Catsup etc. (was: Re: Carbonated beverages)

[Matthew Gordon]

The 'catsup' with /ae/ vs. /E/ matter is further complicated by the Northern Cities Shift (a/k/a God's gift to sociolinguists in the North). In this Shift, /ae/ is raised and /E/ is lowered or backed. If a speaker has /ae/ in 'catsup' but participates in the Shift, then the phonetic outcome might be [E] (maybe with an inglide). A shifty speaker that classes 'catsup' with /E/ however might produce something like [ae].