_apricot, caramel_

[Laurence Horn]

On Dec 18, 2011, at 9:52 PM, V wrote:

> 1. [ae] in the first syllable of 'apricot'
> 2. In bisyllabic caramel, I see the COT vowel.

Agreed; I hear that pronunciation as a homophone of "Carmel", when the latter gets forestress, as it sometimes does (e.g. in "Carmel Valley", given the rhythm adjustment).

> In trisyllabic caramel, I
> see a vowel near to BET.

I'd say more like "BAT", but then I'm a Mary/marry/merry distinguisher.  For me, it's the "marry" vowel, not the "merry" one, so more "bat" than "bet".

LH

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