wheel barrels?

[Thomas Paikeday]

Bethany,

FWIW, here is my explanation of why you hear "wheel barrow" as "wheel
barrel":

The "l" sound in that position is rounded, so is "w". The "-ow"/"-el"
confusion, I believe, is borne out in similar phonetic contexts including
"-al", "-il", "-ol", -"ul", and "-yl" if someone will supply examples in
support of or against this claim by a non-phonetician.

TOM PAIKEDAY
www.paikeday.net

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bethany K. Dumas" <dumasb at UTK.EDU>
To: <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2004 8:26 AM
Subject: wheel barrels?


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
header -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       "Bethany K. Dumas" <dumasb at UTK.EDU>
> Subject:      wheel barrels?
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----
>
> I've heard <wheel barrel>, but I do not recall SEEING it before. This is
from
> a message board on Yahoo!
> Finance:
>
>
> Wait until the Bonus Plan is announced. They will be using wheel barrels
to
> take their cash home.
>
>
> Bethany
>