California vowels

[Douglas Bigham]

Yeah, I've heard this.  I use this pronunciation sometimes.  It feels like
I'm quoting something.  Was there any kind of nasal-y thing (or even a breathy
thing) at the beginning?  It feels like, for me, that's more common with an
@-a  final vowel thing.  Yeah... I'm definitely "quoting" something with this...
just not sure what. I'll check with some friends about this.

-doug

In a message dated 2/2/2005 4:40:56 PM Central Standard Time,
flanigan at OHIOU.EDU writes:
A follow-up to my "okay" query:
Today a grad student responded to something I said with [ok@]--with fairly
balanced stress on the two syllables in this case.  It might have even been
closer to [oka].  But he's from Cleveland!  Which makes me wonder if this
is a kind of "underground" young persons' adoption, spread from
wherever?  He's 24-ish, very hip, etc.  Has anyone else heard this?

-dsb
Douglas S. Bigham
Department of Linguistics
University of Texas - Austin
http://hometown.aol.com/capn002/myhomepage/index.html