Southeastern phonology: consonants

TH

London and Southeastern accents have sociolinguistically variable TH fronting (i.e. the use of [f] and [v] for / θ / and /ð/ , respectively). In these accents, TH fronting can apply to / θ / in all positions (e.g. think, something, mouth) and to /ð/  in non-initial position (e.g. brother, with). In the case of /ð/ in initial position, /d/ (or ø, as in  for and that) are more likely alternatives.

The labio-dental variants have traditionally been socially stigmatized, and therefore tend to be avoided by middle-class speakers. Neither Altendorf (2003) nor Tollfree (1999) found them in the speech of their middle-class informants. However, there are reports that TH fronting is now on the verge of spreading into Southeastern middle-class accents. Williams and Kerswill (1999: 160, Table 8.8) have found instances of TH fronting in male and female middle-class speech in Milton Keynes and male middle-class speech in Reading. In both towns, TH fronting affects sexes and classes in the following order: working-class boys > working-class girls > middle-class boys > middle-class girls. In terms of change in apparent time, this pattern is indicative of a “change from below” in the social sense of the term. It has started in male working-class speech and is now working its way “upwards” to female middle-class speakers. At the moment, this development is still at an early stage. Accordingly, labio-dental fricatives in the speech of female middle-class speakers in Milton Keynes (14.3%) and Reading (0%) are infrequent or altogether absent. This could also explain why they do not occur in the London surveys by Altendorf (2003) and Tollfree (1999).

مواضيع ذات صلة

Spelling and Pronunciation SUMMARY

American English vs. British English

Morphological Basis of English Spelling

Phoneme–Grapheme Correspondences in English Vowels

Phoneme–Grapheme Correspondences in English Consonants

Spelling and Pronunciation Irregularity of English Spelling

Structural Factors in Second Language Phonology SUMMARY

Perception

Optimality Theory (OT)

Ontogeny Phylogeny Model (OPM)

Markedness

Hypercontrast