerberus
Cerberus
Yes, compensatory lengthening, or what is it called?
Alan Munn
Alan Munn
@Cerberus Yes, exactly.
Cerberus
Cerberus
A pretty universal phenomenon, I should say.
 
Conversation ended Feb 19, 2012 at 18:07.