Return of the minimal pairs

[Rick Mc Callister]

/da:k at rti:/ is common in the Northeast, i.e. where more recent arrivals
from Ireland are found
but /do:@rti:/ & /dorti:/ are more common elsewhere in the US --where the
most common spellings are Doherty and Dougherty

[snip]

>I've just checked the pronunciations of a couple more of these troublesome
>Irish names in John Wells's pronouncing dictionary.  For 'Docherty', Wells
>gives the pronunciation with [x] (a velar fricative) as usual in Britain,
>and the pronunciation with /k/ as usual in the US and not uncommon in
>Britain, but he doesn't recognize a variant with /h/, even though I'm
>pretty sure I've heard this on occasion.  I use [x], just as I do in
>'Bach'.
[snip]
> Do any of you Yanks out there *really*
>pronounce an /h/ in 'vehicle'?

	Only when I'm plowing the back forty ;p

>Larry Trask

[ moderator snip ]

Rick Mc Callister
W-1634
Mississippi University for Women
Columbus MS 39701