LL-L "Phonology" 2003.08.31 (06) [E]

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From: Douglas G. Wilson <douglas at nb.net>
Subject: LL-L "Phonology" 2003.08.31 (01) [E]

>It's just /w/ in the United States in practically every state I've visited
>....

More precise information, from Labov et al. (U. Penn.), 1997: of 587
US-ans, about 10.5% distinguish /hw/ from /w/ CLEARLY in speech, while
another 1.5% or so are "close" (make a slight distinction).

Map at

http://www.ling.upenn.edu/phono_atlas/maps/Map8.html

shows that although there is some concentration of /hw/ in the Southeast,
New England, and maybe Great Lakes regions, /hw/ is widespread, although in
the minority essentially everywhere in the US.

There is no large region of the US where /hw/ is "never heard", AFAIK, but
also no large area in which it is dominant. The Far West appears to have
the least /hw/, but since many people move from other regions to the West
Coast every year one must assume that there is appreciable /hw/ heard in
the West too. The same would apply to New York (City) for example.

-- Doug Wilson

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