"Miss" vs. "Ma'am"

[Herb Stahlke]

In the "Ms. Downs" vs. "Ms. Towns" contrast, the [z] devoices before /t/,
as lenix obstruents do regularly in English.  However, English /s/ is a
fortis obstruent and is distinct from devoiced [z].  Native speakers are
rarely aware of this distinction.  It's a matter of glottal timing.



On Tue, Oct 29, 2013 at 8:35 AM, Amy West <medievalist at w-sts.com> wrote:

> ---------------------- Information from the mail header
> -----------------------
> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Amy West <medievalist at W-STS.COM>
> Subject:      Re: "Miss" vs. "Ma'am"
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> I am tone-deaf and not a phonologist and do mishear things, but this is
> very clearly "Miss" with a short i and a sibilant s. (My apologies for
> not knowing the more accurate technical terms.)
>
> ---Amy West
>
> On 10/29/13 12:02 AM, Automatic digest processor wrote:
> > Date:    Mon, 28 Oct 2013 10:43:08 -0200
> > From:    "David A. Daniel"<dad at POKERWIZ.COM>
> > Subject: Re: "Miss" vs. "Ma'am"
> >
> > This is probably a stupid question: Are you sure you're not hearing a
> > voiceless version of Ms (miss rather than mizz)?
> > DAD
>
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