John Benjamins Publishing Company
Where and what is (t, d)?
Abstract
The variable deletion of /t,d/ in word-final clusters in English has garnered much attention from sociolinguists and, more recently, phonologists, most of whom model it as a binary variable phonological rule. This paper examines in detail some (t,d) clusters in York English and compares them with other word-final singleton and cluster consonants. In the light of the general literature on English, it explores an alternative view, that in at least one variety of British English “-t,d deletion” is in fact one of the common connected speech processes which apply at the boundaries between words. It thus underlines the importance for advances in sociophonetics of taking a step back to examine critically the basic units of analysis of variable rules.
Abstract
The variable deletion of /t,d/ in word-final clusters in English has garnered much attention from sociolinguists and, more recently, phonologists, most of whom model it as a binary variable phonological rule. This paper examines in detail some (t,d) clusters in York English and compares them with other word-final singleton and cluster consonants. In the light of the general literature on English, it explores an alternative view, that in at least one variety of British English “-t,d deletion” is in fact one of the common connected speech processes which apply at the boundaries between words. It thus underlines the importance for advances in sociophonetics of taking a step back to examine critically the basic units of analysis of variable rules.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Variation and sociolinguistics
- The sociophonetic orientation of the language learner 17
- French liaison and the lexical repository 31
-
Part II. Sources and functions of sociophonetic variation
- Derhoticisation in Scottish English 59
- Where and what is (t, d)? 97
- New parameters for the sociophonetic indexes 137
- Sound archives and linguistic variation 169
-
Part III. What is (and what is not) a sociophonetic change
- Ejectives in English and German 189
- Author Index 205
- Subject Index 209
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Introduction 1
-
Part I. Variation and sociolinguistics
- The sociophonetic orientation of the language learner 17
- French liaison and the lexical repository 31
-
Part II. Sources and functions of sociophonetic variation
- Derhoticisation in Scottish English 59
- Where and what is (t, d)? 97
- New parameters for the sociophonetic indexes 137
- Sound archives and linguistic variation 169
-
Part III. What is (and what is not) a sociophonetic change
- Ejectives in English and German 189
- Author Index 205
- Subject Index 209
