Date: Thu, 7 Dec 1995 12:00:42 -0700
From: POLSKY ELLEN S Ellen.Polsky[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]COLORADO.EDU
Subject: can/can't
I know that Labov has done some studies on this, but what about the
pronunciation between (unreduced) "can" and "can't"? I pronounce "can"
as /kaen/ - (the vowel is an "ash") and "can't" as /ke:nt/. (I come from
Phila.) I think Labov described this as being only a Phila. phenomenon.
Any comments? (I think some Philadelphians even pronounce "can't" as
something more like /kint/, with a short schwa sound after the /i/.)
Ellen S. Polsky (Ellen.Polsky[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]Colorado.EDU)