~ (UNCLASSIFIED)

[Tom Zurinskas]

Thanks, I'd like to see some stats.  95% is pretty high.

Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+
see truespel.com




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> Date: Sun, 22 Feb 2009 15:09:47 -0500
> From: paul.johnston at WMICH.EDU
> Subject: Re: ~ (UNCLASSIFIED)
> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>
> ---------------------- Information from the mail header -----------------------
> Sender: American Dialect Society
> Poster: Paul Johnston
> Subject: Re: ~ (UNCLASSIFIED)
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Tom,
> That;'s because all the local Standards are 95% similar (I'd put it a
> little less, but not much) on a phonemic basis. Most of the
> differences are on the sub-phonemic level. The consonant systems,
> phonemically, are nearly identical all over the US, for instance.
> The vowel systems do differ phonemically, but not much with this kind
> of variety--your "awe-dropping", rhoticity vs. non-rhoticity (only a
> few non-rhotic or, more likely, variably rhotic newscasters, but
> those that are, Walters, King etc. are known for it) . Some lexical
> incidence differences appear in individual words, though this is the
> stuff that the pronunciation guides concentrate on. I'll give you
> actual stats when I'm finished if you want to see them. You'll be
> surprised.
>
> Paul Johnston
> On Feb 21, 2009, at 7:02 PM, Tom Zurinskas wrote:
>
>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>> -----------------------
>> Sender: American Dialect Society
>> Poster: Tom Zurinskas
>> Subject: Re: ~ (UNCLASSIFIED)
>> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>> ---------
>>
>> However, if you actually listen to>broadcasters given a national
>> platform by the networks, there's very>little commonality to their
>> speech, except insofar as they speak a>relatively educated variety
>> of North American English.
>>
>> I'd like to see some proof of this. I'd wager most broadcaster are
>> at least 95% similar in speech on a phoneme by phoneme basis.
>>
>> Tom Zurinskas, USA - CT20, TN3, NJ33, FL5+
>> see truespel.com
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> ----------------------------------------
>>> Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:46:55 -0500
>>> From: medievalist at W-STS.COM
>>> Subject: Re: ~ (UNCLASSIFIED)
>>> To: ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU
>>>
>>> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
>>> -----------------------
>>> Sender: American Dialect Society
>>> Poster: Amy West
>>> Subject: Re: ~ (UNCLASSIFIED)
>>> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
>>> ----------
>>>
>>> I'd like to thank Alice Faber and Paul Johnston for clearing up my
>>> understanding of standard American pronunciation (dictionary prons,
>>> broadcasting pron. guides) with their excellent explanations. I now
>>> understand it to *not* be a particular regional pronunciation, but
>>> rather a collection of the most common features among the various
>>> regional standard dialects.
>>>
>>> Just to clarify, I think you're both saying that yes, this standard
>>> American pronunciation is a construct, an artifice -- which was
>>> already how I understood it -- but I was incorrect in thinking that
>>> it was a regional dialect elevated to the standard. Also, I think
>>> you're both saying that this standard American pronunciation is an
>>> ideal found in those dictionary prons. and broadcasting guides that
>>> is never actually fully realized.
>>>
>>> ---Amy West
>>>
>>> (PS Thanks for taking the time to discuss this with me and further
>>> clear up my understanding)
>>>
>>>> Well, the thing is that a lot of Americans--at least those who think
>>>> about these things at all--*believe* that there's a midwestern,
>>>> broadcasting standard accent. However, if you actually listen to
>>>> broadcasters given a national platform by the networks, there's very
>>>> little commonality to their speech, except insofar as they speak a
>>>> relatively educated variety of North American English.
>>>
>>> ------------------------------------------------------------
>>> The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org
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