Low Back Vowel Query

[Terry Irons]

In response to Matt's observation, I should make clear that it is not
the case the the phenomenon which I am observing is not in speakers who
have a merger or near-merger of the vowels in cot/caught, don/dawn,
hod/hawed, cod/cawed.  They vowels are distinct.  What I see (and have
seen in some speakers who are moving toward merger) is the loss of the
upglide before the voiceless alveolar.  Upon further investigation, I
also see the loss before the alveolar nasal and also the voiceless
labio-dental (f).    But these same speakers, who are not merging, have
a strong upglide before voiced alveolar stops and velar stops.

--
Virtually, Terry
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Terry Lynn Irons        t.irons at morehead-st.edu
Voice Mail:             (606) 783-5164
Snail Mail:             UPO 604 Morehead, KY 40351
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