Difference between revisions of "JNW's English"

Revision as of 21:58, 5 December 2010

The pronunciation of words, as per Jonathan North Washington

[ʌ]

strawberry - [ˈstʰɻʌbÆɹij]
wash - [wʌʃ]
Washington - [ˈwʌʃɪŋtɩn]
squash - [skwʌʃ]

[wɔ]

quarter - [ˈkʰɔɻɾɻ] (but quarry - ['kwɔɻij])
quartz, quarts, courts - [kʰɔɹts] (is there a difference in aspiration?)

[ɛ]

catch - [kʰɛʧ]
that (conj) - [ðɛt]
antenna - [ɛnˈtɛnə]

[ʌj]

/ɑj/ before voiced consonants is [ɑj]
- 'eyes' [ɑjz]
- 'bide' [bɑjd]
/ɑj/ before unvoiced consonants is [ʌj]
- 'ice' [ʌjs]
- 'bite' [bʌjt]
there are "exceptions" (they could be rule-based, having something to do with what counts as syllable-coda, or maybe part-of-speech?)
- Idaho [ʌj], Ida [ʌj]
- cider [ʌj], spider [ʌj]
- icon [ɑj], nikon [ʌj], daikon [ɑj]
- cyclops [ʌj / ?ɑj], but psycho [ʌj / *ɑj]
- irregular plurals:
  - life [ləi̯f] → lives [ləi̯vz], *[lai̯vz]
interesting contrasts:
- high [ɑj], high school [ʌj]
- 'I scream' [ɑj], 'ice cream' [ʌj]

[Æ]

See Æ for phonetic information on this vowel.

/ej/ before /l,r/ is [Æ]
- ail/ale - [Æl]
  - Al - [æl] (shows /æ/Æ/ contrast)
  - trailer (before a movie) - [ˈtˢɻʰÆlɻ]
  - trailer (behind a truck) - [ˈtˢɻʰejlɻ]
  - mailing / Maling (/Æ/ej/)
  - Beowulf (/Æ/)
    - tractor-trailer (the way I said it as a kid) - [ˈtˢɻʰæktɻ ˌtˢɻʰÆlɻ]
    - those two 'trailer's have recently merged to [ˈtˢɻʰejlɻ], but trail+er is still [ˈtˢɻʰÆlɻ]
  - nightmare - [ˈnʌjtmejɻ]
  - "night mare" - [ˈnʌjtmÆɻ]
- air - [Ær]
/æ/ before /m,n/ is [Æ]
- an, hand - [Æn], [hÆnd]
  - Hannah - [ˈhænə]
/æ/ before /ŋ,g/ is [æj]
- wagon, hang - [wæjgɩn], [hæjŋ]

/ɩ/ (vs. /ə/ & /ɪ/)

Reduced vowels are typically realised as [ə] in English:
- about — [ə ˈbau̯t]
- beneath — [bə ˈniːθ]
- Winnepesauki — [wɪ nə pə ˈsɒ ki]
- onomatopœia — [ɑ nə mɑ ɾə ˈpiː ə]

In closed syllalbes, reduced vowels are realised as [ɩ]:
- This is visible in the application of several morphemes.
  - rose-s — /ˈɻɤo̯ zɩz/
  - test-ed — /ˈtʰɛ stɩd/
  - ox-en — /ˈɑk sɩn/
- This can be seen in many other words.
  - Jonathan — /ˈʤɑ nə θɩn/
  - happen(ed) — /ˈhæ pɩn(d)/
- This can also be demonstrated derivationally.
  - religion — /ɻə ˈlɪ ʤɩn/
  - religionise — /ɻə ˈlɪ ʤə nɑi̯z/ (some less morphemic parsings lend to /ɻə ˈlɪ ʤɩ nɑi̯z/, with an almost syllabic [ʤ̩] often

In a closed syllable with a labial coda, reduced vowels are realised as [ə]:
- This is visible in the application of several (clitical) morphemes.
  - he'll've — [ˈhɪl əv]
  - get 'em — [ˈgɛ ɾəm]
- This is visible in some other words, though I can mostly only think of names and made-up words.
  - item — [ˈʌi̯ ɾəm], victim — [ˈvɪk(t) təm]
  - Jacob — [ˈʤe kəp]
  - Caleb — [ˈkʰei̯ ləb]
  - *soroft — [ˈsɔɻ əft]
- I take that back; I seem to've found some good examples
  - turnip — [ˈtɻnəp]
  - victim — [ˈvɪkt təm]
  - system — [ˈsɪs stəm]
  - bottom — [ˈbɑ ɾəm]
  - custom — [ˈkʌs stəm]
  - olive — [ˈɑləv]
  - exclusive — [ɛkˈsklusəv]
  - sherrif — [ˈʃᴁɻəf]
  - Phillip — [ˈfɪləp]
  - gossip — [ˈgɑsəp]
  - atom — [ˈæɾəm]
  - pilgrim — [ˈpɪlgɻɪm]
  - bottom — [ˈbɑɾəm]

Words with "normal" reduced /ɪ/
- culprit — ['kəlprɪt]

Data that still need to be considered:
- words like:
  - confuse
  - condition
- other words like:
  - civil, civilisation
  - get 'im vs. get 'em
    - get 'im [ˈkɛɾɪm] (unexpected}
    - get 'em [ˈkɛɾəm] (expected, but contrast unexpected)
  - presumably (how do I syllabify this??)
- the pair mistake [mɨ(s)ʼstejk] / mistook [mɪs'tʊk]

- -tion /ʃɪn/ (expected)
- -ive /ɪv/ (unexpected)
- -ic /ɪk/ (unexpected)

[ɒ] as an allophone of /ɑ/

/ɑ/ → [ɒ] / _ {ɻ,l}
Except before /l/ it seems to be only at the end of syllables (or morpheme boundaries):
- collar / caller = [kɑlɻ̩] / [kɒlɻ̩]
- holler / hauler = [hɑlɻ̩] / [hɒlɻ̩]
- similar to Maling / mailing = [mei̯lɪŋ] / [mᴁlɪŋ] above
- collie [kɑli]
- cauliflower [kɑləflawɻ̩]
- also similar to /ə/ and /ʌ/ merging and then splitting again to [ə] and [ɨ] (the latter of which's merged with /ɪ/ now).

voicing

Some consonants are [un]voiced in a way that's unexpected:

Jacob — [ˈʤe kəp]
Virginia — [ˈfɻʤɪnjə]
ostrich, sandwich — [ˈɒstɻɪdʒ], [ˈsÆndwɪdʒ]
congratulations — [kn̩gɻæʤəˈlei̯ʃɪndz]

Also, it's interesting to look at stuff across syllable boundaries. Not sure what the phonetics are like, should investigate some time.

substitute — [ˈsʌpstətʉt]
hubcap — [ˈhʌpkæp] (?)
Presbyterian

other

comfortable - [ˈkʰʌ̃ftʰɻb(ə)ɫ]
Wednesday - [ˈwɛn(d)zdej]
February - [ˈfɛbjʉwÆɻij]
Adirondecks - [ædɻ̩ˈɑndæks]

Deletion

/ə/ in first syllable

p(o)tato
p(a)thetic
k(a)tana
t(o)mato
v(a)riety
p(o)litical [plɪ.ɾə.kɨl]

/ə/ elsewhere

The generalisation here seems to be that after a stressed syllable, /ə/ is deleted when /ɻ̯/ or /l/ (or /n/) that can start a syllable follows. These are also all formerly penultimate /ə/s, making the stressed syllable now penultimate.

fam(i)ly
fav(ou)rite
ast(e)roid
priv(i)lege
sev(e)ral
fed(e)ral
delib(e)rate
Cath(o)lic
cabinet */kʰæbənɪʔ/, */kʰæbnɪʔ/, √/kʰæbn̩ɪt/
asp(i)rin /ˈæs.pɻɪn/
lab(o)ratory
prep(a)ratory?
resp(i)ratory
temp(e)rature
diff(e)rent [ˈdɪfɻɪ̃ʔ]
vi(o)lent [ˈvɑɪ̯lɪ̃ʔ]
veg(e)table [ˈvɛʧtəbl̩] (not tʰ!)
choc(o)late [ˈʧɒk.lɪʔ]
plat(i)num [ˈplæʔ.nəm]
fright(e)ning [ˈfɻəɪ̯ʔ.nɪŋ]
lib(e)ral [ˈlɪb.ɻəl]
sep(a)rate (adj.)
Marg(a)ret [ˈmɒɻ.gɻɪʔ]
light(e)ning [ˈləɪ̯ʔnɪŋ]
mis(e)rable?
veter(i)narian [vɛɾ.ɻˈnᴁɻ.i.ɪn]
short(e)ning (noun) [ˈʃɔɻʔnɪŋ]
gen(e)ral
gen(e)ralise
gen(e)ralisation
adm(i)ral [ˈædˌmɻəl]
col(o)nel [ˈkɻ.nəl]
bus(i)ness [ˈbɪz.nɪs]
desp(e)rate [ˈdɛs.pɻɪʔ]
int(e)rest [ˈɪn.tɻɪst]
ev(e)ry [ˈɛvɻi]
Ev(e)rette [ˈɛvrɪʔ]
Niag(a)ra [nɑi̯ˈæi̯.gɻə]
math(e)matics [mæθˈmæ.ɾɪks]
math(e)maticians [mæθ.məˈtɪ.ʃɪns]
rev(e)rence [ˈɻɛv.ɻɪns]

But no deletion:

finalize
separate (v.t.)
shortening (verb)
celery
colony
dynamite
analyse
Nicholas
vinegar
cal(o)rie

Acceptable variation?

veteran/vet(e)ran
sal(a)ry?
mem(o)ry/mem(o)ries?
interested/int(e)rested [ˈɪn.tɻə.stɪd]/[ˈɪn.ɻˌɛs.tɪd]

/ɻ/, apparently

Nancy Hall seems to've made a career out of this:

Never pronounced:

Feb(r)uary — [ˈfɛbjʉwᴁɻ̯i]
tu(r)meric — [ˈtʰʉmɻɪk]
Swa(r)thmore — [ˈswɑθmɔɻ̯]
Albu(r)querque
bomba(r)dier

Many of these /ɻ/s are pronounced in cases hyperarticulation or careful speech, but even then not always.

su(r)prise — [səˈpɻɑi̯z]
rese(r)voir — [ˈɻ̯ɛzəvwɒɻ̯]
kinde(r)garten — [ˈkʰɪndəgɒɻ̯dn̩]
cate(r)piller — [ˈkʰæɾəpɪlɻ]
adve(r)sary — [ˈædvəsᴁɻ̯i]
vet(er)inarian — [vɛdn̩ˈᴁɻiɪn]~[vɛɾəˈnᴁɻiɪn]
be(r)serk
paraphe(r)nalia — [̩pᴁɻ.ə.fəˈnɛl.jə]
repe(r)toir
p(r)erogative
Pache(l)bel
defrib(r)ulator — [dəfɻɪbjəlei̯ɾɻ̩]
inf(r)ared
gove(r)nor

Kind of [not] pronounced, or unsure:

fo(r)ward — ['fɔ(ɻ̯)wɻd]
inf(r)astructure
ap(er)ture
pa(r)ticular
southe(r)ner
pe(r)turbed
fo(r)lorn
Be(r)nard
No(r)thrup
Cante(r)bury
the(r)mometer
cereb(r)al palsy
elde(r)berry

Seems natural not to pronounce /r/, but I do anyway [most of the time]:

spect(r)ogram
ve(r)nacular
Wate(r)bury
Otte(r)burn
ente(r)prise
comfo(r)ter

Always pronounced:

laboratory
preparatory
respiratory
temperature
literature
photographer
stenographer
secretary
proprietress
fratricide
entrepreneur
proliferate
Labrador
interpret
frustration
celebratory
professor
impropriety
northerner
afterwards
hamburger
offertory
forward?
formerly
perform
perfumery
corporation
dormitory
formerly
incorporate
corner
extraordinary
Forster's turn
order
ordinary
ornery
orthography
portrait
quarter
warrior
farmer
farther
Girard
parliamentary
parlor
further
murder(er)
itinerary
furniture

Insertion

perse(r)vere
inte(r)gral
fa(r)miliar
cate(r)gorise
sherbe(r)t
barbe(r)cue

Unsure

pho(r)tographer
lava(r)tory
au(r)thor

No insertion

pe(r)jorative
ce(r)lebrity
ele(r)vator
benefici(r)ary
contractu(r)al
ferv(r)ent
heart-rend(r)ing
f(r)uneral

Long /r/:

error
juror
mirror
terror
sufferer
there're
for her

Syllabic /r/s:

deteriorate
interior

Clitics

Object pronouns

Notes:
- vowels in cliticised forms are shorter than in full forms (e.g. mi, jʉu̯, etc are shortened)

Object pronouns
	example	me	you	him	her	it	us	them
full forms	—	[mi]	[jʉu̯]	[hɪm]	[hɻ]	[ɪʔ] (/ɪt/)	[əs]	[ðɛm]
i_	see	[simi]	[si.ʉu̯]	[si.ɪm]	[si.ɻ]	[si.ɪʔ]	[si.əs]	[si.əm]
u_	sue	[sʉmi]	[sʉjʉu̯]	[sʉ.ɪm]/[sʉwɪm]	[sʉ.ɻ]/[sʉwɻ]	[sʉ.ɪʔ]/[sʉwɪʔ]	[sʉ.əs]/[sʉwəs]	[sʉ.əm]/[sʉwəm]
t_	hate	[heʔmi]/[hei̯mmi]	[heʔjʉu̯]/[hei̯ʧə]	[hei̯ɾɪm]	[hei̯ɾɻ]	[hei̯ɾɪʔ]	[hei̯ɾəs]	[hei̯ɾəm]

Other

I don't [ai̯ə̃u̯ʔ]

Subject pronouns

This page illustrates some (synchronic) irregularities in English pronoun+clitic combinations. This focusses mainly on cliticised forms of "to be" and "to have" in JNW English.

An E in the Actual column means the Expected forms are also found, but only in hypercorrect speech.

Orthography	Pronoun	Clitic	Expected	Actual	Reduced
I'll	ɑi̯	l		(E) ɑl	ɑl
he'll	hi(i̯)	l		(E) hɪl	hlˌ
she'll	ʃi(i̯)	l		(E) ʃɪl	ʃlˌ
we're	wi(i̯)	ɻ	'wijɻ	(E) wᴁɻ̯	wɻ
we've	wi(i̯)	əv	'wi(jə)v	wi(i̯)v	wɨv¹
we'll	wi(i̯)	l		wɪl	wʊl
you're	jʉ(u̯)	ɻ	'jʉwɻ	(E) jɔɻ̯	jɻ
you've	jʉ(u̯)	əv	'jʉ(wə)v	jʉ(u̯)v	jɨv¹
you'll	jʉ(u̯)	l		jʊl	jɪl [jɯl]
they're	ðe(i̯)	ɻ	ˈðejɻ	ðᴁɻ̯	ðɻ
they've	ðe(i̯)	əv		ðe(i̯)v	ðev?
they'll	ðe(i̯)	l		ðᴁl	ðɪl [ðɯl]

¹ Note that /ɨ/ is not otherwise permitted before a closed syllable ending in a labial

Words I never got

Because of the loss of sarcasm in fixed expressions using these words (or something like that), I never could tell what they meant—the general idea was there, but as far as I could tell, their antonyms seemed as correct as they did, if not more.

immaculate
impeccable
trivial
vicariously

Family-specific vocabulary

glurpy
heffle
zitis
scrumfle
ring-ding

Other People

My Family

Some family members have "weird" pronunciations:

[ˈdɑjəpɹ] for [ˈdʌjpɹ] ("diaper")
[ˈdɑjəmənd] for [ˈdɑjmɩnd] ("diamond")
[hɒp] for [hɑp] ("hop")
[ˈrɛs.stɻ.ənt] for [ˈrɛs.stɻ.ɑnt] ("restaurant")
[wɪð] for [wɪθ]
[bə ˈkʌs] for [bə ˈkʌz]
[ə sow ʃij ˈej ʃɩn] for [ə sow sij ˈej ʃɩn] ("association")
[mə ˈtɻ jəl] for [mə ˈtijɻ ij əl] ("material")

Media

Some media (music, commercials) have objectionable rhymes:

pauper/copper/whopper
choclate/pocket
‘ooh and aah’ where ‘aah’ == ‘aww’
see also: Other People's English

Overall vowel system

JNW's Vowels
location	tense	lax	diphthong	ɻ diphthong	examples
front
high	i(i̯)¹	ɪ/ɨ	ɪu̯	iɻ̯, jɻ	heed, hid, hued, hear, pure
mid	e(i̯)¹	ɛ	—	ᴁɻ, —	hayed, head, hair
low	ᴁ	æ¹	au̯	—, awɻ/aɯ̯ɻ̯/aɻ̯	hand/hail, had, how, —, hour/how're
back
low	ɒ³	ɑ	ɑi̯	ɒɻ̯, ai̯ɻ̯	hawed, odd, high, hard, hire/higher
mid	ɤ(u̯)¹³	ə	əi̯	ɔɻ̯, —	hoed, hut, height, hoard/horde/whore
high	ʉ(u̯)¹³	ʊ³	ɔi̯	ɔɻ̯, ɔjɻ	hoot, hood, Hoyt, tour, lawyer

Notes:

¹ Long or diphthongal
² Can be nucleus of heavy syllable
³ Rounding optional
Maybe /o/ is the the dipthongal mid-front vowel, and /ɻ/ is tense mid-back vowel.. but then there'd be two before-/ɻ/ versions for mid-front... hm.
Maybe the mid-front gap is because /əu̯/ from GVS merged with /au̯/. And maybe this gap is the cause for Valley Girl o → /ɛu̯/.

Generalisations:

Back vowels rounded before /ɻ/, front vowels not; back vowels generally more likely to be rounded
All back tense vowels have optional rounding. Yiddish /ɔ/ borrowed as JNWE /ə/.
Non-low tense vowels are optionally long or diphthong
Front vowels diphthongise to back high point; back vowels to front high point. The tense vowels are opposite. Hmm...

JNW's vowel system
	Front				Back
	peripheral	base	diphthong	with ɻ	base	peripheral	diphthong	with ɻ
High	i	ɪ	ɪu̯	iɻ̯	ʊ	ʉ	ɔi̯	ɔɻ̯
Mid	e	ɛ	—	ᴁɻ̯	ə	o	əi̯	ɻ
Low	ᴁ	æ	æu̯	ᴁɻ̯	a	ɒ	ai̯	ɒɻ̯

Another attempt

Phonetic data to back this up is being analysed at Jonathan and Tristan's Big Phonetic Project.

JNW's vowel system, take 2/3/whatever
	Front		Back
	peripheral	base	base	peripheral
High	i	ɪ	ʊ	ʉ
	iɻ̯	ɪu̯	ɔi̯	ɔɻ̯
Mid	e	ɛ	ə	ɻ
		əu̯	əi̯
Low	ᴁ	æ	a	ɒ
	ᴁɻ̯	æu̯	ai̯	ɒɻ̯