Stressed vowels SQUARE, START, NORTH, FORCE, BOAR

The main point of interest in each of these groups is rhoticity, to which all are subject. However, whilst the situation varies from word to word, it is non-rhotic forms that have the upper hand in terms of frequency of occurrence.

Also worth noting in START is competition between front [a:] forms and back [a:] forms, with front realizations dominating in SAWD data. Parry’s (1999: 215) phonetic map for arm shows only pockets of back realizations in the south-west and mid borders.

There is a notable tendency also for a raised [o:] realization to occur in BOAR words.