fronted /oU/

[Bob Haas]

The actor's name is Emily Proctor, and I've noticed the interesting accent
that she brings to the role.  It's as if she's stretching out those vowels
in the words she means to emphasize, which is not a bad reproduction of some
of the speech patterns of folks that live here in NC.  But it does have a
Valley Girl bent to it that seems a touch odd to these southern ears.

bob

> From: Beverly Flanigan <flanigan at OAK.CATS.OHIOU.EDU>
> Reply-To: American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Date: Fri, 3 Nov 2000 11:53:34 -0500
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
> Subject: Re: fronted /oU/
>
> It's also in southern and southeastern Ohio, where I hear it mainly in mid-
> and older people, so it's been around a long time in the South
> Midland.  It's not the same as Valley Girl fronting, at least not that of
> my southern Cal VG grad student, nor is it quite the same as in RP, but
> it's close.  I forget who plays Ainsley; could she be doing a poor
> imitation of NC and/or private school vowels?