LL-L "Phonology" 2003.09.05 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
L O W L A N D S - L * 05.SEP.2003 (03) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/index.php?page=rules
Posting Address: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org
Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
=======================================================================
You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
text from the same account to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or
sign off at http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================
A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
=======================================================================

From: Luc Hellinckx <luc.hellinckx at pandora.be>
Subject: Phonology

Beste Ron (en annere liëglanners),


I have the impression that many differences between an English and an
American pronunciation seem to stem from the different stress that both are
applying. England English very often (if not always) stresses the first
syllable (just like in German) and not the following ones, whereas in
American English the situation is more complex. If the accent is dominantly
on the first syllable, quite often the next syllables become somewhat
obscured and vowels tend to get muffled.

Here in (southern) Brabant I have also noticed that some words are not
stressed on the first syllable but rather on the last one. This is very
audible in girl's names like Maria, Nathalie and Carine where Brabantish
opts for "Mar'ja", "Nata'lie" and "Ka'rin" (preserving more the original
form), whereas Flemish or Northern Dutch realizes variations on _'Marja_,
_'Natalie_ or _'Karen_ and the like (forcing a word to sound more native).
As you can notice, the originally high-pitched "i" in Carine (or Carina for
that matter) then spontaneously shifts to a darker "e".

Something similar might have happened in American English where the urge to
stress the first syllable doesn't seem to be as strong as in
England English (hence _'secretary_ >< _secre'tary and _'harassment_ ><
_ha'rassment_ and _'strawberry_ >< _'straw'berry_). Could this be due to the
bigger influence of Romance languages during the last three centuries on the
American continent? I don't know.

Kind greetings,


Luc Hellinckx


PS: Thanks Ron for gently replying to Allison on my behalf too.

----------

From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Phonology

Thanks, Luc.

> hence _'secretary_ >< _secre'tary

Well, as far as I can tell, primary stress is still on the initial syllable
in the American version.  The third syllable thus receives secondary stress,
and in non-North-American pronunciation vowel reduction still applies in
secondary stress.  The same applies to the third syllable in "strawberry,"
by the way.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

================================END===================================
* Please submit postings to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or at
  http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================