schwa-raising - crossing the phonemic quantum gap

[Cecil Ward]

----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> in which case 'falcon' could qualify, having a final
/n/. There will also be some nasalisation of the vowel, which could also
contribute to differences.

So would other nasals count - the /m/ in cimunicate ? Wouldn't help with
"Siddam", of course.


> Cecil Ward's speaker may therefore have varied this aspect of speech
(particularly if involved in a 'performance' of some sort for broadcast),

I speculated at the time as that pragmatics might be a factor. The reporter
was introducing the subject of his report, and the "falcin" was "new,
noteworthy" material. He gestured towards the bird and its owner. His
intonation said to me that the subject was "something the viewer should be
surprised by/marvel at". He then carried on talking having established the
context, and used a more even intonation with lower pitch, and fewer words
were heavily emphasised. Certainly the first instance of the word was higher
pitched and slightly louder, as best I recall.

Cecil.