Michelle Obama's anticipatory retroflexion

[Herb Stahlke]

I noticed stronger and more consistent anticipatory retroflex
assimilation in Michelle Obama's speech tonight that I've heard
anywhere before.  All cases I noticed of initial /str/ clusters
retroflexed the /s/.  In at least one case I heard "was strengthened"
with retroflexion extending to the lenis alveolar fricative of "was."
Perseverative retroflexion is common:  Ladefoged gives the example of
"hardened" in which the /dnd/ is all retroflexed.  But anticipatory
retroflexion isn't so wide-spread.  Does anyone know the dialect
distribution of this feature?

Herb

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