19.3485, Qs: Can vs. Can't in Regards to Vowel Shifts

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LINGUIST List: Vol-19-3485. Sun Nov 16 2008. ISSN: 1068 - 4875.

Subject: 19.3485, Qs: Can vs. Can't in Regards to Vowel Shifts

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1)
Date: 14-Nov-2008
From: Marissa Reynolds < mlreyn02 at syr.edu >
Subject: Can vs. Can't in Regards to Vowel Shifts

 

	
-------------------------Message 1 ---------------------------------- 
Date: Sun, 16 Nov 2008 16:08:37
From: Marissa Reynolds [mlreyn02 at syr.edu]
Subject: Can vs. Can't in Regards to Vowel Shifts

E-mail this message to a friend:
http://linguistlist.org/issues/emailmessage/verification.cfm?iss=19-3485.html&submissionid=196366&topicid=8&msgnumber=1
  


I am a Master's student at Syracuse University working on a paper for a
Phonological Analysis class. The topic of my paper is the apparent vowel
raising in the affirmative form to a mid front vowel from the negative
which is a clearer low front vowel. I have noticed this particularly in
regard to upstate New York speakers but I would like to investigate the
perceived neutralization of the vowels to just the low front vowel in both
forms in Southern speakers in particular I have noticed this with a friend
of mine from Texas. It is often difficult to determine if she is using the
affirmative or the negative form. 

I am looking for ideas on this subject from other linguists in regard
particularly to the idea that the vowel is raised as a minimal noticeable
difference factor for some speakers. I am also interested to find out if
anyone knows of any published work dealing with this topic area. I will
post my findings upon completion. 

Linguistic Field(s): Phonetics
                     Phonology
                     Sociolinguistics






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LINGUIST List: Vol-19-3485