Michelle Obama's anticipatory retroflexion

[David Bowie]

From:    Herb Stahlke <hfwstahlke at GMAIL.COM>

> 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?

Maybe she's actually German? :-)

--
David Bowie                               University of Central Florida
     Jeanne's Two Laws of Chocolate: If there is no chocolate in the
     house, there is too little; some must be purchased. If there is
     chocolate in the house, there is too much; it must be consumed.

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