Date:  Sun, 22 Oct 1995 21:35:32 EDT

From:  Larry Horn <LHORN[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]YALEVM.CIS.YALE.EDU>

Subject: skraw/skring



>Instead of: I forgot my straw. I've heard: I forgot my skraw.

>also other words beginning in str substituting the skr; skreet, etc.

>comments? Marla



 So you're hearing [skr-] in these clusters? This seems to be related to

a phenomenon I think we talked about here a year or so ago (or maybe it was on

Linguist?) in which the [s] is palatalized, yielding something like 'shtreet'

in the clusters you cite. This palatalization seems to be especially frequent

among Long Islanders, particularly those with Italian surnames. Seriously.

Does anyone on the list know anybody who discusses either this palatalization

Marla's velarization in these str- initial clusters?  (At least the former

development isn't too surprising, since the -tr- is or can be itself somewhat

palatalized in many idiolects, including my own; but motivation isn't reality

for most speakers.)



Larry