Category Archives: Dialects

What is SSBE?

Posted on 2024/12/04 by swphonetics

SSBE (Standard SBE) was first mentioned in the IPA Handbook referring to RP, like Windsor Lewis’ GB. But since then It has been used for Home Countes SBE (formerly Estuary English, having spread across London to Bucks or Northants from … Continue reading →

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RIP RP – RP RIP?

Posted on 2018/12/14 by swphonetics

The expression RP RIP appeared occasionally during a period of 40 years across the turn of the 20th-21st centuries. It’s simple and clear but the message conveyed follows various threads: Please, no more RP in schools (Tony Harrison, Chumbawamba, Scouse … Continue reading →

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New article

Posted on 2017/02/03 by swphonetics

A spectrographic study of sound changes in nineteenth century Kent. 2017. In Tsudzuki, Masaki & Masaki Taniguchi (eds), A Festschrift for Jack Windsor Lewis on the occasion of his 90th Birthday 215-246, Journal of the English Phonetic Society of Japan … Continue reading →

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19th century sound change in Kent: LOT

Posted on 2016/12/15 by swphonetics

The distribution of LOT pronunciations by the seven informants. Most still had [a~ɑ]-like earlier pronunciations (O). Only two had as yet acquired the new pronunciation [ɔ] (N). The earlier 19th century popular pronunciation in Kent for LOT was [a~ɑ]. The … Continue reading →

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19th century sound change in Kent: MOUTH

Posted on 2016/12/10 by swphonetics

The distribution of MOUTH pronunciations by the eight informants. Four informants had acquired the new pronunciation [æɒ], [æ:] (N) or the partially new form [æʉ] (P). Four informants still had the earlier pronunciation [ɛʉ] (O). Alexander Ellis (1889, On Early … Continue reading →

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19th century sound change in Kent: rhoticity

Posted on 2016/12/06 by swphonetics

The distribution of rhoticity by the eight informants: four had the earlier fully rhotic pronunciation (O), one was partially rhotic (P), while three had acquired the new non-rhotic pronunciation (N). The map shows that four informants still had the older … Continue reading →

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19th century sound change in Kent: THOUGHT

Posted on 2016/12/03 by swphonetics

The distribution of  THOUGHT by the eight informants: three had the earlier (O) pronunciation, while five had the new (N) pronunciation. THOUGHT subsumes NORTH and FORCE. The map shows that three informants still had the older [ɔ:]-like pronunciation, while five … Continue reading →

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19th century sound change in Kent: TRAP

Posted on 2016/11/29 by swphonetics

The distribution of the [æ]-like TRAP vowel by the eight informants: this is either the earlier timbre close to DRESS (O), or it is the new open timbre (N). Two informants still had the earlier pronunciation. The map shows that … Continue reading →

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19th century sound change in Kent: STRUT

Posted on 2016/11/24 by swphonetics

The pronunciations of STRUT. Six informants spread over most of the county had the new [a]-like pronunciation, while two in East Kent still had the older [ʌ]-like pronunciation. The map shows that the new [a]-like pronunciation dominated most of Kent, … Continue reading →

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19th century sound change in Kent: GOAT

Posted on 2016/11/23 by swphonetics

The distribution of GOAT pronunciations by the eight Kentish informants (each denoted by the place and year of birth). The timbre of GOAT was studied in the speech of eight informants, all born between 1865 and 1895. Seven informants exhibit … Continue reading →

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