/I/raq, /aI/raq, /a/raq and /schwa/raq

[Laurence Horn]

>The newscasters say /I/raq, as do the dictionaries. The generals
>they interview, however, say /aI/raq.

Note also the effect on the second syllable.  In my experience,
Americans (like those generals) who send that first vowel through the
Great Vowel Shift always front (i.e. Americanize) the second one, so
the result is invariably /aiRAEK/ ("I rack") and never /aiRAK/ ("I
rock").  Those who keep a lax vowel (either schwa or /I/ or maybe
barred-i) in the first syllable may use either /ae/ or /a/ in the
second syllable.

Larry, wondering now if "always" and "invariably" are too strong.
Well, they are in the scope of "In my experience..."